Meet the Maker: Jane Davenport

How did you get involved with drawing and creating art?

I think I may have arrived in the world with a coloured pencil in my hand! It's so much a part of me. Drawing has long been an important professional tool, equally, it is an emotional release, meditation and feels like time-travel.

What inspires you when you are creating?

Music and my emotions are what inspires me in the moment. But I collect up all manner of snippets for use in my art all day long from colours of birds, to shapes of flower petals, comments people make, pictures I see on Social Media and books. They all go into the washing machine in my brain and come out newly imagined.

What is a tip you can share for creating with your products?

Start with your favourite colour! I like to get my supplies in front of me and let my eye wander over them, and then start with whatever hue my heart shouts out in the moment. It doesn't matter what the medium is, I feel you can't go wrong if you start with your creative intuition and a smile.

How do you arrange your art supplies to make it easiest to work?

I like to collect pretty pots and cups and then gather like supplies into each one. I have a lot of fun arranging them on my table. They are easily movable, and I can swap things on and off the desk. I like to get my supplies out of their boxes and packaging where possible.

What is Artomology?

I have had a, shall we say, evolving creative career. I started as a Fashion Illustrator, then progressively morphed into a textile designer, fashion designer, fashion photographer and Fine art photographer. I became savagely fascinated with insects and my favourite 'bugjects' were ladybirds and butterflies. I had many international exhibitions and even wrote about insects in books and magazines. I was often asked what attracted me to become an entomologist, and I had a bit of fun stating the I was the world's leading 'Artomologist' (because I made that word up, and I was the only one!).

Artomology has since broadened to encompass what I 'do' … which is lead an art-full life. And I have gifted the word to my Jane Davenport Mixed Media Facebook group (anyone can join on in!) so I am no longer the only Artomologist! This collection celebrates that feeling of creativity being a central part of our characters!

Can you share a “Janeism”?

RAINBOWITIS
Definition: The love of Art Supplies (The Acute form is the compulsion to arrange Said supplies in rainbow formation).

I am a self confessed art-supply junkie! I have created an online workshop called 'Supplies Me' to share my obsession, and talk about it in my books. So you can imagine what a dream-come-true it is for me to design the art supplies that have lived in my heart and imagination!