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Astrid Chesney
Artist and Illustrator
Astrid Chesney graduated from the Royal College of Art and has since worked as an artist and illustrator. Her illustrative work has taken inspiration from film, theatre, 1940s photography and evokes a strong sense of atmosphere.
She has exhibited work in numerous galleries in London and clients have included Penguin books, Random House, the Guardian, New York Times, Pentagram and Dazed and Confused…
Recent artwork however has moved towards larger scaled paintings saturated in distinctive bold use of colour. Inspired by ancient folk traditions, Tudor history and objects of curiosity, her imagined paintings evolve from the subconscious and are whimsical and uncanny.
More info about Astrid Chesney and her work can be found:
Astrid Chesney graduated from the Royal College of Art and has since worked as an artist and illustrator. Her illustrative work has taken inspiration from film, theatre, 1940s photography and evokes a strong sense of atmosphere.
She has exhibited work in numerous galleries in London and clients have included Penguin books, Random House, the Guardian, New York Times, Pentagram and Dazed and Confused…
Recent artwork however has moved towards larger scaled paintings saturated in distinctive bold use of colour. Inspired by ancient folk traditions, Tudor history and objects of curiosity, her imagined paintings evolve from the subconscious and are whimsical and uncanny.
More info about Astrid Chesney and her work can be found:
Holly Black
Writer and Editor
Holly is a writer and editor specialising in the visual arts. She has written for titles including ArtReview, Wallpaper, Aperture, and is a contributing arts editor for the World of Interiors. She wrote her first book, Artists on Art: How They See, Think and Create in 2022, and is currently working on her second book on the history of printmaking, which is forthcoming with Yale University Press.
Holly is a writer and editor specialising in the visual arts. She has written for titles including ArtReview, Wallpaper, Aperture, and is a contributing arts editor for the World of Interiors. She wrote her first book, Artists on Art: How They See, Think and Create in 2022, and is currently working on her second book on the history of printmaking, which is forthcoming with Yale University Press.
Fran Mendez
Graphic Designer
Fran is a designer and lecturer with over 15 years industry experience and specific expertise in branding, editorial and art direction.
In 2023 Fran Co-Founded @hondo.studio together with @maria_vioque. A dynamic design studio specialising in creating purposeful and impactful design experiences, collaborating with like-minded clients across the globe.
Fran spent 7 years in consultancy roles with global brands such as Huawei and Samsung. He has been teaching design at the University of Greenwich @uniofgreenwich for the last seven years.
Fran is a designer and lecturer with over 15 years industry experience and specific expertise in branding, editorial and art direction.
In 2023 Fran Co-Founded @hondo.studio together with @maria_vioque. A dynamic design studio specialising in creating purposeful and impactful design experiences, collaborating with like-minded clients across the globe.
Fran spent 7 years in consultancy roles with global brands such as Huawei and Samsung. He has been teaching design at the University of Greenwich @uniofgreenwich for the last seven years.
Ellie Curtis
Illustrator & Textile Designer
“My work is somewhere inbetween art, craft and design. I like to wander around the place looking for funny inspiration, from nature, people, animals. I love museums full of curiosities and textiles from all over the world, especially Indian block print, of which I have a growing collection. I worked for many years as a Printmaker, based in a studio in East London. I still dabble with it from time to time, but would like to return to it more one day.”
Ellie’s illustration and textile design commissions have included work done for Liberty, Penguin, St. Jude’s Fabrics, The Royal Opera House and The World of Interiors magazine.
Most recently, Ellie has been working on a few collections of kitchen and bathroom tiles, available to buy on her online store. The inspiration behind this was Billie Holiday’s music, her aunt’s house and the feeling of watching summer rain.
“My work is somewhere inbetween art, craft and design. I like to wander around the place looking for funny inspiration, from nature, people, animals. I love museums full of curiosities and textiles from all over the world, especially Indian block print, of which I have a growing collection. I worked for many years as a Printmaker, based in a studio in East London. I still dabble with it from time to time, but would like to return to it more one day.”
Ellie’s illustration and textile design commissions have included work done for Liberty, Penguin, St. Jude’s Fabrics, The Royal Opera House and The World of Interiors magazine.
Most recently, Ellie has been working on a few collections of kitchen and bathroom tiles, available to buy on her online store. The inspiration behind this was Billie Holiday’s music, her aunt’s house and the feeling of watching summer rain.
Charlotte Wainwright
Bookbinder & Paper Marbler
Charlotte Wainwright is a bookbinder, paper marbler and visual creator, based in London. She works on a wide range of projects, from exclusive hand-marbled products for galleries and stores, branded notebooks for special events, one-off bespoke re-binds and hand-restored bindings, to creating video content of her processes for feature films and craft-related ads.
A Graphic Design graduate from Central St Martins, Charlotte now has over a decade’s worth of experience in fine-bookbinding, and over the past few years has developed her craft in paper marbling and video content creation.
She has enjoyed working with Liberty London, Saatchi Gallery, Tate, Toast, Wallace Museum, V&A and BBC. Visit the links to discover her projects.
Get in touch if you’re interested in working together :
hello@wainwrightbookbinding.com
Buy a personalised, original hand-marbled or bookcloth notebook from the Wainwright Bookbinding online shop.
Charlotte Wainwright is a bookbinder, paper marbler and visual creator, based in London. She works on a wide range of projects, from exclusive hand-marbled products for galleries and stores, branded notebooks for special events, one-off bespoke re-binds and hand-restored bindings, to creating video content of her processes for feature films and craft-related ads.
A Graphic Design graduate from Central St Martins, Charlotte now has over a decade’s worth of experience in fine-bookbinding, and over the past few years has developed her craft in paper marbling and video content creation.
She has enjoyed working with Liberty London, Saatchi Gallery, Tate, Toast, Wallace Museum, V&A and BBC. Visit the links to discover her projects.
Get in touch if you’re interested in working together :
hello@wainwrightbookbinding.com
Buy a personalised, original hand-marbled or bookcloth notebook from the Wainwright Bookbinding online shop.
Gemma Newby
Broadcast Journalist & Producer
Gemma is a broadcast journalist and producer for podcast and radio. She has been crafting long-form audio for almost fifteen years.
She makes one-off features as well as series about ideas and stories that illuminate understanding of our world. Somehow these days, whatever programme she makes, they’ll be something in there about trust and truth.
She also make narrative podcast series. Which she loves.
Gemma’s programmes can be heard on BBC Sounds, Radio 4, The World Service, and coming soon... Audible.
(On occasion she also dabbles in presenting and reporting.)
Gemma is a broadcast journalist and producer for podcast and radio. She has been crafting long-form audio for almost fifteen years.
She makes one-off features as well as series about ideas and stories that illuminate understanding of our world. Somehow these days, whatever programme she makes, they’ll be something in there about trust and truth.
She also make narrative podcast series. Which she loves.
Gemma’s programmes can be heard on BBC Sounds, Radio 4, The World Service, and coming soon... Audible.
(On occasion she also dabbles in presenting and reporting.)
Holly Lomax
Interior Designer
Hello! I'm Holly and I founded Effortless Interior Design in 2022.
Originally from Norfolk, I studied History of Art and Architectural History at the universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. I find that this academic background serves as an excellent foundation to my work as an interior designer.
After realising I needed a more creative career, I trained in interior design under the internationally-renowned designer Rita Konig (House & Garden Top 100, AD Top 100), before working for Isabella Worsley and Lucy Cunningham (both House & Garden Top 100).
Whilst I was working as a designer on luxury, bespoke projects, I had an idea that I couldn’t let go of: what if I could make high-end interior design accessible to people who don’t want to pay for a full design service, but still want to use high-spec materials and have a professionally curated home?
That's when I came up with the idea of an Off-the-Peg Design Scheme. And after three years of developing and refining the idea, I launched my first Off-the-Peg Design Schemes in November 2024.
Hello! I'm Holly and I founded Effortless Interior Design in 2022.
Originally from Norfolk, I studied History of Art and Architectural History at the universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. I find that this academic background serves as an excellent foundation to my work as an interior designer.
After realising I needed a more creative career, I trained in interior design under the internationally-renowned designer Rita Konig (House & Garden Top 100, AD Top 100), before working for Isabella Worsley and Lucy Cunningham (both House & Garden Top 100).
Whilst I was working as a designer on luxury, bespoke projects, I had an idea that I couldn’t let go of: what if I could make high-end interior design accessible to people who don’t want to pay for a full design service, but still want to use high-spec materials and have a professionally curated home?
That's when I came up with the idea of an Off-the-Peg Design Scheme. And after three years of developing and refining the idea, I launched my first Off-the-Peg Design Schemes in November 2024.
Lucy Mitchell
Garden & Landscape Designer
Lucy Mitchell is an award-winning Garden and Landscape Designer based in Walthamstow.
With a background in Brand Experience, designing the architectural elements for events and product launches, Lucy gradually began incorporating plants into her installations whenever possible.
“I found so much joy working with plants that I realised garden design was something I wanted to focus on. I've always loved the challenge of creating immersive experiences. Designing permanent spaces that evolve with time and the seasons felt like a natural next step.”
In 2024, Lucy was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for her climate-resilient, sustainability-focused garden design.
She is currently working on a variety of exciting projects both locally and across the UK.
Lucy Mitchell is an award-winning Garden and Landscape Designer based in Walthamstow.
With a background in Brand Experience, designing the architectural elements for events and product launches, Lucy gradually began incorporating plants into her installations whenever possible.
“I found so much joy working with plants that I realised garden design was something I wanted to focus on. I've always loved the challenge of creating immersive experiences. Designing permanent spaces that evolve with time and the seasons felt like a natural next step.”
In 2024, Lucy was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for her climate-resilient, sustainability-focused garden design.
She is currently working on a variety of exciting projects both locally and across the UK.
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