The team at Hepple had already put a lot of thought into what sort of content they wanted for their Visitor Passport, including species checklists for people to tick-off things that they’d seen when visiting, some sort of information about how the estate changes through the seasons, space for visitors to include their own notes and observations and - of course - pages where the visitor could collect stamps for the different tours and experiences that they have attended.

My challenge was to incorporate the work I’d done for their mini re-branding project to create the first piece of printed material within that new visual identity. The Visitor Passport needs to be engaging and accessible, helping to engage visitors more deeply with the landscape and the work of Hepple Wilds so that they understand why it matters.

I don't remember exactly when I first said it properly. But I remember how the conversation went.

"What do you do?"
"I'm an illustrator."
"Ooh, picture books?"
"No, er, I do all sorts of things, like, er, maps and, er, drawing wildlife."
"Oh. Will I have seen your stuff anywhere?"
"Probably not... I've only just started out." [Embarrassed trailing off.]

The thing is, I said some version of that last line for nearly four years.

Earlier this Spring I responded to an open call for artists to provide illustrations for a Timeline wall for the new Living Barracks Museum here in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The brief seemed made for me, as someone who read History at University and has had a lifelong interest in heritage and as a Berwick-based illustrator looking to work on some more challenging commissions - and I’m so pleased to share that I was accepted to work on the project!

Over the past few years I've worked on illustrated maps for a wide range of clients: heritage organisations, farmers, authors, and private individuals commissioning personal gifts. What strikes me, looking back across these projects, is how differently each map was being asked to work. Not one of them was simply about geography.

I really enjoyed working on my Riding of the Bounds commission last year. So this spring I've been developing a small collection, using the artwork I created for the Berwick Riders’ Association as a starting point. This new map print and set of note cards will launch on Saturday 2nd May (the date for the 2026 Riding of the Bounds).

When I received the grant funding for this project back in September, I set myself quite a challenge. A series of original ink illustrations. A set of community workshops. A self-guided walking trail. And an exhibition. Looking back now, with Illustrating Wilson's Tales open at Berwick Library as of today, it's hard to believe how much has been packed into the last few months — and how much I've learned along the way.

Creating those first three illustrations — one each for Launcelot Errington and his Nephew Mark, Patrick Hume and the Governor of Berwick, and Grizel Cochrane — was an immersive experience. Each one involved working through the full process: moodboards, character development, thumbnail sketches, layout drawings, and finally the finished ink and wash artwork. It was slow, and deliberately so. All that thinking and decision-making felt essential.

Not every branding project begins with a blank sheet of paper.

Sometimes, the most important role a designer can play is not to introduce a host of new ideas, but to listen carefully, test assumptions, and help an organisation refine what it already instinctively knows to be right.

That was exactly the case with Hepple Wilds.

I love working on these types of commissions as it really showcases the flexibility of map-making. Maps based on experience, emotion and memory aren’t about cartographical accuracy - they’re storytelling in its purest form. Whilst the viewer needs to be able to orient themselves - perhaps understanding the direction of travel or key landscape features - they aren’t using the map for way-finding. It is about their lived experience of the adventure and the landscape - what they personally noticed, encountered and even endured in the process of their journey - and how they share that story with others.

A successful art commission is built on trust, clarity and shared understanding. Having spent many years working inside charities and heritage organisations — and now collaborating with them as an illustrator — I understand the pressures, processes and responsibilities involved. That experience shapes how I work: thoughtfully, transparently and with respect for the realities organisations face.

After completing the research phase of my Illustrating Wilson’s Tales of the Borders project I began the next stage: Experiment and Explore. This is the point where my ideas moved off the page and into materials, and where the focus shifted from analysis to hands-on testing, learning, and play. Rather than working towards finished illustrations straight away, this phase was about discovering what feels right for the stories I’ve chosen, and for me as an illustrator.

Since receiving grant funding to begin my project inspired by JM Wilson and his Tales of the Borders, I’ve been taking some time to lay the groundwork for the illustration part of the project. Instead of diving straight into drawing, this early stage has been about slowing down and spending time with the stories themselves — getting a feel for the characters, settings, and themes before trying to respond to them visually.

When photographer and web designer Sarah Jamieson got in touch about creating a bespoke illustrated map to anchor the new website that she was designing for the Berwick Riders Association to help tell its story visually, I knew it would be a special project — one that celebrated not just geography, but heritage and community spirit.

There’s always a mix of excitement and nerves when a new product arrives from the printers. After months of drawing, tweaking colours, finalising the layout and ordering samples, it is always a relief to finally open the box and see the finished tea towel calendars stacked neatly inside.

I applied for some grant funding this summer for support for a project working in partnership with local organisation, the Wilson's Tales Project, and Berwick-upon-Tweed Library. With sincere thanks to Create Berwick and their funders - the North East Combined Authority and Northumberland County Council - I'm thrilled to announce that the grant was awarded in late August. In addition to creating some illustrations of my own inspired by Wilson's Tales of the Borders, I'm going to be designing a self-guided walking trail leaflet, and running some workshops to support others to create some artwork inspired by the Tales, culminating in an exhibition in the Library.

Are you looking for a unique and inspiring activity that combines creativity, nature, and connection? My outdoor sketching workshops and nature art sessions are designed to help people step away from screens, slow down, and rediscover the joy of creativity — no art experience required. These mindful art workshops are all about process, not perfection and they’re perfect for groups and community organisations, celebrations, and workplace wellbeing programmes.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been immersed in my sketchbook, carefully hand-drawing each illustration for my 2026 Calendar Tea Towel in ink, before layering in watercolour washes for detail and colour. It’s been lovely spending time on the little details – the bright splash of a robin’s breast, the patterning on a thrush’s feathers, or the soft texture of moss for a nest.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at this bespoke illustrated map commission featuring five iconic UK race tracks. A meaningful gift created in ink and watercolour for a 70th birthday – complete with a custom car illustration and hand-drawn circuit logos.

Summer’s in full swing and the next couple of months are looking busy in the best way - a lovely mix of creative work, meeting clients and customers at markets, events and workshops, gentle family adventures, and a few moments just for me!

I’d love to create another calendar tea towel for 2026, but I need your help to decide what the theme should be! I’ve narrowed my ideas down to five themes and given a sense of the sorts of illustrations that might be included, but can you help me by voting for your favourite?