Food, glorious food!

I’ve always been interested in food provenance, cooking, growing my own and foraging. For this reason, I’ve long been a supporter of Slow Food, which is a global, grass-roots movement that aims to link gastronomic pleasure with a commitment to defend regional dishes and specialities, support communities and the environment, and ensure good, fair food for all. This year I’ve been involved with the Slow Food regional group based right here in Berwick-upon-Tweed and it has been great to play a small role in supporting the group’s ambitions to celebrate local and regional foods and drinks and the independent producers and traders, as well as advocating through work with the community and schools for a Slow Food approach.

Berwick Slow Food group has been organising an annual Food & Beer Festival for the past 16 years as part of their mission to celebrate local and regional producers, and it now attracts visitors from across the UK (and beyond) with approximately 10,000 people attending over the three days of the event. The 2024 event is fast approaching (16th - 18th August) and I’m going to be attending. Whilst I’ve gone every year since we moved to Berwick and last year I even volunteered at the event, this year I’m actually going to be a stall-holder in the producers’ market!

I wanted to take a selection of my art prints and gifts that are inspired by Northumberland, but also to create some more food-based designs specifically for the occasion. I’ve therefore been beavering away on the following collections, which I’ll be launching at the event on 17th August and will then have available on my website and Folksy shop from w/c 19th August

Big Northern Buns

Art Print, Square Card and Tea Towel

Do you like big buns? How about big Northern buns? Who knew that there were so many different types?!

I love a good pun almost as much as I love bread and all bread products, so this design was just crying out for me to make it! Based on the Sir Mix-a-Lot hit from the 90s of ‘Baby Got Back’, of which the first line is ‘I like big butts’, this design shouts ‘I like big buns’!

Ink and watercolour original illustrations of a range of bread buns/rolls (sweet and savoury) found primarily in the North of the UK, including: Stottie, Rowies (aka Aberdeen Butteries), tea cake, morning roll, barm cake, whitby lemon bun, bap, selkirk bannock, scufflers and bannocks.

Eat Your Veggies!

Art Prints, Square Cards (x4), Tea Towel & Fridge Magnet

This collection was inspired by my Vegetable Alphabet artwork, which has a watercolour and pen illustration of a vegetable for (almost) every letter of the alphabet. Treat yourself to an A4 print (in pink or cream) or a tea towel to spot the missing letters.

I've also got some wooden coasters and four different square note card designs (Autumn Soups, European Veg, Roots & Onions, and Salads), as well as a brand new product for me - fridge magnets!

Fishy Dishy

Art Print, Tea Towel, Square Card, Wooden Coaster & Fridge Magnet

Inspired by the famous North East Folk Song, 'Dance to your Daddy', which includes the lines:

Thou shalt have a fishy, on a little dishy, thou shalt have a fishy, when the boat comes in

These herring illustrations were hand-drawn in pen-and-ink in a dark grey colour and I’ve placed them against a light blue/grey background. They will be available as an A4 print, a 100% organic cotton tea towel, a square note card, fridge magnet and wooden coaster.

Other collections

In addition to these three new collections, I’ll be bringing my Edible Mushrooms of the British Isles (Art Print, Tea Towel and A6-size note card), my Rose for All Seasons illustrated recipe tea towels and my When Life Gives You Lemons cards and fridge magnets. As well as my usual range of Berwick, Northumberland and nature-inspired collections.

I really hope I see you at the event, but don’t forget if you’re interested in any of these products, just hop on over to my shop to purchase.