Cardmaking & Papercraft - UK (2020-05)

Molly’sstampsareavailablefrom

http://www.crafterscompanion.co.uk

YoucanseemoreofMolly’sartwork

onInstagramasMollyHarrisonArt

98 Cardm http://www.gathered.how/cmpc

C

ongratulations on the release of your

new collection with Crafter’s

Companion! How does it feel to see

your illustrations turned into stamps?

It felt wonderful! Knowing that crafters will be

able to add my illustrations to their cards makes

me really happy. I love to see the beautiful

cards people have made using my fairy stamps

• there are some very talented and creative
  people out there.

How did you get into product design?

I was contacted by Crafter’s Companion and

asked if I would license my artwork to be used

to create stamps. I hadn’t done much product

design before, so I chose designs from my

colouring pages, which worked perfectly. I have

been an artist all my life, but I began selling

watercolour illustrations back in 2003, on eBay

first, then on my website and Etsy. Working as

an artist is so fulfilling.

What does an average day look like for you?

Now my children are older I have more time for

my work. I answer emails, get my printing done

and shipped out and research ideas for new

colouring books. I have not been painting as

much as I’d like recently, as I’ve spent a lot

of time creating more colouring books.

We love your ethereal fairies and mermaids,

but do you have a particular favourite design?

I do have several paintings that are favourites of

mine, not necessarily because they are my best

Thismonth,wechattoartistMollyHarrisonaboutherworld

of magic and joining the Crafter’s Companion family with the

launch of her enchanting otherworldly characters...

but because they reflect a specific

enjoyable time period or a leap upward

in my career, or an artistic

accomplishment. We are our own worst

critics and when we finally get something

right, it’s a great feeling! Galaxy Girl is a

particular favourite. It is quite different

from my usual fairy and mermaid

illustrations, but it represents a time whenI

triedsomethingdifferent.

Whatinspiresyourdesigns?

I have so many inspirations it’s difficult to

narrow them down. Nature has provided so

much inspiration, often subconsciously. I grew

up by the sea in a little coastal town on the west

coast of California and the wild Pacific Ocean

will forever be an inspiration. Motherhood,

emotions, other artist’s work, and a desire to

create beauty are all inspirations for me.

Mystical and magical themes have always been

something I desire to create because this world

can sometimes be mundane.

Can you tell us whether you have future

plans for any more stamp collections?

I would love to have more stamp collections in

the future! Currently I am solely working with

Crafter’s Companion on the stamping range,

and working with the crew has been very

enjoyale.Everyonehasbeenso kindand

helpful. I hope to have more stamps and

other product releases in the future.

Who are your design or crafting heroes?

My grandfather, who is no longer with us,

was a brilliant watercolourist and artist in

general. I think knowing him and watching

him work was always something that

inspired me growing up. There are other

fantasy artists whom I admire, and I would

say early on that Cicely Mary Barker really

struck a chord with me. Her beautifully

rendered, childlike fairies and intricate

floral scenes are just immeasurably

uplifting and serene.

What do you enjoy most about crafting?

Crafting is definitely part of my soul. I have

always loved making jewellery and lately

have gotten back into it. I’ve started creating

fairy wings out of heat-bondable film, and

they are so lovely. I also love working with

anything glittery and incorporating it into

my cards and paintings. We are just starting

to build our new home and I will have a

larger studio and office – it will be lovely to

have my painting area, my crafting area,

and my office area all in one room.

“Crafting is definitely part of my

soul. I’ve started creating fairy wings

out of heat-bondable film...”

Molly’sfantasyworld

wentfromartworkto

colouringandstamping

Molly Harrison

The last wd with...

Addyourowncolour
andsparkletoMolly’s
etherealcreatures