It was at the suggestion of a friend that Frances Boyd fell into surface design.”She suggested that as I was good at drawing and useless at sewing to delve into the world of surface pattern.”
After graduating with a degree in Textile Design, Frances had a brief spell working in a fashion studio in New York. Then jam-packed full of energy and ideas to start her own studio, life had its own plans and she spent the next several years raising her three sons.
But now she’s ready again. She’s already had a few big wins; when exhibiting in Indigo Paris she was asked to do a commission for Christian Lacroix spring summer collection, and early this year her work was chosen by Quincy Lampshades to feature in their new Keppler lampshade collection.
With a subdued palette and a style that is part hand drawn, part vector, she loves layering forms and using line to create texture. The landscape surrounding her home on the Isle of Man is a constant inspiration with its numerous beaches and its plentiful wildlife. But there’s also the local antique shop, and she loves “having a good rummage in a charity shop for some vintage fabric.” Camera and sketchbook are never too far away.
Frances’s best friend Susan from The Print Tree is her business mentor and inspiration. “She has been instrumental in me following my dream to design; giving me a little kick up the bum every now and then when I think I can’t do something!”
Her favourite piece of advice is an oldie but a goodie, and came via one of her university professors who wrote on one of her life drawing sketches.
“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”
“I have the drawing pinned up on my studio wall so I can see it every day when I sit down to work.”
You can find more of Frances’s work on her own website, www.francesboyd.com.