Designer Feature- ChickP

Jo (ChickP) has always been fascinated with rainbows, and along with this grew a determined desire to make the world a more colourful place. So it’s no surprise to find that Jo’s designs are brightly coloured and extremely eyecatching!

Jo wanted to create a selection of sublimely colourful designs for various products so she set to work her imaginative eye for design and her love for all things surreal. She submerged myself in the wonders of Technicolor, finally embracing all the colours of the rainbow and ChickP was born.

ChickP began with Jo hand painting wooden items with rich colours of fanciful worlds and patterns. The product range is growing all the time as she continues to add new fun items, all priced to suit every budget.

ChickP now has a brand spanking new website check it out : http://www.chickp.co.uk

WHERE ARE YOU BASED?
I live in sunny Bournemouth on the delightful south coast, but I spend nearly half my time in London.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START BECOMING INTERESTED IN CRAFTS?
From whenever I can remember I was always making stuff. When I was growing up my mum use to get furious with me for dying fabrics in our bath tub (including staining the bath itself), using her food blender to make paper mache pulp and leaving crisp packets in the oven overnight to shrink. It was an endless creation of mess!

GREATEST INFLUENCES?
My Grandma was, and still is a huge creative influence for me. In her earlier years (she is now 83) she was a painter, and all round creative intellectual. When I was a child she taught me a lot about drawing, I always enjoyed her visits as I would get out my sketchbook and show her my works of art. We would also spend time visiting art exhibitions in London, and still do now!

I was blessed with some very inspiring art teachers at school, and one I still keep in touch with today, Lyneth Howells. I would go into the art room, even on half term breaks to make stuff with her. There were never any boundaries to what we could create, so I used to make some crazy stuff.

Today I have many influences that come from a wide spectrum of things: Retro fabrics and patterns, old interior magazines and books, The Beatles ‘Yellow Submarine’ artwork and animated film, the great outdoors, Japanese origami paper and super flat designers, West African fabric, 1970s tiles, kitsch packaging and all the traveling I have done- the world is such a visual treat!

GREATEST PROBLEM YOU’VE OVERCOME?
When I began this ChickP adventure it was really difficult to find good, reliable suppliers. There is no directory to go to find the things you need to produce your products. This was hard, but as you search and make contacts it became easier. Also I was lucky to have some great people I had worked with before that I knew I could rely on to help.

WHAT PIECE OF WORK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
I would say my box collection. It is where all this began and I love the designs still so much.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT ON SELLING THEIR GOODS?

Be really positive and determined. Everything takes time and you have to persevere. Don’t give up! Everything you make should look as professional as possible, as handmade stuff should still be good quality.

WHICH 4 PEOPLE (DEAD OR ALIVE) WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE AS WEEKEND GUESTS – AND WHY?
Andy Warhol- he’d know how to get the party going and create a great atmosphere with his enigmatic personality.

Bono- so we could discuss the situation Africa, and possibly he could sing a song or two.

Gordon Ramsey- so he could cook us some delicious meals!

Jonathan Ross- he would make us all laugh a lot, I think he’s hilarious!

WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU KISSED?
My boyfriend

WHAT’S ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE?
A messy pile of books and magazines- they tend to build up so I pick and choose depending on what I feel like, I always read before I sleep.

HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU?
Stubborn, creative, chatty.

NEW YORK OR BARBADOS?
New York is very inspiring and there is so much to do there, but at the moment I am crying out for some sunshine so I would have to say Barbados!

FERRARI OR MINI?
Mini definitely.

EASTENDERS OR HOLLYOAKS?
Eastenders! I used to be an avid watcher but I can’t keep up anymore. Hollyoaks just irritates me!

CHOCOLATE OR CHAMPAGNE?
Oh no! That’s not a fair choice! I’d go with Champagne I guess!

IF YOU COULD ONLY ACCESS 3 WEBSITES, WHICH WOULD THEY BE?
My own! http://www.chickp.co.uk so I could keep running my online business!

http://printpattern.blogspot.com because it’s the best blog I have found and is extremely up to date and inspiring.

Facebook- sadly I am still addicted!