Creative Rituals

This week’s interview is with Bella Bowker. Bella is an artist and founder of her successful business Sew Bella, creating beautiful and unique personalised items using embroidery techniques. Bella first learnt to embroider whilst on crutches following an accident at university, and over the last five years her business has flourished, going on to work with some huge names including Jo Malone and Selfridges. Bella recently moved to Copenhagen, and we caught up to discuss what it’s like running her business from abroad, what she embroidered for her own wedding, and some of the crazy projects we’ve both worked on over the years.Find Bella hereFind Georgie hereLinks:CopenHot - urban garden of hot tubs, saunas and cold plunge tubs in CopenhagenSalad Days MarketTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This week we talk to artist and illustrator Emmy Porter, otherwise known as Emmy Oranges. As well as her work as an illustrator, Emmy also recently set up her business Art Ease, which seeks to provide workshops and artistic opportunities to her local area. Emmy is a shining light in her town of Southport, spreading colour and joy through her drawings and sunny disposition everywhere she goes. In this conversation we cover the role community plays in Emmy’s work, her brilliant shared studio space, how she took the leap from nursing to freelance life and the vulnerabilities that caused her to leave art school twice. Find Emmy hereFind Georgie hereThe Engine RoomArt Ease CICRachael DeanUncannyZOE Science & NutritionFeel Better Live More with Dr Rangan ChatterjeeHot Milk by Deborah LevyMake Change That Lasts by Dr Rangan Chatterjee

This week we sit down with the artist and painter Sophie Castle. Sophie lives and works as an artist in Falmouth, which she also balances with an interior design job in London. She told me about how she juggles her time between the two, her studio habits, living as an artist by the sea, how to get past feeling vulnerable sharing your work online and why it’s always better to be weirdest and most true self. Find Sophie hereFind Georgie hereLinks:Robi WaltersNettle GrellierChloe WiseAnna WeyantNatalia Gonzales Martin The Chintz Bar and Underland, FalmouthAll Fours by Miranda JulyMorgans gallery, Falmouth 

My guest this week is friend of Creative Rituals, children’s illustrator Rachael Dean, who illustrates the books for none other than Dame Jacqueline Wilson. I’d been inspired to reach out to Rachael again after resonating with a lot of the subjects she’d been sharing online recently. In this episode we discuss the things that can sometimes be a little tricky about working as an illustrator, how we both tackle difficult deadlines, making space for other areas of creativity in our lives, and reclaiming our voices via Substack. Find Rachael here and her Substack, The Art of Being Real hereFind Georgie here and her Substack, Creative Rituals hereTwelve Moons: A Year Under a Shared Sky by Caro Giles Sleepovers by Jacqueline WilsonThe Seaside Sleepover by Jacqueline WilsonWhistle Down Farm series by Nicola BakerOne Home by Hiba Noor KhanThink Again by Jacqueline WilsonThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

My guest this week is the bestselling author Veronica Henry. I’ve been a reader of Veronica’s books for many years, and couldn’t believe it when I discovered she lives just round the corner from me, in Devon! We met for the first time last year at The Appledore Book Festival, where Veronica was giving a talk on one of her novels, The Secret Beach. I was lucky enough to visit Veronica in the beautiful pink living room of her lovely home overlooking the sea for this conversation, and she told me all about her process as a writer and how it is that she’s come to write a whopping 24 books. We discuss her approach to plotting, sources of inspiration, her love of interiors and clothes and how living by the sea informs her work. Find Veronica on Instagram hereFind Georgie hereVeronica’s new novel One Night at the Chateau is out now, order your copy hereAppledore Book FestivalThe Secret Beach by Veronica HenryThe Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker Lisa Jewell

My guest this week is the Brooklyn based interior designer and author Emma Beryl Kemper. Emma’s style is the perfect marriage between comfort and luxury, and her first book, House Rules: 100 Ways to Feel at Home was just published this January. The book, a handy pocket sized guide for anyone looking for ways to elevate their home, was actually illustrated by me! I had the pleasure of creating the artwork for the cover and 100 rules that fill the book’s inside pages. After a year of talking through our editor via email, in this episode Emma and I actually meet for the first time to talk about the book, as well as her work as a designer and what makes her happy at home. Find Emma hereFind Georgie hereHouse Rules: 100 Ways to Feel at Home by Emma KemperDavid Bowie on the creative process Le Labo Laurier 62 Classic CandleThe Nix by Nathan HillLibrary in Mexico City by appointment only - Tlacuilo Biblioteca