It's April 2024 - tie fir an update in the story of Finches Lane designs so far...
Why the Name?
There are a few roads in the UK called Finches Lane but the one in our story is a country road in a village, in the heart of Hampshire and it is the one I walked to school along as a little girl.
After walking past the red brick orchard wall there was a grassy field on one side where horses, cows and sheep would often graze in. Beyond the field was the old Village church which bells would ring on the hour and half past.
Both the field and the church overlooked a lazy chalk stream river that had swans, ducks and the occasional water vole living there. On the other side of the road after the big house with iron gates and the mature Beech Tree there was a bank full of grasses and wildflowers and a hedge filled with sparrows that surrounded the local park; a playing field for the school. Rain or shine; in all weathers and all seasons I would walk this road every school day for nearly 12 years. It is part of who I am.
When I was looking for a name for my business I needed something that summed up my values and style. A helpful article I read about choosing a business brand name, encouraged you to try using your name or a jumble of names to create a memorable one or if that wasn't working to go back to something or a place from your childhood which brought happy memories for you. I took a moment to pray and happily settled on Finches Lane.
What is the Ethos?
The Finches Lane ethos is about bringing the beauty and joy of nature into your life to bring you calm and a sense of happiness. When you see one of the designs you should get a sense of the birds singing and the peace and beauty of the warm summer days in the English countryside. The name is a good fit for all these emotions.
The name is also a good fit for someone who is on a learning journey of new discovery and fresh plans.
I have always loved making artwork and you would definitely describe my personality as a creative and my passions reflective of the great Creator. I have tried my hands at many things but never thought it possible to be able to fully concentrate on it as a career.
Lots of events and experiences came together and I felt pulled (by God) towards taking the plunge further into the creative world.
How far along the Journey?
So why surface pattern design as the chosen area of artwork?
Actually probably need to first answer the question - what is Surface pattern design?
Surface Pattern designers have the skills to able take individual motifs, place them together and create patterns that enhance products using particular colour pallets.
Some patterns are seamless and repeat endlessly, some patterns are just for a particular placement.
for example - this notebook print is a placement print and fits exactly in to the dimensions, and this tea towel is endlessly repeating.
I have been interested in repeat patterns from a very young age and have been creating patterns in my artwork for years - I had no idea that you could actually do it for a job, although I have one particular memory that when I stared learning about it that came back.
I remember going to London with my cousin to meet friends of her family. We stayed in a stunning town house belonging to a couple who both had careers in the arts. The lady kindly recognised my interest in what she did and showed me a portfolio of flower pattern tiles. They were exquisitely detailed and painted in watercolours. She then told me that they were designs for a Liberty fabric collection. I naively had no idea of the significance of what she had told me!
I wish I could go back and chat again to this incredibly talented woman and see more of her work.
Historically my family are creators and I have personally dabbled in photography, lino printing, screen printing, quilting, pressed flower pictures, embroidery and patchwork, painting in watercolours, glass and silk painting, needle felting and wet felting.
One day, however, my dearly beloved bought me an iPad and suddenly digital art became part of my skillset.
This particular moment opened up a whole new world of editing and creating work that could be moved onto products with the click of a few buttons.
Using my original artwork I could now reproduce and recreate it and finally make them into seamless repeating patterns.
How do the patterns evolve?.
What Products do have you had made?
What are your Vision and Values?
Each business that you buy from will have a set of values that you will associate with and its often spelt out in their advertising!
think
M&S
Tesco
John Lewis
Finches Lane is no different and the values are:
Beautiful Designs, Responsibly Made, Sustainabe Shopping, Just for you.
If we quickly unpick these things it means that each piece of artwork has to be the best it can be before it is ready. No short cuts or sloppy jobs.
Each Product has to have a good use so that we aren't making anything that is unusable - everything has a purpose.
Each product has to be created by local (to the customer) manufacturers that value sustainability - for the planet, for the people that they employ and how they are moving forwards to improve this all the time.
Lastly everyone needs to be able to afford something from Finches Lane. If the prices are beyond some people's reach then they may buy something similar that is produced in an unethical and unsustainable way.
What about the Future?
Next the Wallpaper dream.
Before I tell you about the Wallpaper dream I need to tell you of another little girl story that you will recognise if you read any of the Meet the Maker posts.
As a family we went to the same place for two weeks, every year for our Summer holiday. It was a quaint house at the end of a farm track in the North of Devon. I slept in the same bed next to the same wall for many, many nights. I would fall asleep looking at a fascinating wallpaper that was full of pretty flowers and butterflies and I now know it was painted in a Chinoiserie style pattern.
After we stopped going to Devon I admit that we forgot about that pretty wallpaper until I was doing a course about historical pattern styles and all the memories came flooding back.
I would love to achieve the dream of recreating this style of pattern on a wallpaper and have it on a bedroom wall.
Lastly the China cup dream
I need to confess that I'm slightly obsessed with anything Bone China too. I remember that my sweet dear Nanny used to demand that she only had a thin lipped cup for her hot beverages and I have taken up the legacy and would one day like a range of china cups with Finches Lane designs on.
If you have read this far I'd like to say a big thank you for taking the time to learn about what we have been up to. I say we as although it's headed up by me, Tori, there are so many people that are part of the team. My family and friends who support me and try out the products. The manufacturers who are working so hard to become more sustainable and as always the loyal customers and community who make Finches lane what it is so far...
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