A little bit about me
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My love of art and English, started at an early age, taking photos on family days out and sketching, which continued when I studied Art and English at Rochester Tutors in historic Rochester, Kent. But like many artists, life took over and for years, I rarely indulged in any form of art other than to create the occasional pet portrait for family and friends. I didn't immediately follow a creative career, but I did eventually go on to enjoy nearly fifteen years as a part time wedding and freelance branding photographer.
In 2024 I decided to put my camera to one side to pursue a new creative career
but I was unsure what that would look like. Then in the New Year of 2025, my world was rocked by a family circumstance that found me spending huge amounts of time at Kings College Hospital, London.
On parking the car, I would walk, at times, daily, to Kings, through Ruskin Park which is a stunning green space, nestled next to the world class hospital and boasts impressive views of central London.
As I walked, I found a few minutes to breathe before taking on the emotional challenges of the day ahead and ground myself by observing the reassuring predictability of the trees and plants throughout the changing seasons and the many animals that have made the park their home. I took reference photos and sketched from them once home and began to develop a sense of the vital importance of nature for wellbeing.
Then, one night as we travelled home from an appointment, sat in heavy traffic, I began to envisage a way to use my ideas and art to have a positive impact on other people's lives. As the ideas began to form, the idea of a collection of cards and prints began to take shape and that is now an ever growing and evolving collection of ranges to honour the many stages and circumstances in our lives.
Collaboration with the Friends of King's College Hospital
If you are able to support the amazing work of the
Friends of King's College Charity, Charity Reg no. 207328
via my Just Giving page, we would be so grateful. Thank you.
I truly hope that my work facilitates connection and positivity and I hope that the partnership that the Friends of King's College Hospital and I have formed, goes on to raise vital funds and support individuals and families who rely on their dedication to care for others.
We are all busy navigating the many changing seasons and situations of our lives but it is so much easier when we take time for each other and provide the support and community that everyone needs and deserves.
Much love,
Julia x
Once I had a small collection, I met with the wonderful Friends of King's College Hospital charity Registered Charity no. 207328. The Friends run a the Hospital Shop at Denmark Hill and have a dedicated committee and band of volunteers who work hard to enhance the patient, visitor and staff experience by running the shop seven days a week and funding comforts and amenities for patients and their families form across the country, who rely on the world class facility and the wonderful staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to treat, care for, cook, clean and provide for their every need. The Friends of King's Hospital fund a whole range of improvement projects across the Denmark Hill site, some recent examples including artwork for consulting rooms, a children's bereavement library within palliative care and ICU, consoles for children to help keep them calm and occupied and fold up beds so that parents are able to stay with their children overnight. They also support the diverse community of professional staff who provide the first class level of care that touches so many lives every year, often in very difficult circumstances. Their work is life changing and every donation helps this incredible work continue positively changing lives of people, when they need the care and support the most.
We now collaborate, my work on sale in the hospital shop, to add to their sales profits as well as an additional 20p donation per Card, 20p per Comfort Card and £1.00 for every Print sold, both in the shop and all of my other sales channels, with all donations lovingly given to support their truly amazing work.