Hello, my name is Lisa Davies and I am an artist living and working in Surrey. I work in my little studio alongside my companion Winnie, my little West Highland Terrier…or should that be terror?… and my 2 little cats Nala and Noah.
After studying a degree in Illustration and a post grad in Art Education, I put my career on hold to bring up my family. However, during this time I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, which meant that I had to undergo extensive surgery and chemotherapy for over a year. My consultant found out that I was an artist and suggested that I start drawing to help me get through my treatment . . .and so after years of not picking up a pencil or paintbrush, I started drawing and painting again. My passion for art flooded back and it was also a huge source of comfort and therapy for me during a very dark period of my life. My art literally got me through my treatment and still helps me to this day…..and I am so grateful for that!!
This was how my art business began and in 12 years it has grown and grown and I haven’t looked back. So after putting off my art career for years and never thinking I would be a successful artist, my breast cancer diagnosis ended up giving me the push I needed to just go for it and has lead me to where I am today with my business.
I love coming up with fun and quirky illustrations for my range prints, greetings cards and gift products. I love telling a story in each picture and there is pretty much always an element of humour there too, as I do tend to see the funny side in life.
I find inspiration in every day simple pleasures. Those things we often overlook because of our busy stressful lives. For example, the simple pleasure of putting your washing on the line on the first warm day of spring, or sitting with a cuppa and listening to the birds in your garden. I love life and I hope it shines through in my work.
During Lockdown I made the brave move into producing my own products, rather than having to rely on printers. So I invested in all of the equipment to do it myself. This now enables me to have complete control over all of the products, prints and greetings cards that I produce, meaning that I can always make sure that they are the best quality possible for my customers. I also love it that from that beginning stage of doodling ideas in my sketchbook, to painting my original paintings, to then turning these into my products, it is now all me, giving me complete control over every aspect of my business.
My original paintings sell across the UK and internationally and I am also represented by Green Pebble, a British Contemporary Art Publishers, who use my paintings to produce greetings cards which sell to retail across the UK and internationally. I also sell my prints and gift products through various shops online and at regular artisan fairs and craft markets too. I love attending the markets as its always so wonderful to meet my customers in person.
I am very excited to be a member of Surrey Hills Enterprises as I hugely enjoy being a part of such a wonderful group of creative and supportive artisans. I am very proud to be a creative business working in Surrey and I am very passionate about promoting art in our area and encouraging the younger generation into studying art and creative careers as I feel that the arts in general have such an important role to play in moulding our future generations.
