Travelling Through Art

We invite you to meet Rhi James from Hebe Studio who makes the most wonderful art that has the ability to transport you far away to some of our favourite lands, both real and fantasy.

If you miss India like we do, or dream of visiting this magical country, we are sure you will join us in our admiration for Rhi's beautiful and uplifting artwork which is truly a joy to view.

Rhi James

Based in Perth Australia, Rhi spends her time working as both a freelance print designer and an illustrator / artist after leaving the UK in July 2019.

Having spent the last 7 years primarily working as a womenswear print designer her focus has now shifted to illustration since lockdown began.

I've always loved illustration... but its only recently that I've started to incorporate it into my personal work. 

We especially love these pieces inspired by her recent travels in India which capture the incredible colour and vibrancy of our favourite country, taking us on our travels from the comfort of our own homes.

Above Left is our team favourite - the magical Patrika Gate in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

We caught up with Rhi to ask her a few questions about her work and the inspiration behind it;

What is your Greatest source of inspiration?

​"Travelling. Totally a cliche but I never feel more inspired than when i'm exploring somewhere new. Not only is it the places I go to but also just being away from my normal daily routines really helps free up creative space in my head. And of course it helps going to places like India where you just want to paint everything you see!"

What is your favourite medium?

"Watercolour and Gouache with a bit of Copic marker pen."

How is lockdown influencing your art & process during lockdown?

"Lockdown has been a big blow for my freelance work but has in turn given me time to focus on my illustrations - something i've been wanting to do for years (literally). Now that I am starting to set up Hebe and realising how time consuming it is setting up a business i'm accepting that (although it's scary), this lockdown time is actually a blessing for me. It's given me time that I would never normally have had to paint, design and research all the things I need to in order to make it a success." 

Do you have any tips for getting through this extended time at home?

• "Try and differentiate the weeks from the weekends by changing your routine slightly. (e.g ordering food in on weekend evenings and not having to cook can suddenly seem like the most exciting thing ever) (I also only allow myself to drink at the weekends and i've banned myself from tik tok in the week haha but maybe don't put that)
• Self care - have baths, read books and let yourself do whatever you feel like doing. Be kind to yourself, it's a hard time mentally for everyone so don't feel guilty if you're not reading the million books you thought you would or you haven't achieved all the things you said you would if you 'had the time'. Its a hard enough time as it is so just do you. 
• Be creative! I'm loving seeing how many people are getting their paints out or having crafternoons doing random stuff. Its so fun to do things you wouldn't normally do."

Do you have any other artists, illustrators and/or print designers who influence and inspire you?

"I'm loving a couple of Australian illustrators at the moment @tahnee_kelland (just bought one of her prints and I loveee it) and @karina_jambrak has some super cute prints too. They both use the most gorgeous muted palettes. Also my friend @wildrosepaints has just started working with oil paints and her landscapes are so beautiful."