Rachael Taylor is an award-winning art director, creative mentor, and print and pattern designer and now author. She is best known for her quirky style, daring use of colour, and unique innovation. She regularly takes on design commissions for various companies and has created prints and patterns for almost every part of the marketplace. She is a trademarked brand with a number of licensed products worldwide.    Rachael is also a much-loved coach and creative mentor who is well-known for her...

Alexander Wills is a digital textile printing expert. He is devoted to helping designers gain financial freedom, while doing what they love, through the Maake ecosystem. He works with 100’s of company’s daily from small brands to big names including Alexander McQueen, Dior, Burberry and BBC and his belief is ‘all designers should be treated with the same respect, no matter their status, as creativity is unique’. After 15 years in textile printing, Alex and his wife Artemis were tired of...

Simion Hawtin-Smith is the Creative Director of Reloved Upholstery and Design in Manchester. He started Reloved Upholstery in 2014, and specialises in giving iconic chairs a new lease of life, using a combination of traditional and modern methods. He is an upholsterer for the BBC One TV show, Money for Nothing, and has a monthly column in Reclaim magazine sharing the inspirations behind his work. Simion is an incredibly diverse and multi-disciplined creative.  He also works as an interior...

Terry Runyan is a visual artist, illustrator, creative encourager and cat lover living in Kansas City with her adorable cats Rylee and Tucker who she credits for being huge inspirations to her work. After working as an in-house illustrator for 30 years at Hallmark, Terry took the leap back in October 2016 to explore her own art and creative processes. With an Instagram following of over 340K, Terry also creates video tutorials and lessons on watercolour, mixed media and collage. Seeing...

Nerida Hansen, is an Australian pattern and fabric guru based in Victoria, Australia and first embarked on a career in textiles in 2008 with her own sporting label for men and women. Followed by a two-year stint as a junior buyer of licensed bedding for a major retailer. In this role she was introduced to manufacturers in South Korea and India and as a result unleashed her passion for licensing, design and fabrics.     It was during this time that she pitched her idea to support independent...

Kieron Lewis, a freelance graphic designer from London, specialises in Branding, Editorial Design, Social Media Marketing and Graphic Design. Kieron is also an experienced public speaker having spoken at Adobe MAX as well as a host on the Adobe Live Series, Creative Pro and Create Leicester and at numerous universities and colleges where he shares his wealth of experience and knowledge. Over the years, Kieron has successfully implemented several self-directed and client-based projects,...

As Sales Director for Cinnamon Joe Studio,Paul spent around 8 years exhibiting at shows like PV in Paris, Heimtextil in Frankfurt, and Surtex in New York. Over the years he noticed a decline in numbers attending these big trade shows, but the yearly rising costs to exhibit. In May 2014 the feeling was there was definitely a need for change and that made up Paul’s mind to do something about it. However, being based in Northern Ireland, it was always going to be a challenge organising a new...

Marianne Shillingford is the Creative Director at AkzoNobel Dulux and founder of the “Colour in Design Award”. Dulux is the UK’s leading paint brand, with a wealth of products and services designed to help consumers find the colours that they’ll love in their home. Dulux have most recently worked in collaboration with UK TV station, Channel 4 as partners for their DIY makeover show “Changing Rooms”!  Describing her role as Creative Director of Dulux as a dream job which involves working...

More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to help define, communicate, and control colour from inspiration to realisation and to achieve colour consistency across various materials and finishes for graphics, fashion and product design. Vice President of The Pantone Colour Institute, Laurie Pressman believes that The Colour Conversation is one that touches nearly every industry. From the clothes we wear to the way colour makes us feel,...

Creative powerhouse Katy Cowan is a renowned journalist, writer, podcast host and founder of the phenomenal platform Creative Boom. Launched in 2009, Creative Boom supports the creative community, particularly those who are underrepresented. Today, the site has six million readers and over 320,000 followers on social media. From artists, graphic designers and illustrators to photographers, filmmakers, and animators her platform supports creatives at every stage of their careers, from leaving...

Oliver Bonas is a British High Street and online lifestyle store. The company vision is to create inspiring Home and Gift collections, allowing self-expression and to encourage creativity. They believe that their designs go beyond the products to represent a lifestyle and offering Oliver Bonas as an experience. Kate Butler is the Head of Home and Gift at Oliver Bonas – alongside a team of designers with an exploratory spirit who successfully channel it into their fashion and homeware...

The Quarto Publishing Group creates a wide variety of books and intellectual property products, with a mission to inspire life's experiences. Produced in many formats for adults, children and the whole family, the products are visually appealing, information rich and stimulating. Winnie, the SVP and Publishing Director for Quarto, has been working there since 1993 and has had various roles starting as the North American Marketing and Sales Manager for Rockport Publishers a global design book...

For over 30 years Adobe has been changing the world through digital experiences and has been transforming industries, starting with the print industry. Mike Scrutton, Print Director at Adobe is leading a team focused on developments in the textile printing space. With 25+ years working with print, his knowledge and understanding of creative production workflows is extensive. Mike has been with Adobe since 1997 and has been responsible for many new and advanced technologies in the field. At...

Oliver Bonas is a British High Street and online lifestyle store. The company values are work hard, play hard, be kind which are at the core of all they do. They believe in the magic of great design, innovative thinking and that design has the power to positively affect how we feel, allowing self-expression and to encourage creativity.  Dan Silby, Art Director is a creative at heart, a visionary and spontaneous art director with almost 20 years’ experience directing and styling photoshoots...

Janine Vangool is the publisher, editor and designer of UPPERCASE, the quarterly magazine for the creative and curious and celebrates the process of making the commitment to craft and the art of living creatively. Published since 2009, UPPERCASE has an enthusiastic and loyal readership of designers, illustrators, craftspeople, creative entrepreneurs and paper lovers around the world.  A creative explorer, Janine has worked as a freelance graphic designer in arts, culture and publishing and...

Elizabeth Olwen is a renowned Canadian Print and Pattern Designer who lives in beautiful Lisbon. Elizabeth’s work oozes style, joy and colour confidence. She collaborates with companies from all around the globe, on feel-good, intentional products from home decor to stationery, from fabric to bedding, from swimwear to jewellery, and so much more. Not only is she an in-demand designer, she’s a brilliant online teacher and if that wasn’t enough Elizabeth is also Founder and Director of Field...

In this very first Make it in Design podcast, Beth Kempton puts Art Director, Creative Mentor and Print and Pattern Designer Rachael Taylor in the hot seat to discuss her career so far, how to stay motivated and creatively inspired and all about her passion for Cuba. Episode 1 includes: ·      Recognising when it’s time for a change ·      Dealing with imposter syndrome ·      Staying open and receptive to new opportunities   New episodes every Monday. Remember to subscribe to get new...