Who else is making an attempt to assist small companies and impartial retailers this Christmas season? Prime of my pointers for my shopper options this Yuletide is supporting people (notably artists and creatives affected by the present pandemic) and naturally supporting wildlife and conservation charities.
I’m delighted to have found wildlife illustration model, Wild Traces, by zoologist Jen Parker; which manages to satisfy each of these necessities.
Jen’s vary of illustrations incorporates having fun with enjoying playing cards, calendars and present wrap; and comes with the promise of a minimal carbon footprint; with all packaging being recyclable, and the utilization of UK-based print companies that drive inexperienced values.
I used to be excited to talk with Jen to go searching out additional about her enterprise, which began out on this hardest of years for mannequin new start-ups.
“I create characterful pen drawings of wildlife – usually endangered species – and share them alongside an optimistic story all through the featured species’ conservation journey,” she outlined. “This 12 months, I’ve began promoting my illustrations as prints and greetings having fun with enjoying playing cards.”
Remaining 12 months, Jen ran an ‘Endangered Creation’ on social media, the place she posted a particular wildlife-themed design day-after-day of introduction, and people designs are actually accessible as having fun with enjoying playing cards on her website. “I’m planning on doing the an equivalent this 12 months, more than likely with a give consideration to British wildlife,” she tells me.
Jen has been sort ample to supply one fortunate reader of this weblog the prospect to win a set of six Christmas card designs price £15.00! Additional on that later, as we first ‘Meet the Maker’.
Meet the conservationist behind the enterprise
Theres a quote that appears to be doing the rounds on social media not too approach again; “Whenever you assist small enterprise, you’re supporting a dream” — efficiently, I needed to know additional about that dream…
Kate: Thanks for taking the outing of your busy schedule to talk to me, Jen. First factors first, the place and the easiest way did your ardour for wildlife start?
Jen: Rising up on the Isle of Wight, I’ve regularly been surrounded by nature. I beloved spending time exterior, nonetheless it wasn’t till I used to be about 17 that I turned obsessive about biology.
Skip forward just a few years and, having achieved a stage in zoology and a masters in palaeoanthropology, I used to be packing my baggage for a six-month postgraduate diploma in endangered species restoration. The course, run by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Notion, was primarily based in Mauritius. I hoped that it’d assist me to hunt out out whether or not or not or not I needed to be an area conservationist or begin a PhD. My time in Mauritius is the place my ardour for conservation actually intensified.
After perhaps most likely essentially the most unbelievable experiences engaged on a choice of world-renowned endangered species restoration initiatives, I made a decision that I didn’t must be an area conservationist. Nor did I have to do a PhD.
I used to be starting to really actually really feel as if there was a aspect of conservation that was generally neglected, and that probably I might assist with. People, and notably human behaviour change, is integral to conservation success – and nevertheless not often built-in deeply and considerably into conservation methods.
That was as quickly as I made up my thoughts that the best approach I might have a really highly effective have an effect on could also be by communications.
That’s fascinating to be all ears to, and one issue I completely relate to. So how did that evolve into you launching Wild Traces?
After I had exhausted my funds staying in Mauritius for so long as my checking account would enable, I travelled as soon as extra to the UK and took a job as editor of a veterinary journal.
It wasn’t conservation, nonetheless it was an enchanting place that taught me a limiteless deal relating to the editorial world together with the implausible veterinary occupation.
It was furthermore in these first months as soon as extra all through the UK that I felt impressed to choose up an artwork work pen for the primary time. I continued to create pen drawings of wildlife in my spare time and, with the encouragement of family and associates, held a stall at just a few Christmas markets close to my base in Oxfordshire.
In June 2019 I handed in my resignation and moved to Montserrat all through the Caribbean, the place my companion was predominant the Mountain Rooster Restoration Programme.
I spent just a few months working as a contract creator and editor before focusing my time on drawing and establishing a promoting and advertising method for Wild Traces.
The thought to launch a conservation-focused illustration enterprise had been at the back of my concepts for a while, nonetheless I knew it’d take some important dedication to place into motion. Thankfully, a swap to the Caribbean provided the correct atmosphere to get caught in.
That’s superior. What has been perhaps most likely essentially the most rewarding a part of launching Wild Traces as a enterprise?
It’s scary launching a mannequin new enterprise, notably when your specific particular person work is the product. Nonetheless I’ve discovered it rewarding from the very starting.
It’s so pretty to be all ears to that my art work work brings folks pleasure, or that anyone has learnt one issue new or modified only a bit behaviour due to they research the story accompanying a bit.
I’m sharing my art work work with a splendidly engaged viewers of people who uncover themselves passionate relating to the pure world, and I couldn’t have requested for additional in my first 12 months.
One significantly thrilling second this 12 months was when Jersey Zoo put of their first order for his or her retailer – after which one completely different one, due to folks had been on the lookout for my factors!
That was fairly a surreal feeling and I’m actually making an attempt ahead to reaching additional prospects by rising my wholesale providing as shortly as factors are only a bit nearer to ‘widespread’ all through the retail world.
I’ve my fingers crossed for you. Which merchandise or designs have been hottest?
The Wild Traces 2021 calendar is proving extremely regarded for the time being. The wall calendar selections 12 of my endangered species drawings and 15% of earnings are donated to Durrell Wildlife Conservation Notion. Folks have tended to purchase it as a Christmas current; they’re actually totally glad to assist a small enterprise together with a wildlife conservation charity whereas doing their Christmas procuring – notably this 12 months!
My hottest print has been the Asian elephant (she’s my favorite, too!), adopted intently by the very candy juvenile Brazilian tapir. There may be not a standout winner referring to having fun with enjoying playing cards – there’s one factor for everyone and plainly all people has a particular favorite!
So, how do you go about selecting the animal species you employ for the designs?
Remaining 12 months, I targeted on endangered animals and tried to cowl all varieties of species – from sea turtles to sloths. The arrival thought dawned on me on the finish of November and I requested my companion if he thought I might do one design day-after-day of December up till Christmas.
I don’t know why I bothered asking, truly he was going to say optimistic. So I publicly devoted and that was it! Each night I acquired proper right here up with a plan for the following day’s card design so, to be dependable, there wasn’t loads of a way to it!
This 12 months I’ve deliberate forward. I’m going to current consideration to the wildlife now we now have correct proper right here on our doorsteps all through the UK – from white-tailed eagles and natterjack toads to hedgehogs and hares.
I actually really feel it’s necessary to attach with the wildlife now we now have at residence; it’s straightforward to overlook what unbelievable biodiversity we’ll uncover in Britain’s pure areas, and even in our gardens and parks.
Loads of the species I’m that options this 12 months are the themes of conservation work. Others are doing efficiently, nonetheless merely couldn’t be missed; it wouldn’t be a British wildlife assortment with out a purple fox!
Now I’m excited for December to come back again once more spherical, merely to see your introduction assortment! In what methods do you hope your work will encourage others to attach with wildlife?
Every drawing brings the viewer only a bit bit nearer to nature and, I hope, will assist them to primarily actually really feel additional linked to the good world that we’re so fortunate to be part of.
My drawings are usually accompanied with a conservation story. The tales describe the exhausting work being undertaken by conservation organisations to guard the species and often incorporate some info on what we’ll do to assist.
I actually really feel folks all over the place on the planet have felt additional linked with the pure world this 12 months than ever before, given the weird and troublesome circumstances the pandemic has launched with it. That was one completely different of my causes for specializing in British wildlife this 12 months.
Having spent masses time indoors, we turned more and more conscious about the necessary have an effect on the pure atmosphere has on our well-being. We had been staring out of our residence residence home windows recognising birds and bugs that won’t have caught our consideration before. And as quickly as we had been able to take a stroll all through the woods, we relished the likelihood to reconnect with the pores and pores and skin world. I hope that my introduction assortment this 12 months will assist to nourish these emotions, and even perhaps quick folks to positioned on their boots and go for a acutely aware stroll amongst nature.
Now, you talked about that the Wild Traces 2020 introduction assortment would even be supporting wildlife conservation. Are you able to inform us additional?
Constructive, for my 2020 introduction assortment, I’ve partnered with Folks’s Notion for Endangered Species – a implausible charity that raises each consciousness and funds for conservation initiatives all through the UK and further afield.
I will seemingly be highlighting quite a few of their good initiatives all through the UK and promoting the distinctive festive drawings and donating all earnings to PTES.
