Emma Pack is a freelance designer, illustrator and creative consultant with a background in Combined Craft, an endless love of design for retail and is founder of studio 'Bird Blue Creative' based in Cheltenham U.K. . . .
"We're so happy and proud to be celebrating our 15th Anniversary at Bird Blue this year . . . fifteen years of doing what we love to do . . . how time flies!"
Our Long Story Short - ish . . .
It all started many moons ago, with a bag of pick ’n’ mix bought for me by my Grandma May in Woolworths . . .
Amongst the stacked shelves, bright colours, tempting wrappings and abundant cheery choice, I distinctly remember wondering how all these 'things in shops' came to be there . . .
WHO decided WHAT they may be, HOW and WHERE they may be made and how they may LOOK?
I knew right then that whoever, wherever and however this was, when I grew up, I wanted to have a go . . . and I just had to learn more!
Today, ‘some' moons later, I feel so very lucky to have shaped a career out of doing just that . . . out of having a go, looking, listening and learning much, much more along the way.
Long may the fabulous, fanciful flight continue!
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First . . . A degree in Combined Craft - Textiles, Ceramics, Metal and Wood has given me a sound understanding of materials and how they behave . . . with an enduring respect for the beautifully crafted, interest in how things are made and a focus on how products can be best conceived, designed and produced to make the most of what's being asked of them.
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Next . . . busy days working weekends for a U.K. furniture maker in their Tobacco Dock showroom and weekdays for an Importer of Home Accessories in their Chelsea showroom, gave me glorious glimpses into the worlds of Interior Design, Import and Export, Retail, Merchandising and Trade Fairs . . . I was thoroughly smitten!
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Then . . . a fortuitous trial by potpourri and the imagining of 'sundry gift items' at an interview having answered an ad which simply said ‘creative person wanted’ gave me what I consider, my magic moment
. . . and that was that. There I was, designing gifts and home accessories for a company supplying none other than Marks and Spencer, 'your M&S' . . . Eur-eeka!. . .
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At last . . . and perhaps for me, the biggest 'thrill' of all . . . through a wonderful, dedicated team effort, I was able to witness my creations come together to make their debut as a variety of those 'things in shops' I’d wondered about all those moons ago, with actual real-life people feeling moved enough to purchase and give them a home . . . An absolute wish come true!. . .
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For ten extraordinarily good years . . . I enjoyed trend forecasting, designing, developing and range building, travelling to manufacturers worldwide, meeting and working with many fantastically inspiring people to create characters, brands and product for Stationery, Gift and Home in a number of major High Street stores.
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But . . . in the summer of 2000, with a fledgling family at home and days away seeming a tad less ‘shiny', I decided it was time to step from this truly marvellous ‘merry go round’ and follow my dream of setting out 'my own stall’, to try giving things a whirl of a twirl in slightly different way . . . so that I could still do what I love best, just a little nearer the nest . . .
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From . . . my London home studio I provided a bespoke product design and development service to clients established and new - High Street stores, independent design companies, publishers and manufacturers, building a trusty team of multi-skilled designers, makers, illustrators and packaging people to work with when needed on collaborative creative projects . . .
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Now . . . based in Cheltenham, under our studio label 'Bird Blue Creative' we continue . . . to dream, diversify, design and grow and generally practice 'the art of wishful thinking . . . made happen’ . . .
The joy of imagining, then making the imagined real, right and seeing someone else enjoy ‘it' is one which never fades. We love what we do and hope you do too. We’d love to see what we could dream up and make happen together with you . . .
If you'd like to get in touch to discuss anything at all, to see design examples of something in particular . . . or simply to say hello, we'd love to hear from you at design@birdbluecreative.com
With very best wishes
Emma x