Meet the Maker - Cardabelle Design

My name is Kate Guy and my design practice is called Cardabelle Design. I have a studio at the Kingsgate Workshops in Kilburn:

I specialise in linocut prints and designs, both original artwork and also screen-printed onto kitchen products, organic cotton textiles and hand made tiles:

I trained at Wimbledon and Norwich Schools of Art, graduating with a BaHons in Graphic Design and Animation. I worked in an animation studio in Camden and then went to lead their tracing department in Budapest.

After having children I worked as a freelance designer for a few years before training as a teacher. I worked in a large secondary school in North West London running the Art and Design department for 12 years. I left last year to develop my own company Cardabelle Design:

I started Cardabelle Design because I wanted to combine my graphic design background with my love of traditional printmaking techniques in order to produce unique, quality homeware:

My influences come from my home in North West London and the Languedoc region of South West France where I have family and friends. A Cardabelle is a thistle from this area which locals pin to their doors to keep out evil influences.

I have always loved printmaking, in particular the strong graphic qualities of lino-cut and screen printing. I use these techniques to make one-off, hand-made prints, and then using these original prints I have developed collections of quality items for the kitchen and home:

I take my principle inspiration from food and the kitchen; I feel that the kitchen is the true heart of the home and the smells and tastes that can be found in this social hub are prominent in my work, in particular natural, simple cooking with wild organic ingredients.

Kate will be at Homeworks this Sunday 11 December.