Explore the inspiration behind the print Kate designed for our Mother’s Day capsule collection.
Photographed on the family farm in Tylden, Victoria, Kate talks through her nature-driven inspiration and how her upbringing has played a huge role in her art.
“You get to observe the seasons much more clearly in the country, and understand the cycle of life, the satisfaction of growing your own food and the importance of looking after the land.” - Kate Sellars-Jones
Read on to discover more…
Kate Sellars-Jones always knew she had a creative career path awaiting her. “I always loved to draw and enjoyed all manner of artsy, crafty stuff,” she says. “At times my efforts attracted a bit of praise, so I guess kids feed off that, and I just kept going.”
As a child, her artistic endeavours were always encouraged and each birthday would bring new tools and materials to inspire Kate’s creations. “One time, it was the coveted 72 set of Derwent pencils,” remembers the Australian artist. “There was never any doubt in my mind that I would always do this”.
And she certainly hasn’t. Kate’s renowned pet portraits are in high demand with families across the country looking to immortalise their furry friends, while her other work has leapt off of the canvas and into the wardrobe through her label Things Are Electric. “Fabric and textiles are passions of mine, and why I got into printing my designs on silk scarves,” she explains. “Printing on silk is exquisite, you can’t beat the natural luminosity of the material.”
Ever the creator, Kate even spent much of 2020 expanding the reach of her artwork even further. “I had time to explore the surface design further and have created series of bespoke wallpapers, in which each design is custom made to suit a particular space.”
Then her little brother’s eponymous clothing brand, RB Sellars, came knocking. “I’ve watched Richard’s business expand from a 2-person operation to the flourishing company it is today,” Kate says of the business. “The team at RB had seen the watercolours I’d been doing, of seaweed, native flora and other florals and thought it might be a good fit to collaborate for their Mother’s Day range.”
“They were after a floral print…. They wanted something bold and contemporary, and I loved the idea, it suited me perfectly,” she admits. The in-house design team at RB Sellars put together a brief, a colour palette and an inspiration board for reference – the rest was up to Kate. “They allowed me a fair bit of freedom to create the artwork within those parameters,” she says. “A modern combination of flowers and leaves, keeping the design loose and expressive was the feel.”
As for the inspiration behind the design itself, Kate looks to the natural world. “It’s an ever-reliable source of beauty for this work,” she adds. “Plants, foliage, flowers never disappoint as a source of reference.”
While Kate and Richard grew up in Melbourne enjoying what Kate describes as “a normal suburban and happy childhood,” they spent weekends at the farm in Woodend, where their parents purchased a run-down cottage. “It was dilapidated in the beginning, so while mum and dad worked on the house us kids were free to roam.”
“I probably didn’t realise how lucky we were at the time, to have that freedom to explore the natural world from a young age, but it definitely informed me as an adult,” Kate says. “Having said that I wasn’t always thrilled as a teenager being dragged away from the city, and missing out on parties,” she adds with a laugh.
“Now I feel very lucky to have had those experiences,” Kate says. “You get to observe the seasons much more clearly in the country, and understand the cycle of life, the satisfaction of growing your own food and the importance of looking after the land.”
The farm is still very much an important place for the Sellars. “It’s a place we gather as a family, I love the cousins being together and it’s a lovely place to be,” Kate says. It’s also a beautiful reminder of their mother, who the family sadly lost a few years ago.
“When my parents first moved there, it was clear the garden had great bones, with the beautiful established trees, but my mother created much of what is there today,” Kate explains of the country garden. “It’s a beautiful legacy she left behind for us all to enjoy and it makes me feel connected to her – I get a lot of pleasure from her rose garden, I don’t have her natural knack but I’m learning.”
While Kate may not have inherited the green thumb, she has her own way to share and celebrate the beauty of her mother’s garden. “Every season I take photos of my favourite aspects, so there is never a shortage of reference at hand,” she says. “It’s a plentiful and rewarding source of inspiration, so there’s no doubt that it seeps in, and I draw on it regularly when a design or painting requires flowers and foliage.”
It’s fitting then that the Mother’s Day capsule collection Kate has created in collaboration with her brother’s business is as floral and joyful as the farmhouse garden their mother created.
To check out more from Kate please see her Instagram below:
