Meet the Artist: Jelly Armchair Pt. 2
Q1: Who is your favourite Flick artist and deck, and why?
Ooooh. I mean Camille Carpeentier’s Bon Ton is so beautiful and detailed and such a magical way of approaching the brief. Andreea Dumuta’s deck is very very cool, the dripping typeface and the cool colours and characters are so nicely done. - Cat
Q2: With so many doodles and sketches of characters - do you ever give any of them a back story or any in particular that you would like to develop? A series, book etc?
I just want to keep drawing and drawing haha, There’s certainly worlds i’d like to draw more of. Books would be fun. I really liked creating wrapping paper which got turned into jigsaws- creating big detailed scenes where when you look into them you keep seeing new details that satisfy part of my brain! - C
Q3: With your greeting cards and now deck in Flick giving us plenty of giggles - what makes you both laugh?
I love comedy. I worked at the Edinburgh Fringe and saw about 60-70 shows in the month. I listen to podcasts whilst I draw too so I like finding humour there. But the best biggest belly laughs are with friends and family where you know each other’s funny spots. - C
Q4: As a family-run business, with a name inspired by your Grandpa, and sisters working together, with Dad joke input from Dad, what are your most treasured festive family traditions?
There always has to be Pandoro - our Dad’s mum was Italian and although we never knew her, we did inherit this tradition via our Dad and Grandad. The perfect Christmas 4 pm snack. With copious amounts of vanilla sugar. This and the Muppet Christmas Carol are non-negotiable traditions. - L
Q5: Jelly Armchair was born from Cat’s sketches and puns, blossoming at Craft Fairs and blowing up on socials making people smile. How hard was that at the time? A slog or natural soar into something you do full time? How disciplined did you need to be? And can fans still find you at Art and craft fairs?
After we did the food business with Liz’s amazing baking, I think it was a bit of a rocket start for the greetings card business, it’s then been a lesson of how we stay at that momentum and in what direction and what size we are next that has been the interesting part. We’ve done some various fun fairs over the past few years and our shop in Cheltenham has been the main place to get our cards too. I hope we get to keep doing events because they’re a great way to meet fellow makers and the people who engage with what you are doing. It makes it feel more real. - C
Q6: What are your favourite puns? One each, please!
At the moment it’s the Big Horse drawing on our horse card, which will become its card range. Such as “I got you this card “BIG HORSE” it’s your birthday” etc! It’s one of Dad’s puns but it’s the right amount of stupid and silly for me. - C
Visit your local Lie Brie is my favourite I think. It’s just so silly. - L
Q7: With so many amazing artists, illustrators, etc… who has caught your eye this year?
I saw some of John Short’s cards when I was working in Ireland this year and loved his drawings of swimmers. I like Graham Annable’s cartoons. There's a lot of character in very few lines- very satisfying. My friend Abi Overland is constantly creating beautiful designs. I also began live event illustration 2 years ago with my friend Aaron Jacob Jones and his work bamboozles me with its beauty. - C
Q8: With worldwide fans of Roald Dahl’s books, illustrated by Quentin Blake - we see a beautiful similarity with your styles - have either been an inspiration?
I think it’s hard to be an illustrator, especially one who uses ink and watercolour and to not have been inspired by Quentin Blake. He’s a bit of a rock god for illustration! So I am very flattered by that comment. His work has captured the hearts and minds of so many and his enjoyment of the drawn line and expression are things I also revel in when creating my work. - C
Q9: What does your art say about you both?
We’re a bit silly and we see the importance of making people smile and take that quite seriously. - L
Q10: 2024 is around the corner - what’s in your plans for next year?
Oh, so many things and potential shifting and changing but hopefully the main thing I want is to do loads more drawings. More designs, more patterns, more characters. More things to make people smile. That’s what I would like.
Q10: Please tell us that Jelly Armchair Christmas decorations IRl are part of the plan!
I’m sure they will be, there are already prototypes in existence!