Hello lovely readers!
As we approach the end of January, the team has been reflecting on our first month in 2019. So far, things are absolutely amazing (with big thanks to fun design challenges and creative events like Winter School 2019)!
Today, we’re giving you a little insight into the biggest highlights of Rachael Taylor’s 2018 – a year filled with creative and professional leaps and bounds. Rachael, a renowned surface pattern designer, creative coach and talented stylist is also our co-founder and course instructor and we are absolutely thrilled with all she’s accomplished! Take a peek below for a look into Rachael’s best moments – we hope you find this post as inspiring as we have. Happy 2019!
My 2018 Highlights with Rachael Taylor!
Hi everyone! Today I am so happy to share on my 2018 highlights. Last year was very much a whirlwind for me as it was a year of new experiences and definitely one for pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It was also a great year for allocating myself quality time to really explore the direction of my business and creative career and now I’m feeling really clear with what I want to achieve in the future.
There are many things that I would like to celebrate, but here are my top 16 highlights (from left to right and in no particular order in the image above):
1 – Taking a design trip to the beautiful area of Cinque Terre, Italy and having a much needed sketching adventure.
2 – Being selected as the Runner Up for the Female Design Champion Award 2018 by The Design Council and Anti-Copying in Design.
3 – Seeing new design collections come to life through my licensed ranges (this bedding is from my range with DENY Designs).
4 – Being selected to film and present a design segment for ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
5 – Unexpectedly being selected as the cover girl for the super popular US publication Where Women Create(which also included a 10 page article).
6 – Experiencing two fun media based photo-shoots with the renowned Alex Cameron and being signed by Lime Management for all my media and speaking related work.
7 – Seeing the launch of my Creative Coaching venture, which I had been working on for quite some time and feeling overwhelmed by the lovely response and global client sign up.
8 – Improving my own botanical knowledge skills and practicing self-care by committing to volunteer work at Arley Hall Gardens once a week (you can follow my adventures on @plantgirliris). I’ve always loved nature and the plant world has really worked wonders for my new design work, along with giving me that all-important headspace and a sense of calm that nature brings.
9 – Visiting amazing Havana in Cuba, which is now deemed as my ultimate go-to happy place. It was a real feast for the eyes and I was in designer heaven. Since my return it has sparked many new design creations and motivated me to finalise my book title and put the project in motion.
10 – Overseeing the launch of our brand new amazing members’ club #thecolourgang via my sister company Make it in Design.
11 – I introduced more physical, in-person workshops over at the gorgeous Reloved Works.
12 – Pushing myself outside my comfort zone further whilst being trained by top TV producer Gareth Campbell at The Presenter Studio.
13 – Seeing two bespoke projects I designed air on Channel 4.
14 – Collaborating with the talented Simion Hawtin-Smith of Reloved Upholstery on numerous projects, a personal favourite was presenting together at the Manchester Live Halloween event and at Grand Designs.
15 – Being selected as a finalist in the workshop category for Shed of The Year 2018, followed by a high volume of press features around it all.
16 – Last but not least… gifting myself time for that all-important creative freedom to design for the love of designing!
My career has been one exciting rollercoaster however I had come to a crossroads and I was in desperate need of a new direction and some new challenges and 2018 definitely gave me that! It was tough and challenging at times but equally amazing and I’m so proud of myself for trying new things (despite feeling scared). I have big goals that I want to go for this year but I like to have the mind-set that you can achieve anything if you really put your mind to it.
I’m so ready for you 2019!
