This year, for the first time, Hope Rescue has been lucky enough to have collaborated with a number of talented Welsh based illustrators to design our 2022 Christmas Cards and jumpers Collection.
Hope Rescue would like to give a huge thank you to the 11 talented artists who generously donated their designs to Hope free of charge. These designs will help to raise hundreds, if not thousands of pounds for the charity, where all profits go back to helping the dogs in our care.
Keep reading to see each artist’s individual design, with a link to the rest of their work and a little blurb.
How beautiful is Angharad’s Merry Christmas/Nadolig Llawen design featuring our Charity Shop in Pontypridd? The print is available as a pack of 10 Christmas Cards, and also as one of our Christmas Jumpers - we just couldn’t decide on which one!
“Hi, my name is Angharad and I'm the illustrator behind Betty James Designs, which is based in Blaenavon, South Wales. Named after our lovely Cairn Terrier named Betty, the James comes from my husband and son's middle name.
I started Betty James about 4 years ago where I started illustrating local areas to me and Welsh based icons, to show my love of the Welsh valleys and my home. Any chance I get I'm happily doodling away and drinking tea as well as running around after my little one.
I also illustrate custom illustrations such as homes, businesses and portraits, so a little mix of everything.”
Find Angharad’s work here: @bettyjamesdesigns
Contact Angharad here: hi@bettyjames.co.uk
Kayleigh Moore
Kayleigh is the illustrator whose design was just so cute we had to use it twice! Available as a soft and cosy Chrisrtmas Jumper, the design is also part of the collaborative Christmas Card set along with 9 other artist designs.
Kayleigh is the founder of Kayleigh Moore Designs, a small illustration and design studio based in Caerphilly. She focuses on creating colourful and warming artwork and as a lover of all animals she jumped at the chance to design a Christmas jumper and card to raise money for Hope Rescue.
Find Kayleigh’s work here: @kayleighmoore_designs
Contact Kayleigh here: kayleighmooredesign@gmail.com
Isabella Coombs
Izzy has designed our 3rd Christmas Jumper - and just look how cute it is!
Izzy is a South Wales based illustrator who is going into the third year of her Illustration degree at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s, in the Swansea College of Art. She is an Outreach Tutor for the university delivering workshops in local schools and is also a freelance illustrator on the side. Incorporating humour with nature and animals, Izzy hopes to create more illustrations in the future to help raise awareness and funds for animals.
“Izzy here - I am a Welsh illustrator and maker based in Brecon/Swansea. I work both digitally and traditionally. Previously my practice was more fine art focused, which has influenced a more conceptual approach to my current work.
I draw inspiration from nature and animals, and I also document funny anecdotes I hear or have experienced in my art.”
Find Izzy’s art work here: @izzy.coombs.art
Contact Izzy here: izzycoombs.com
Saffron Ewart
Saffron has designed one of the 10 amazing designs in our Christmas Card pack. Saffron is an illustrator and jewellery maker from Pembrokeshire in West Wales who makes all sorts of things but always with a positive or humorous spin. She lives in Cardiff with her partner and her little dog Pickle. Dogs are very important to Saffron, and she has loved being involved with Hope Rescue this Christmas.
Find Saffron’s work here: @by.saffron
Rich Appleby (Baldhead Designs)
Rich donated this fun and festive design to be a part of our Christmas Card selection pack, and what an addition it is!
“I’m a graphic designer and illustrator based in Cardiff, Until recently I’ve run my business from home but I’ve just opened a small pop up shop with my sister who is the Lolo of Annie & Lolo. I’m now working from the shop as well as looking after my 1 year old daughter.”
Find Rich’s work here: @baldhead_designs
Contact Rich here: baldheaddesignslondon@gmail.com
Hâf Gardner
Hâf is a full time mam and a part time doodler who has always loved drawing and coming up with fun and quirky doodles that make people smile - just like the one she donated for our Christmas Card pack!
Find Hâf’s work here: @ladyannaofwales
Contact Hâf here: hafgardner@gmail.com
Rachel Iveson
Rachel paints using acrylics and watercolours along with using stickers in her art. Rachel loves to paint land/seascapes, animals and pets. We are so lucky to have Rachel donate this lovely art piece for our Christmas Card selection pack.
Find Rachel’s work here: @iveson.art
Contact Rachel here: ivesonart@outlook.com
Aimee Marie
Aimee Marie donated this beautiful design to add to our Christmas Card selection pack, and how pleased are we to have it! Aimee has a busy life with her husband, 5 children and 2 dogs, so tries to squeeze in time for her art whenever she can.
“I’m a self taught artist based in South Wales. I’ve always loved art and animals since I was a child and last year (2021) I got back into painting and drawing after a long absence of not doing any for years as life got in the way and I’m so glad I did! I’m really enjoying creating artworks with a range of different mediums i.e watercolour, graphite, coloured pencils and acrylic.”
Find Aimee Marie’s work here: @aimeemariedesign
Contact Aimee Marie here: aimeemarie59@yahoo.com
Nila Ann
This adorable design donated by Nila Ann is sure to brighten up someone’s Christmas Card display! Nila works in a mixture of digital art, as well as traditional methods such as paint and inks.
Nila Ann is an illustrator based in Eryri, North Wales. Her work takes a funky and modern approach on Welsh culture and celebrates the women and language.
“Nila focuses on incorporating her Welsh identity into her work in a modern and magical way. Inspired by the beauty of nature and the landscape around her, Nila’s work combines her daily reality of living in the Welsh countryside with her spiritual and fun mindset.”
Find Nila’s work here: @nila.ann
Contact Nila here: nila.ann.art@gmail.com
Rachel Evans
This clever and delicate design based on a traditional Christmas story is also included in our Christmas Card selection pack, kindly donated to us by Rachel Evans. Whilst Rachel predominantly works with lino printing, she also works in mixed media, watercolour, pastels and acrylic.
“"Animals were always my first love - growing up with two West Highland White Terriers, called Scamp and Trudy - dogs were always part of my family.
My Grandad first got me interested in drawing and painting. Dogs, other animals, wildlife and nature have long been my inspiration.
Much of my working life I've spent working for a large animal welfare charity, with art being a hobby whenever I found the time.
I now work part time for another charity but try to make more time for my art - creating artwork inspired by nature, turning my designs into sustainable fashion and running an art club for children.”
Find Rachel’s work here: @somewhere_in_my_art
www.somewhere-in-my-art.teemill.com
Contact Rachel here: racheleevans710@gmail.com
Jo Davies
Donated by Jo Davies, this dainty design is a gorgeous addition to our Christmas Card selection pack. Jo creates original prints, greeting cards, arts and crafts alongside being a psychic medium!
“Joanne Davies is a South Wales self-taught artist who has made her home in Llanharan. Having left her career due to ill health, Joanne uses art to express herself and is inspired to channel her gift of mediumship to create meaningful and tribute works and commission portraits mainly in watercolour and acrylic, but she also works in pastel, mixed media and recycled repurposed items.
Joanne embraces the power of the spirits to create images of meaning, often incorporating mythology and animals and visions seen during meditations in her work.”
Find Jo’s work here: Spirit Art By Jo (Facebook)
Contact Jo here: spiritartbyjo@gmail.com
Lily Mŷrennyn
Last, but definitely not least is this sweet and folky design donated by Lily Mŷrennyn - another card in our Christmas selection pack.
Lily describes her art to be “inspired by the surreal, cosy, and whimsical”; creating “earthy, dreamy and folky things”.
Lily is an artist from the Rhondda, inspired by all things cosy and magical. Creatures of all kinds often appear in her work, so she was delighted to collaborate with Hope, creating designs inspired by her rescue lurchers.
Find Lily’s work here: @lilymyrennyn
Contact Lily here: lilymyrennyn@gmail.com