What happened to Bonbi Forest?

If you're a long time visitor to Bonbi Forest you may be wondering why you can't see that name here any more...Well, earlier this year marked 20 years since I walked into the bank on North Street in Brighton and asked to open a business account and a lot has changed and evolved in that time.

Bonbi and I went through a lot of evolutions, from hand printing t-shirts and scarves, to being an Indie Emporium, championing other makers, making jewellery from vintage trinkets to getting my own charms manufactured. I've turned my hand to many a creation!

Increasingly, and as my illustration practise has grown with the help of my wonderful agent Jehane, the range that I produce has shifted from all sorts to being focussed on sustainable art prints, stationery, wall decorations and greeting cards.

I have so many pieces and products out in the world that are made by other companies and that come under my name only, and as those are so intertwined with the art I make and sell here I just really wanted to bring everything under the same umbrella, so here we are! 

I feel bittersweet saying goodbye to Bonbi Forest but after 20 years it was time for a change from the brand name I picked all of those years ago...

Check out these first scribbles that brought BF and my career to life. I penned them while I worked in a call centre dreaming of making art for a living and at the bottom is my first ever business card, the design flipped on the reverse because I couldn't think what else to put on there, ha ha!

I really had no idea what I was doing!!