The Tour de France kicks off this coming weekend. Who better to be our Meet the Maker this week. Local Designer/Illustrator and cycling enthusiast Rebecca Kaye.
Many of you will be familiar with Rebecca’s work and her love of two wheels. With perfect timing, she’s just delivered two brand new screen prints. We’re sure you’re going to love them.
Let’s find out a little bit more about her.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love being part of the entire process from thinking of new ideas to physically mixing inks and printing the final piece by hand. I also enjoy the fact that ideas aren’t restricted by time or place and so spending the afternoon in the sea can actually be productive for work.
Where did you study and why?
I originally studied Mathematics at The University of Manchester and then latterly Communications and Design in Edinburgh. Maths may seem like an odd path to take but it does explain why I’m drawn to geometry and geometric shapes.
Where do you base yourself and why?
I base myself in Edinburgh – I love the fact that it’s relatively small and has lots of green space. It’s also close to the hills and coast – so it’s pretty perfect.
What do you like to do when you escape work? Where’s Your Favourite Coffee Spot?
Depending on the surfing conditions, I’ll either head to the coast, go for a cycle or go bouldering at the local climbing centre. Steampunk in North Berwick would be my favourite place for a coffee.
What’s been your favourite piece to make so far?
An illustration for the Mairie de Paris to celebrate their cycle hire scheme, ‘Velib’. It was an honour to be picked as one of 6 illustrators, each representing a different country, to create a large scale screen print to be displayed in the Palais Grande as well as having the same design reproduced on a giant totem pole lining the river Seine.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Do what you love as it’s easier to put the time and energy that’s required to do well, into something you care about.
Who’s your favourite artist at The Red Door and what would be your top purchase?
My favourite purchase from the Red Door was a screenprint by Marie Varley inspired by a series of stamps she’d found in her grandparents attic. I love it when there’s a story behind the work. My future top purchase would be anything by Emily Hogarth.
We’d like to thank Rebecca for taking the time to let us get to know her and her work a little bit more. Keep your eyes peeled across our social media this week as we share some of our favourite bike and mountain inspired works to celebrate the Tour de France. Will you be watching? Don’t forget to check out our stories and Highlight Reel too 😉
