Welcome Love!
My name’s Java.
I’m an illustrator, writer, food and table stylist and collector of objects. A human scrapbook of sorts. I live in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK, with my partner Jon, our two small children and a cat called Nutmeg.
Previous to this, I grew up between London, Scotland, France and Spain, finally ending up in Manchester UK for fifteen years, where I worked as an actor and later as a theatre agent. All of these glorious places have informed my current work and aesthetic.
After having our first son, I left my work as an agent and decided to shift my focus onto my two favourite things: writing and drawing. Along the way I realised that I had also always had a passion for photography and telling stories with objects and that I could incorporate it into my work.
Because of this, I have several different elements to my work, which I try to explain in the various areas of this website as I am aware it can be confusing when I try and explain what I do.
- I run workshops, both in person and online.
- I write features for publications and on my patreon.
- I style tables and food for weddings, events and photo shoots.
- I set up stall in my kitchen as part of Two Drunk Ladies or at seasonal markets where I sell my art work, curated homewares and vintage pieces.
Partly because of this, I started my podcast ‘On the Irregular’, where I chat to women from a wide variety of backgrounds, about their non linear creative journeys. How their lives have informed their work, the challenges they have found along the way and where they hope to go in future.
Again, this ties in with my love of telling stories and helping others tell theirs.
Take a look around, drop me a line, say hello.
Love Java xx
