Creative Industry Finance

Kate Thornton is an artist and designer based in Yorkshire. She creates hand-cut paper collages using antique postcards, maps and printed papers. Kate tell us:

“I didn’t plan to have my own business. I studied art at college before completing a Fine Art degree in Nottingham. I began making and selling my work successfully at fairs and markets, that was when I made the decision to turn my artwork into a business.

“I create images through collage, drawing and printmaking inspired by my surroundings,  the natural environment and British birds.I mainly wholesale my products to retailers such as independent shops, museums and art galleries in the UK.

“After being in business for 6 years I had reached a point where I started to lack direction. I applied for the Creative Industry Finance programme because I felt that I would benefit from the external guidance I could get from a business advisor.

“My advisor, Gill Thewlis offered a new perspective and supported me through the process of creating a cohesive business plan so that Kate Thornton Design has more clarity and more to offer in the future.

“There have been many milestones; a pivotal moment was when I finally moved from working at home into a studio and office. I have been in my current studio for 5 years now and I still love it.

“In the future, I would like expand into home-wares, design-led gifts and surface pattern design. I’d love to do an MA at some point to really develop creatively and learn new skills so that I can feed that back into a business which will have a long and successful life. “