An Exmouth designer has gained international recognition for her sustainable souvenir brand.
Julia Gash, who creates map-like illustrations of locations all over the world from her design studio, won the Giftware Association’s International Award 2021
Julia licenses her designs to a curated portfolio of manufacturers across the globe and her unique and spirited illustrations connect people with favourite destinations.
She said: “I am absolutely thrilled that my eponymous brand has won The Giftware Association’s International Gift of the Year.
“I created my first cityscape illustration, printed onto canvas tote bags for a British retailer for the 2012 London Olympics.
“They sold as fast as a world class sprinter.
“Five years later I was struggling to keep up with the demand for my artwork.”
Her growing archive of illustrations is printed onto giftware ranges, which are sold in museums and heritage sites around the world including the National Gallery of Art in London, and the Arc De Triumph in Paris.
Department stores such as John Lewis and Macys USA stock her brand as do more than 200 university campus shops around the world including Harvard, Cornell and Berkeley in the United States and Kings College, Edinburgh and Plymouth in the UK.
Locally, product ranges printed with Julia’s iconic illustrations are sold in Pete’s Dragons in Exmouth, Exeter Cathedral and Hyde & Seek in Exeter.
Four years ago, Julia sold the fast-growing, ecologically driven manufacturing business she founded ten years earlier in Yorkshire, in order to move to Devon to grow her artistic endeavours into an international brand.
She added: “Taking a calculated risk and relying on my gut instinct, I sold my manufacturing company to focus on developing the Julia Gash brand internationally.
“There’s no such thing as an overnight success.
“Years of honing my craft and working as a creative, serial entrepreneur has helped me to build a successful, international brand.
“I have the best job in the world, discovering and describing destinations around the world from my drawing board and seeing them made into wonderful products and sold in amazing shops in over 20 countries.”
Julia’s travel adventures art prints are available to buy at www.juliagash.co.uk
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