matouenpeluche: Meet Wendy Paula Patterson!

One of the best things that has happened to me since opening a shop on Etsy has been the opportunity to meet and chat with fellow artists and creative types! Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to introduce you to these splendid people personally so you get to see their delightful work and read about their creative process and the story behind the scenes. This week it is my great honour to introduce Wendy Paula Patterson, a Sydney based artist, who has two very fine shops on Etsy: Mulberry Muse and Cafe Baudelaire.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What first made you want to become an artist?

I was born in England, and immigrated to Australia with my family when I was
14 years old.I have always wanted to be an artist, no other career path was ever seriously considered.

I studied Graphic Art and Design in Adelaide and was apprenticed to one of
South Australia’s leading packaging designers,Wytt Morro & Son.Vintage graphics and packaging has always been a passion of mine although initially my ambition was to be a children’s book illustrator.

I am an avid collector of beautiful packaging.I sometimes buy a product
simply for the package it is in!Finding a vintage button card or music sheet can inspire a whole new range of designs.

I have worked as a Packaging Designer and Illustrator in Adelaide, Holland,
London and Sydney.Some years ago I began freelance illustration for a Sydney based Greeting Card Company, Phil Taylor, and I now work full time as a freelance Illustrator & Designer specialising in the greeting card industry.Using photoshop and computers to work with is a recent addition to my portfolio. I used to do everything by hand even lettering. It is so much fun to collage original work with vintage images on photoshop and I am addicted!

I am married to a wonderful man who is a scientist,but also creative,he writes amazing,funny poems,we hope to publish a book together one day.He is very good at keeping my bookwork up to date, something I dislike doing,maths being my least favourite subject!

Our children, both adults now, are very creative too and are studying graphic design.

Tabitha also has an etsy shop (Tabidesigns) and she introduced me to the amazing world of
internet shopping.Benjamin, my son, as well as being creative is a computer genius and my close technical adviser! He built my web site for me from scratch doing all of the coding himself, I am in awe...

What's it like living and working in such a creative house hold?

It is quite wonderful to be part of such a creative household. I have always been involved in art and craft, and come from a family that has strong creative genes. My grandmother made and designed formal wedding cakes and both Tabitha and I love to create something special for festive occasions. We have a photograph album dedicated to our cake extravaganzas.

When the children were small we were always doing something creative
together with craft, sewing or cooking.

We love to share ideas and gain inspiration from each other and share
similar tastes. However, life can get a bit crazy at times when we are all busy working to deadlines as we all like to work at different paces and in different ways.

When Tabitha and Benjamin were small they would complain as we dragged them
around antique shops, junk shops and markets looking for furniture and inspiration. Now they both are addicted and love vintage pieces!

We do not work well together in the same room! I am very tidy and organised and like to have 'peace and solitude", I love to listen to stories on CD as I work.Tabitha on the other hand is very untidy, fabric, thread, paint and paper scattered to every corner and loud music! Benjamin is tidy but loves his solitude also and the loud music.

Routine is not for me, I am pretty well disciplined though and always set
goals for myself to achieve each day. Ideas pop into my head at the oddest times and I feel frustrated with the need to pack and post orders when I would rather be working on a new design. With internet sales I need to be flexible and often work late in the evening.

Our timetables are all over the place with both Tabitha and Benjamin studying and working odd hours at their part time jobs. Meals are often chaotic, I eat when hungry or when I remember to!, but we all usually share our evening meal together.

Name your top 5 movies.

I have no favourite movies but I was completely absorbed by and loved the
stage shows "Les Miserable" and "Phantom of the Opera"

In ten years I'd like to be...

I have a chronic illness, ME, which is painful, debilitating and sadly very
restricting. It makes it difficult for me to work as productively as I would
like to build up my business.However, I would love to have my own bricks and mortar shop to share with Tabitha but also have more time to create without the everyday chores of running a business.I long to be able to go back to my home in England and visit Europe,especially France.I adore European history, architecture and art.I think I would love to be living in France but I need to brush up on my high school French first!

Thank you so much Wendy for such a terrific interview! The two images can be found in Wendy's beautiful Etsy shops: Mulberry Muse and Cafe Baudelaire.
The photo in the middle is of Benjamin, Wendy and Tabitha - the creative team!