May Merriment
What I got up to in May.
Winner of this month’s New Subscriber competition is Iona from Joy Collective. I love the rust and violet combination of this suit and blouse, such a joy to draw!
Each month I choose a new subscriber to my email newsletter list and draw them as a fashion illustration. And this month it’s YOU Iona! I hope you like the drawing, do let me know if you’d like me to send you the digital version and/or the original illustration.
Existing Subscribers, tell your friends to join up and they could be next month’s winner!
Thom Browne inspired fashion illustration of a model from the Spring/Summer 2026 collection
This month, I have another Special Offer, available until June 14- Look out above you! It’s the leaping image of my Thom Browne style Fashion Illustration Giclee Art Print.
£10 off for the next two weeks only, and postage is FREE in the UK!
If you’re looking for a dynamic print to liven up your living room or bring bounce to your bedroom, what could be finer than this leaping lady?
There’s a link right here, if you can’t wait to buy. Links to everything else I mention will be included at the bottom of the blog.
One of the most fun events at the start of the month was the Ladies Who Latte (Bromley) Women in Business Showcase. I’m quite new to this group but I already feel very much at home, everyone is so lovely and friendly and encouraging- as well as being incredible businesswomen. Thanks to Denise Mead-Hill for organising, it was quite a feat!
I was busy all day and didn’t get a chance to have a proper look around, which is great in that there is such a demand for live illustration and a reminder that I should schedule some rest breaks!
I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures of some these amazing businesswomen and visitors. And big congratulations to Jean, who won my raffle prize of having her fashion illustration portrait drawn as well as winning a selection of my fashion illustration postcards.
If you would like me to draw you or a friend, as a fashion illustration, you don’t have to wait until my next event- here’s how to get in touch and simply send me a pic to draw from!
The May buzz continued when I managed to get a highly sought-after ticket to see street artist David Speed a long-time hero of mine. I first encountered his neon-pink artworks on a street-art-sightseeing-tour of Shoreditch, and then followed him on Substack and Instagram as well as signing up to his Creative Rebels podcasts. These podcasts and pearls of wisdom kept me going as I was transitioning from teaching to becoming a full-time artist. It was really important to me that I could one day have the chance to tell him how inspiring he is to me. And I got a hug from him as well, which was extra-nice!
On the night David was talking to fellow street-artists, and his former apprentices Rosie Woods and Sophie Mess. They had a wonderfully uplifting conversation about the importance of art in their lives. As they spoke, I sat in the front row and drew them and wrote down some of their sound-bites that really spoke to me. And then afterwards I had my photo taken with them, yay!
This is the night that I met Iona Thomas, the winner of my New Subscriber competition. She is the founder and director of Joy Collective, which you can find out more about at the bottom of my blog.
A mere 24 hours later, I was hugging another one of my heroes, Dame Zandra Rhodes! It’s like Christmas has come in May!
I went to a talk at the Fashion and Textile Museum, Refashioning Bill Gibb, with some fascinating insights into the life and work of the legendary designer. A slide show of his work played in the background, as his story was introduced by Josephine Steed and Dr Marie McLoughlin, interspersed with poetry by Dr Shane Strachan. Finally, Dame Zandra was interviewed by NJ Stevenson about the designer’s legacy.
I was lucky enough to sit in the front row, where I drew the events as they happened. I’m so glad I did because Josephine Steed was so impressed she bought my drawing, Hooray!
Do let me know if you would like me to illustrate live at your event. It’s what I love to do - and you can hire me officially which will help to pay my bills as well as bringing extra joy to your event. Have a look at some of the events I’ve illustrated here.
A mere 7 days later, I was back at the Fashion and Textile Museum again. It’s my spiritual home! This time I had the added joy of attending with my friend and fellow fashion illustrator Helen Ridley.
We spent an hour or so marvelling at the textile wonders by Susan Collier and her sister Sarah Campbell in the current exhibition Paint! Pattern! Print! This is such a beautiful exhibition, a sumptuous treat to behold.
After a good look around we then went upstairs to see Sarah Campbell herself in conversation with curator Teresa Collenette. She gave a riveting talk about her life and work and regaled us with many facts about how she and her sister worked together and what inspired them both. It was interesting to see that her sketchbooks are filled with pencil drawings- all the trademark colours come afterwards.
Helen and I sat in the front row drawing, and then showed Sarah our drawings afterwards, like schoolkids lining up to impress their teacher. We both got gold stars, well Sarah was happy to be photographed with our drawings.
Top tip- do sit in the front row drawing, you usually get a shout-out from the host and/or the guests!
I was delighted that Sarah answered my question about the prolific use of black in her designs- a colour that she embraces, but one which art students are steered away from!
Here’s an interlude to show my friend and fellow Croydon Art Society member, Margaret Eggleton. I drew her while she was demonstrating the use of liquid graphite to enhance her watercolour painting.
Did you know that Margaret once sold a painting to one of The Rolling Stones when she was exhibiting in Chelsea? Such is the rock n’ roll calibre of the Croydon Art Society artists!
I’ve included Margaret’s final painting in my “gallery” above. The view is from her recent-ish trip to Polperro. Margaret is a fabulous teacher and speaker, it’s always a treat to watch her demos.
I’m really enjoying creating these Live Illustrations- where I try to capture the movement throughout an event in one illustration. It’s a great way to increase speed and consolidate style.
You can see more of my illustrations like this in the Graphic Recording section of my website here
I took a trip to Dulwich Picture Gallery for the wedding fair put together by Akilah and Co. It’s a stunning venue for a wedding, and an amazing array of exhibitors. I met fellow wedding illustrator, lovely Jo Herbert there! And I took the opportunity to sketch one of the brides who was having a colour consultation by my friend Clara.
I’ll be exhibiting at the National Wedding Show on October 17th and 18th so do pop along to see me there! (The Excel venue, London)
I have some availability for weddings this year - if you’ve left it to the last minute to book your Live Wedding Illustrator, don’t panic! And I am now taking bookings for 2027.
Have a look at my wedding illustrations here, and do email me with your own particular requirements. I’m very flexible!
Above are just a few pics from the London Colour Walk, which is one of my new favourite haunts. Every month colourful people gather together in Old Spitalfields Market. They wear something different for each meeting. Everyone chats for about an hour, then there’s a group photo and all the colourful peeps disperse. There are loads of photographers around, snapping away.
This time I was determined not to take so many photos and to concentrate on drawing instead. I love it, such a friendly and happy community! The London Colour Walk takes place on the third Thursday of every month, so by my calculations the next one is June 18th.
And finally, a floral bombardment from Chelsea in Bloom, with the theme of Out of This World. This has to be seen to be believed, it’s incredible craftspersonship!
It’s a spin-off from the legendary (and very crowded) Flower Show, but this is free and a bit more accessible.
I created a quick drawing in Sloane Square whilst I was waiting for my friend. I’d love to draw all the exhibits on offer!
Here’s what’s coming up in towards the end of the month and throughout June:
May 28th I’ll be Live Illustrating for a very special retirement party and celebration at Up Croydon
June 8th I’ll be interviewed on a radio show with Jackie Groundsell, you can tune in live on the day here 1230 TWC Business Beat Radio
June 12, 13, 14th you can find me in Croydon’s iconic and legendary Whitgift Centre! I’ll be exhibiting as part of Art on our Doorstep in association with Culture Croydon and the National Gallery no less! This is the big news I mentioned in my last blog- as it’s a kind of competition and I won a place to be there. I’ll be creating Live Illustrations, selling postcards, originals and prints as well as taking bookings for weddings, live events and portrait commissions. It’s going to be great fun especially as there are lots of other artists there too. If you know the iconic and legendary Whitgift Centre (and who doesn’t?? Taylor Swift and Rebel Wilson were there filming, just the other week), I’ll be positioned roundabout where Superdry used to be. Here’s more info
June 15, 16, 17, 18th is Graduate Fashion Week, so I’ll be out and about with my pens and paper. I’ve got an access all areas ticket as a Fashion Illustrator so I’m aiming to get millions of drawings done. I’ll escape for a bit on the 18th to take in the Colour Walk! Here’s more about Graduate Fashion Week, it looks absolutely unmissable!
June 19th Dress Up and Draw returns to The Hive Design Studio in Sanderstead, hooray! It’s an afternoon session this time 1-3pm, booking link is here If you’d like to see how the last one went, check out my April Showers blog.
I also have some private events (exciting!) and I’ll share more about those after the event, with permission.
Finally, here are links to people, places and events I had the sheer joy of meeting, visiting and attending this month:
Joy Collective Ladies Who Latte David Speed The Fashion and Textile Museum Helen Ridley Akilah and Co Luxury Wedding Planner London Colour Walk Chelsea in Bloom
I am now open for Commissions as well as prints and postcards in my website shop.
Do get in touch if you are interested in my services as a Live Event Illustrator or a Live Wedding Illustrator, a Fashion Illustrator or Graphic Recorder
Stay Gleeful this month and I’ll be back soon with more news and events.
Thanks for reading,
Zoe