Artists : Sam McPhillips

I grew up in a small village in rural North Devon where I dreamt of being a fashion designer. So when I was old enough, I decided to move to the city of Bristol to study illustration, as I realised that I couldn't get very far living in the middle of nowhere, with only a field of cows and shetland ponies to look at.

Not long after arriving at University, I decided that it was highly unlikely that I was going to be the next Coco Channel, and decided that colouring and drawing things was more my scene, and I specialised in my final year in Children's book Illustration. My love of illustration, particularly vintage children's illustration, started off from my love of reading when I was little, when I soaked up the stories and illustrations in my Enid Blyton Books. (My most beloved being The Magic Faraway Tree series illustrated by the very talented and sadly forgotten Rene Cloak)

Since then I have been working as a professional Illustrator based in the beautiful city of Bath, and I share my home with my husband and very spoilt bengal cat Miss Silkie Sue, who is also a source of inspiration to me.

Incidentally, I didn't completely give up on my dressmaking dreams, and turned my love of sewing into my other hobby of making vintage style mohair toys, inspired by the Steiff Teddy Bears, just like the ones you may have forgotten about, left alone and abandoned in the attic, and every so often they turn up and inspire me in my illustrations too.

You can see more of my illustrations at my blog www.samanthamcphillipsillustration.blogspot.com and my handmade toys at www.gingerwineslosttoys.blogspot.com