Jacqueline Davies

American Dream

...with one foot stuck firmly in the past"

"Together with many other people of my generation I was the first in my family to go to university. I studied printed textiles design at Liverpool

John Moores University in 1992 and following graduation I rented warehouse art studios in Liverpool for a few years before moving down south.

Shear bloody mindedness in wanting to become an artist has always kept me going, plus supportive parents who never once told me to go get a 'proper' job. I've had many interesting offers and commissions along the way, creating work for The National Theatre, Channel 4, Weatherspoons, Bernie Dexter, Hop Up Magazine, What Katie Did, Firstsite, Northampton Museum and many more. Living on fresh air in the dry spells, with something always around the corner if you keep at it. I’m a big Eames fan and admire so many textile designers from back in the day, but if you're talking cars, I love old school hot rod illustrators like Gus Maanum, Tom Medley, Dick Teague and Pete Millar's Hot Rod Cartoons.

At home we have a big library of books from the thirties through to the fifties which are either design- or car-related. I'm a big collector of 'stuff' too. I love Mid-Century furniture and we have a 1927 Model T roadster, a 1929 Model A sport coupe, a 1953 Chevy Tin Woody and a Digue Minorette caravan, so I'm always surrounded by inspiration.

I’m currently working on my own collection of fashion novelty textile prints, a few interesting overseas private commissions and always of course new designs for Pendine Sands.

W: jacquelinedaviesart.com Ig: @jacquelinedaviesart

Finishing touches

"I suppose I would call my style primitive and not too polished, forward thinking with one foot firmly stuck in the past. I've had a couple of things said about my style which I like. One was "it's happy”, and other is from an old tutor who said "you think flat". I think both are very true.

"I love simple illustration, although simple does not mean easy. I need to see an idea in my head before I can hit the paper with a pencil. Sometimes that’s 3am in the morning, but that’s ok. Although I mostly look to the past for reference, I like to push forward and create new design work. I guess I have always been an ideas person."