3 minute read
Artist Focus: Alaina Foster at The Chip Fork
Meet Alaina Foster, illustrator, business owner - and tea girl - at The Chip Fork
Tell us a little about The Chip Fork, its history and where it is now. I set up The Chip Fork to sell my nautical illustrations in 2021 with five designs and a whole lot of hope. Fast forward a year and The Chip Fork now has 37 general titles and 19 Christmas titles, plus a loyal band of retailers amassing sales from Lowestoft to Canada. The seagulls have truly spread their wings! I run The Chip Fork from my studio on the Suffolk Coast.
Tell us about your designs. The Chip Fork’s products feature my exclusive watercolour illustrations. I’ve been a professional artist and illustrator for many years but it was only recently while dropping off the new seahen (seagull) range at an art gallery that the owner exclaimed “oh my these are so wonderfully naive!’’. At first I was offended, but then when I looked up naive in the dictionary (of or denoting art produced in a style which deliberately rejects sophisticated artistic techniques and has a bold directness, typically in bright colours with little or no perspective) I couldn’t have found a more apt description for my work. But to be fair, either way I couldn’t choose a different style, I have always drawn this way, it’s like my signature. Where did you get inspiration for your designs? It all started with a cheeky seagull while I was down at the seaside sketching. I tried to capture his personality and imagined if seagulls were to go on holiday - and the Bougard family seahen range was born!
From there I studied dogs - having fostered some greyhounds - and tried to capture their idiosyncratic personalities, the cheekiness, peskiness and quirks we all adore them for! And what about the Paws For Thought range? The first dachshund ‘yappy’ card was created at a retailer’s request, which resulted in the Further Inland collection. The range became so large that I decided to split the paws from the fins and Paws For Thought Cards was created in 2022, dedicated to our favourite four-legged companions. The Chip Fork will feature solely nautical designs from January 2023 when the new spring/summer catalogue is released for both businesses. Tell us about your new ranges? I am now working on the spring/summer catalogues. The new ranges include happy birthday mum/dad/daughter/son/aunty/niece, Valentines, new baby, good luck, best wishes, Mother’s Day and thank you cards. How many ranges do you offer? I have expanded from 37 general titles and 19 Christmas titles to more than 60 general titles for the spring/summer 2023 catalogue and plan for 45 Christmas titles for autumn/winter 2023.
What are your bestselling ranges? The seagulls and crabs sell tremendously well both in general card shops and in seaside shops; the greyhounds and dachshunds are popular with dog lovers everywhere. Do you have any eco-friendly credentials you would like to mention? I work with printers who share my environmental ethos. My print company and I are committed to protecting the environment and to continual improvement. My products are proudly designed, printed and manufactured in the UK. All cards come packaged in compostable PLA (vegetable starch), biodegradeable EN13432 film. I’m currently looking at supplying cards with a card catch as opposed to
the biodegradable plastic sleeve to further improve my environmental impact. How do you support retailers? I supply high-quality, bestselling products, and offer quick delivery times and extras to make retailers’ lives easier including professional photographs of products ready for their website and social media. I personally check and pack each item to ensure quality standards are met. As an independent artist and business owner I know time is our most valued asset and offer a simple business to business professionalism. If a retailer needs to change their delivery date last minute or wants to add one more thing to the order I understand things change and I have the flexibility to support their business needs.
Any plans for the coming months/year? For autumn/winter 2023 I am in discussions with various suppliers regarding upselling opportunities and looking at gift wrap and tags, notecards, calendars, puzzles, mugs and coasters.
