Katie Phythian Design has signed two significant collaborations recently, one sees the card publisher reproduce the artwork of plucky US nine-year-old Tiger Blaylock wanting to provide for his family whole the other sees giftwrap company, Deva Designs launch a Katie Phythian Design collection at Spring Fair.
Like millions of others, Katie Phythian and her husband Mike, co-owners of Katie Phythian Design were deeply touched by the news reports about how nine year old Tiger Blaylock was offering to sell his artwork in order to help provide for his family (and others) who were suffering financial hardship as a result of the extended shut down of the US Government.
Above: The BBC footage of Tiger Blaylock and his mum talking about his artistic efforts.
Unable to get the footage of Tiger out of their minds Katie and Mike made a call to the family in the US and asked if they could help. As a result Katie Phythian Design is producing a collection of four cards based on his original artwork, which each have a compassionate and positive title, namely Love Trumps Hate, Always Use Mercy, Don’t Kill and Don’t Be Killed and Electric Whale, Elhaw.
“It’s not politics for us,” explains Katie. “We were just so touched at how a young person was willing to use his artistic talent in such a positive and unselfish way. He would make any family proud and clearly has a future in the creative industry. I was impressed at his talent for composition and colour.”
All profits from these cards will go to Tiger to help support his family, buy art materials and fund future studies. Katie Phythian Design is also to be shipping hundreds of packed and finished cards across the Atlantic for Tiger to sell locally.
The cards are being carried by Kate Phythian’s agents as well as on its website www.katiephythiandesign.com.
Tiger’s original artwork can be bid for on https://www.ebay.com/usr/endtheshutdown
Meanwhile, in another significant collaboration, the Spring Fair sees giftwrap company Deva Designs launching a Katie Phythian Design collection of wrappings based on the card publisher’s designs.
Deva Designs is well respected for its keen design eye, evidenced by its existing collaborations with brands like Designers Guild and Stop the Clock, this latest licensing agreement with Katie Phythian Design continues in this vein.
“I have been following Katie’s work over the last year or so. I love the zingy colours and fresh approach, so thought, why not give them a call?” said Andrew Maddock, managing director of Deva Designs. With both businesses being based in Cheshire, within a week both parties had met, sketched out some design ideas and agreed a licensing deal.
“It’s been like that since day one,” said Andrew. “I have heard it said, ‘when it feels right, it usually is’ and with Katie it’s been absolutely true from that first conversation,” he added. Deva Designs will be showing two inaugural collections based on Katie Phythian’s popular greeting card ranges on its stand at this year’s Spring Fair, Patterned Boutique, a contemporary take on the tropical flamingo theme and Party Mice, which is based on the card publisher’s Paintbox range.
Deva Designs is showing at Spring Fair in Hall 3-3A, on Stand P16-Q17.
