Posted on July 06 2015
Jacinta Walton, can you tell me a bit more about yourself, Whinberry & Antler, and why you began designing? I have always loved drawing animals- as a little girl I'd spend my weekend mornings sat at my desk drawing animals from books. But it wasn't until during my second year studying Fine Art at Oxford Brookes university that I started to really get into printmaking and think about setting up my own business making homewares.
What are you working on right now? A range of new drawings and cushions, I've had so many requests to do an otter design, so I finally have!
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I would always tell people that I was going to be an artist when I grew up! Although I did go through a phase of thinking that I'd quite like to be a vet, but I came back around to drawing animals. Eitherway, I wanted to do something that involved animals!
What do you do when you aren't working? I absolutely love walking up hills, so when I'm not working I can usually be found somewhere with a good view and with my Welsh terrier Olo.
Where's your favourite place in the world? A little cottage owned by my extended family on a hill in Powys, Wales. It has no electricity or postcode -We go there with family and friends a few times a year and it really is a way to escape everything!
If you could be anyone else who would it be? I'm not sure, that's quite a hard one. I don't think that I'd want to be anyone famous, maybe just someone who lives in a lovely rural cottage in Wales or Scotland and writes for a living. That sounds nice.
What makes you happy? Drawing animals and being on a hill with my husband and my dog.
If you inherited an acre of land what would you do with it? Build a workshop/studio with really big windows to let in lots of natural light.
Cats or dogs? Dogs. Absolutely.
What's your signature dish? / We're coming to yours for dinner. What are you going to make us? I'm a lifelong vegetarian, so, I would probably make pearled speltotto with beetroot goats cheese and hazelnuts, with rocket in a lemon mustard and honey dressing -yummy!
What life lessons have been most important? Learning to believe in yourself and not worry too much about what other people think; Just being true to who you are.
What political or social issues do you feel passionately about? The NHS. Having access to a public health system that treats everyone no matter how rich or poor they may be is very important to me.
What is your favourite book? I love Roald Dahls short stories for adults (and children!)
What traits do you admire in others? Kindness and compassion.
Tell us something not many people know about you? I was the first baby to be born on Christmas day in Nottingham in 1986 at one minute past midnight, so my middle name is Holly. My mum and I had our photo taken for the Nottingham Evening Post - my parents still have a copy!
Do you have any unusual talents? I know how to make a good campfire and chop wood!
What three things would you save from your home in a fire (not living!) A hand embroidered 'tray' that my great grandmother made, a beautiful lamp base that my mum was given when she went on maternity leave to have me and my computer because it has all my photos on it.
What's your motto for work? Its comes from a song -'You Can Get It If You Really Want' by Jimmy Cliff as it goes You can get it If you really want, but you must try, try and try. You succeed at last'.
What are your indulgences? Neighbours (yes, I still watch Neighbours! And yes, Susan Kennedy is still living on Ramsay street), sticky toffee pudding and buying records for my record player.
How would someone else describe you in 5 words? Creative, caring, thoughtful, funny, easy going.
What's your favourite song? Why? I'm not sure that you can have one favorite song, but at the moment I'm listening to Damon Albarn's 'Mr Tembo' quite a bit, it's a great summer song and my husband and I turn it up loud in the car and sing along! One feel good song is 'Status' by RX Bandits, that's the song of my teenage years and will always be pretty special to me memories of good times with great friends at an age when anything was possible!
Check out the Whinberry & Antler product page on Seed.