Featured Artist | Rosie Harbottle
About the Artist
Inspired by a bohemian lifestyle, artist Rosie Harbottle uses color and pattern in her illustrations to evoke a sense of deep happiness and peace. She hand paints with watercolor and gouache and loves the process of choosing a color palette, sketching the painting out first in pencil before putting brush to paper.
Early in her career, Rosie visited Marrakech and found herself drawn to the charms of Morocco. She now regularly visits, and works with the wedding and events firm, Boutique Souk. We caught up with Rosie on her discovery of Morocco, life on the road and advice for aspiring artists.
A riad in Marrakech by Rosie Harbottle.
THE ARTFUL REVIEW: Tell us about your first trip to Morocco, and how you discovered—and became a part of—Boutique Souk.
ROSIE HARBOTTLE: My first trip to Morocco was full of magic and wonder and it's continued to do so ever since! I contacted Boutique Souk when I first started working for myself. I was craving adventure and wanted to visit Morocco and so looked to the site 'Workaway'. Boutique Souk were listed on there looking for interns to help with the company. I emailed them asking if they needed help with any design work and so went over for 6 weeks and fell in love with the country and had a great time with the company and my relationship with them built up from there really.
AR: What inspired your bohemian lifestyle? Did you travel a lot growing up? How often are you on the road now?
RH: Growing up we didn't have a lot of money but my parents loved being in nature and so regularly took us camping around the UK. In particular we would go with a group of family friends every year to a farmer's field we found in the Lake District that was so picturesque. Days were spent hiking, swimming in lakes and making bows and arrows out of sticks. Evenings were spent singing songs around the campfire with various people on different instruments.It was magical really. I feel that this longing for magic has fed into a lot of my adult life, I have a very creative family - my sibling is a musician and found the magic of the circus, performing in Gifford's Circus that travels around the South of England, my other sibling plays the accordion and lives in a caravan on his own smallholding. We all like to get together and have a bit of a jam from time to time, they are both hugely inspirational to living more of an 'alternative life'. I try to travel as much as I can though this year has seen me a bit more grounded as we moved to a little wooden house on Dartmoor in the South West of England that needs a lot of of work but in a beautiful spot.
A romper Rosie designed for Oak Meadow Kids.
AR: What advice do you have for artists looking to land corporate clients?
RH: Create lots of personal work that is aimed at the clients you wish to work with and promote over various platforms. Consistency in style is key but also don't be afraid to take risks in your work, find what comes naturally to you. Keep on learning and experimenting and try and keep up to date on trends as large companies will want to hire artists whose work is relevant.
AR: What exciting projects do you have in the works, and where are you heading on your next adventure?
RH: I find excitement in all projects I take on as I still pinch myself that I get to create for a living! We're headed to South Africa early next year which I'm so excited for!
