Wild Traces: Lovely wildlife-themed Christmas Playing cards to unfold festive cheer

Who else is trying to assist small companies and impartial merchants this Christmas season? Prime of my checklist for my shopper selections this Yuletide is supporting people (particularly artists and creatives affected by the present pandemic) and naturally supporting wildlife and conservation charities.

I’m delighted to have found wildlife illustration model, Wild Traces, by zoologist Jen Parker; which manages to fulfill each of these standards.

Jen’s vary of illustrations contains playing cards, calendars and present wrap; and comes with the promise of a minimal carbon footprint; with all packaging being recyclable, and the usage of UK-based print corporations that drive inexperienced values.

I used to be excited to talk with Jen to search out out extra about her enterprise, which began out on this hardest of years for brand new start-ups.

“I create characterful pen drawings of wildlife – usually endangered species – and share them alongside an optimistic story across the featured species’ conservation journey,” she defined. “This 12 months, I’ve began promoting my illustrations as prints and greetings playing cards.”

Final 12 months, Jen ran an ‘Endangered Creation’ on social media, the place she posted a distinct wildlife-themed design each day of introduction, and people designs are actually accessible as playing cards on her web site. “I’m planning on doing the identical this 12 months, in all probability with a give attention to British wildlife,” she tells me.

Jen has been form sufficient to supply one fortunate reader of this weblog the prospect to win a set of six Christmas card designs value £15.00! Extra on that later, as we first ‘Meet the Maker’.

Meet the conservationist behind the enterprise

Theres a quote that appears to be doing the rounds on social media not too long ago; “Once you assist small enterprise, you’re supporting a dream” — effectively, I needed to know extra about that dream…

Kate: Thanks for taking the day out of your busy schedule to talk to me, Jen. First issues first, the place and the way did your ardour for wildlife start? 

Jen: Rising up on the Isle of Wight, I’ve all the time been surrounded by nature. I beloved spending time exterior, nevertheless it wasn’t till I used to be about 17 that I turned obsessed with biology.

Skip forward just a few years and, having accomplished a level in zoology and a masters in palaeoanthropology, I used to be packing my baggage for a six-month postgraduate diploma in endangered species restoration. The course, run by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Belief, was based mostly in Mauritius. I hoped that it could assist me to find out whether or not I needed to be a area conservationist or begin a PhD. My time in Mauritius is the place my ardour for conservation actually intensified.

After probably the most unbelievable experiences engaged on a choice of world-renowned endangered species restoration initiatives, I made a decision that I didn’t need to be a area conservationist. Nor did I need to do a PhD.

I used to be starting to really feel as if there was a facet of conservation that was typically neglected, and that maybe I may assist with. People, and particularly human behaviour change, is integral to conservation success – and but hardly ever integrated deeply and considerably into conservation methods.

That was once I determined that the best way I may have the most important influence can be by communications.

That’s fascinating to listen to, and one thing I fully relate to. So how did that evolve into you launching Wild Traces?

After I had exhausted my funds staying in Mauritius for so long as my checking account would enable, I travelled again to the UK and took a job as editor of a veterinary journal.

It wasn’t conservation, nevertheless it was a captivating position that taught me an enormous deal in regards to the editorial world in addition to the implausible veterinary occupation.

It was additionally in these first months again within the UK that I felt impressed to select up an artwork pen for the primary time. I continued to create pen drawings of wildlife in my spare time and, with the encouragement of family and friends, held a stall at just a few Christmas markets close to my base in Oxfordshire.

In June 2019 I handed in my resignation and moved to Montserrat within the Caribbean, the place my companion was main the Mountain Rooster Restoration Programme.

I spent just a few months working as a contract author and editor earlier than focusing my time on drawing and constructing a marketing strategy for Wild Traces.

The thought to launch a conservation-focused illustration enterprise had been at the back of my thoughts for a while, however I knew it could take some critical dedication to place into motion. Happily, a transfer to the Caribbean provided the proper atmosphere to get caught in.

That’s superior. What has been probably the most rewarding a part of launching Wild Traces as a enterprise?

It’s scary launching a brand new enterprise, particularly when your individual work is the product. However I’ve discovered it rewarding from the very starting.

It’s so pretty to listen to that my art work brings folks pleasure, or that anyone has learnt one thing new or modified just a little behaviour as a result of they learn the story accompanying a bit.

I’m sharing my art work with a splendidly engaged viewers of people who find themselves passionate in regards to the pure world, and I couldn’t have requested for extra in my first 12 months.

One significantly thrilling second this 12 months was when Jersey Zoo put of their first order for his or her store – after which one other one, as a result of folks had been shopping for my issues!

That was fairly a surreal feeling and I’m actually trying ahead to reaching extra prospects by increasing my wholesale providing as soon as issues are just a little nearer to ‘regular’ within the retail world.

I’ve my fingers crossed for you. Which merchandise or designs have been hottest?

The Wild Traces 2021 calendar is proving very talked-about in the intervening time. The wall calendar options 12 of my endangered species drawings and 15% of earnings are donated to Durrell Wildlife Conservation Belief. Individuals have tended to purchase it as a Christmas current; they’re actually completely satisfied to assist a small enterprise in addition to a wildlife conservation charity whereas doing their Christmas procuring – particularly this 12 months!

My hottest print has been the Asian elephant (she’s my favorite, too!), adopted intently by the very candy juvenile Brazilian tapir. There isn’t a standout winner relating to playing cards – there’s something for everyone and plainly all people has a distinct favorite!

So, how do you go about selecting the animal species you employ for the designs?

Final 12 months, I targeted on endangered animals and tried to cowl all kinds of species – from sea turtles to sloths. The arrival thought dawned on me on the finish of November and I requested my companion if he thought I may do one design each day of December up till Christmas.

I don’t know why I bothered asking, in fact he was going to say sure. So I publicly dedicated and that was it! Each night I got here up with a plan for the subsequent day’s card design so, to be trustworthy, there wasn’t a lot of a method to it!

This 12 months I’ve deliberate forward. I’m going to give attention to the wildlife now we have right here on our doorsteps within the UK – from white-tailed eagles and natterjack toads to hedgehogs and hares.

I feel it’s essential to attach with the wildlife now we have at house; it’s straightforward to overlook what unbelievable biodiversity we will discover in Britain’s pure areas, and even in our gardens and parks.

Lots of the species I’m that includes this 12 months are the themes of conservation work. Others are doing effectively, however merely couldn’t be missed; it wouldn’t be a British wildlife collection with out a purple fox!

Now I’m excited for December to come back round, simply to see your introduction collection! In what methods do you hope your work will encourage others to attach with wildlife?

Every drawing brings the viewer just a little bit nearer to nature and, I hope, will assist them to really feel extra linked to the great world that we’re so fortunate to be part of.

My drawings are usually accompanied with a conservation story. The tales describe the exhausting work being undertaken by conservation organisations to guard the species and often incorporate some data on what we will do to assist.

I feel folks all over the world have felt extra linked with the pure world this 12 months than ever earlier than, given the weird and troublesome circumstances the pandemic has introduced with it. That was one other of my causes for specializing in British wildlife this 12 months.

Having spent a lot time indoors, we turned more and more conscious of the essential influence the pure atmosphere has on our well-being. We had been staring out of our home windows recognising birds and bugs that may not have caught our consideration earlier than. And once we had been in a position to take a stroll within the woods, we relished the chance to reconnect with the skin world. I hope that my introduction collection this 12 months will assist to nourish these emotions, and even perhaps immediate folks to placed on their boots and go for a aware stroll amongst nature.

Now, you talked about that the Wild Traces 2020 introduction collection would even be supporting wildlife conservation. Are you able to inform us extra?

Sure, for my 2020 introduction collection, I’ve partnered with Individuals’s Belief for Endangered Species – a implausible charity that raises each consciousness and funds for conservation initiatives within the UK and additional afield.

I will likely be highlighting a few of their great initiatives within the UK and promoting the unique festive drawings and donating all earnings to PTES.