“I think many of us look for meaning and reassurance as we go about our lives. The symbols in Major Arcana are a lovely way of punctuating those moments - whether it is to try and lift a friend in need, or help celebrate the best of times.” - Jo Laing
Q1. Your illustrations have such a distinct signature, from handmade ceramics to Fine Art collections. How did your art journey begin?
A: For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a brush in my hand. My mother is incredibly creative, so growing up was a riot of craft projects, paintings, and glitter at the kitchen table. She’s now teaching all the grandchildren how to paint too! At university, I studied Textile Design, which involved lots of drawing and painting to develop prints and ideas. Afterwards, I fell into a career in luxury retail, working in Editorial teams producing content for magazines and marketing comms. It was mentally creative, but I desperately missed having paint-spattered hands. At Harvey Nichols, we often commissioned illustrators, and I kept thinking, “That’s what I should be doing!” When our twins arrived at the end of 2016, it felt like the perfect moment to take that leap of faith. I launched the business 18 months later.
Q2. You often turn simple things into something almost magical - what’s your process when you’re giving a humble object a whole new personality?
A: When embarking on something new, it’s always a long process. An idea forms, but you have to consider each stage and make hundreds of small decisions along the way before you finally reach completion. There are also moments of terrible uncertainty: Will this work? Will anyone want to buy this? Is it a rubbish idea? That’s probably the hardest part — trying to quiet the inner critic. And there are no guarantees either. I may not always love the final outcome, but I always learn something for next time. The matchboxes, for example, were something I had been trying to source for my own home. They’re such everyday objects, often overlooked, and I wanted beautiful ones to place on coffee tables or mantles. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to make my own. The first designs sold out in under 10 minutes, and it has happily continued from there.
Q3. Tarot, the Major Arcana specifically, is a big part of your work. What draws you to its symbols, and how do they influence the stories you tell through your pieces?
A: I think many of us look for meaning and reassurance as we go about our lives. We all hit bumps in the road and periods of time that lay us really low, followed by (if we are lucky) moments of joy and celebration. The symbols in Major Arcana are a lovely way of punctuating those moments - whether it is to try and lift a friend in need, or help celebrate the best of times. Tarot has been around since the 15th century! And I love that it continues to feel relevant to our lives across such a span of time
Q4. There’s a natural synergy between your world and Soroka’s - both full of colour, imagination, and a bit of playful mystery. What do you think makes this creative partnership such a good match?
A: Soroka brings together the most wonderful edit of colours, textures and influences across all the brands you have chosen for your store. It is such a treasure trove. And I also adore your commitment to selecting pieces from independent businesses. This is something that is so important to me when I am looking for partners and suppliers for my own work - whether it is a family run printing studio, or an artisan pottery team in Stoke-on-Trent… Supporting true craft really matters in a world of mass manufacturing.
Q5. If someone takes home one of your pieces, what do you hope they feel, or discover, each time they look at it?
A: Whether it’s a piece of handmade ceramic or perhaps a print for our Fine Art collections, ultimately, I hope it brings joy.
Each piece from our collection is carefully handcrafted in ceramic and produced in a limited, numbered edition, making it a unique collectible.
