designer spotlight
Support independent businesses and meet the creatives making waves in the interiors world. This month: botanical-inspired art prints
Diane Hill Design
For fans of pretty floral designs, Diane Hill’s stunning artwork is a grown-up way to add blooms to bare walls. Trained by master painters in China, her pieces combine traditional techniques with a modern aesthetic to create classy designs that bring life to any home. Q Hi Diane – tell us about yourself! I’m a mum of two, wife and artist. I love staying at home, mostly working in my loft studio. I’m a real foodie – as a family we centre our lives around meals, both home cooking and exploring London’s restaurants. We also spend most of our spare time working on our house and garden – my husband loves to build anything and everything and I like getting creative with DIY projects. Our home is filled with memories of all the work we have put into it. I’ve always been creative – my mum tells me I used to draw all over the walls at age four, so I guess my career path was always determined! Q
How did you develop your style, and what are your influences?
I’m truly passionate about Chinese and Japanese art forms and I love Chinoiserie wallpapers. They were popular among aristocrats during the 18th century as a fantastical European interpretation of the ‘exotic’ Far East. The designs are so timeless and work in any interior setting possible. I’m obsessed with getting finer and finer details in my paintings – I love to paint neatly and always go overboard with the precision of my strokes! Q
What’s your proudest career achievement?
My proudest achievement is actually something that happened recently. I’ve been able to use my skill set, which has so far been limited to only those who could afford it, to create an art print with an important message of change regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. The art print was launched at a fair price and 100 per cent of the profits go directly to charities fighting against racism and police brutality. We raised £10,500 in the first week and I couldn’t be prouder! The artwork will stay available to buy so we can continue raising money for these charities. For the first time, I feel like my work has had a significant impact on the community. Shop Diane’s prints at dianehill.co.uk and follow her on Instagram @dianehilldesign