Fox Tales
Meet the Traders

This week on Fox Tales, we catch up with the talented Brighton-based illustrator and artist Hattie Gordon. In our conversation, she shares the stories behind her vibrant, narrative-driven work. From her early inspirations watching her mum paint, to her favourite gouache brushes and mischievous cat-inspired characters, Hattie takes us on a journey through her creative world, sharing the influences that drive her imagination.

Can you tell me what inspired you to start painting, how it all began, and whether you had any training?

“I don’t have any practical training. My degree, which was a million years ago, was in History of Art. My husband writes stories for our sons on their birthdays, and way back, he asked me if I’d like to do some little illustrations to go with the stories. Doing those tickled something in me. The bigger thing, though, is that from as soon as my sons could draw a line, we’ve done a lot of art together, and I realised I wasn’t just facilitating them to create, I loved making art too.

I am a big believer in creativity and making as play, and I was lucky to come into it with my boys rather than being formally taught. The first painting I made was the weekend in 2020, when we all knew that we were about to go into lockdown. I painted my tiger, Spike, with my youngest doing his own drawing next to me.”

Can you share a bit about your early life and the ways that it’s influenced your creative journey?

"My mum was a brilliant illustrator. She was the first person to illustrate the Womble books and went on to create lots of her own characters, including Wilberforce the bear. Our family was a bit complicated, as I had a brother in and out of psychiatric care, so she and I never had that space to explore making together. But seeing her painting away at her table every day when I came home from school is still vivid for me. She used gouache paint, which, maybe oddly, is what I use now, and I love it. It’s just the most delicious paint, creamy in consistency with endless vivid colours. I still really love children’s books from the 1960s and 1970s for their wildness and experimentation."

What does a typical day look like for you? Do you have any daily routines or rituals that help to keep you productive and inspired?

"I separate my painting and my Etsy shop from my work days for a shared-reading charity supporting military families. My art days vary depending on if I’m preparing for a market or an Open House. In Brighton, we have Artists Open Houses in May and at Christmas, so I’ll be checking prints, stocking up on greeting cards, and making sure that everything is ready.

On making days, drawing is always the start. I can never get as much down on paper as I have in my head, so having ideas isn’t the problem, it’s capturing them. If I’m working on new cards, for example, I’ve just painted my Christmas cards, I’ll do sketches first to work out the designs before painting.

When I’m ready to paint, I spread all of my materials out and take over the dining room. I prefer to paint in daylight, but often I’ll end up painting into the evening. As for rituals and routines, I feel that painting is a ritual in itself. It’s really about beginning, then once I start, that’s it. I also love packing up my orders and thinking about the things people have chosen, it’s wonderful to imagine my pictures travelling to different homes."

Do you have any ‘rules’ when it comes to using colour, or is it more of an intuitive process?

"I don’t have any rules, but I do respond to colour quite strongly, certain combinations literally give me a headache and therefore I avoid them. I probably don’t need to state the obvious, but I absolutely love colour, they’re jewels of nature, and the zinginess of putting several together on paper is happy-making and intuitive. I travelled around India with my brother when I was 18 and found that experience transformative, in terms of waking up to colour and bold colour combinations as an everyday part of life. I suppose I think of a picture as the container of a bit of colour magic that can warm someone’s spirit and make them smile. All of that said, I am determined to create something with lots of black at some point.”

Which mediums do you like to create with, and do you find any particular symbols or themes keep appearing in your work?”

"I use Winsor & Newton’s Designers’ Gouache, which was once popular for creating adverts but is a bit out of fashion now, and occasionally a colour from Holbein. I like using a variety of brushes, from natural hair to synthetic, and I have a particular brush that I use to make my tiger marks – a favourite of mine! I also work with Caran d’Ache pencils. My finished paintings usually stay quite close to my original sketch and idea.

I enjoy narrative, and in my head, I know what the animals are saying to each other and how they’re feeling. Recurring elements in my work include houses, tigers, birds, flowers, and jugs or vases. I’m also keen on layering patterns, tiger stripes on a rug, for example. If a painting turns out joyful, warm, and maybe even funny, I’m happy."

What’s your favourite part of being involved with Crafty Fox Markets?

"The atmosphere is really wonderful, and of course, it’s the people you meet, both makers and customers. Everyone is always so generous with tips and useful information, and it’s just brilliant to see what everyone else is creating. I met Sarah from Rockcakes at the recent Kings Cross Market, and I had actually been given a pair of her gorgeous hand-cut star cluster earrings, which I still have, just before my oldest was born. A Crafty Fox Market really is one gigantic treasure chest."

Where has some of your work been exhibited, and is there a particular piece, exhibition, or sale that you’re especially proud of?

"I have collections of my cards in some fantastic shops, and a couple of them are in places I’ve admired for many years, like Fair and Pen to Paper, so it’s really nice to be stocked by them. Exhibiting in Brighton at the Open Houses is wonderful because, like markets, you get to speak directly to visitors and buyers and make that connection. Hearing stories from shops and cafés about grandparents buying my paintings for their grandchildren, or people wishing they could live in the houses I paint, is all really lovely. I wouldn’t say there’s a single proud moment as such, but I feel lucky that people connect with my images. I enjoy making them so much, and for them to resonate and bring a little joy is a wonderful thing."

Celebrating independent artists and makers is at the heart of what we do. What tips would you offer to someone looking to launch their own creative, art-led business?

“Go for it! My thinking is ‘something is better than nothing’, which means the perfect time doesn’t exist, and it’s better to do something small rather than nothing at all. With a step-by-step approach, you eventually realise you’ve created quite a lot. You also only really learn by getting on with it. Don’t be shy about reaching out to people either, I’ve written to illustrators I admire about card stock, paint brushes, and so on, thinking that they probably won’t respond, but most of the time they do. If people have the capacity, they’re usually happy to help newbies.”

Is there a memory from one of our markets that always makes you smile?

“Meeting visitors is lovely. It’s touching and gorgeous how people take my images into their hearts. One lovely customer said my cat’s card reminded her of the side-eyes she used to do with her mates as teens! I have quite a lot of customers who say their partner loves my work and that they’re buying pictures for them as presents. Also, the little girl who is featured in several of my artworks, many adults say that she reminds them of something in themselves, or in their own child. I love that a seemingly childlike image can evoke the trust and bravery that we link with childhood. When I did The Kings Cross Market straight after the tariffs chaos started, some people were saying how essentially they had come to the market to restore their faith in humanity and to soak up the wonderful creativity, as a bit of an antidote to everything that’s happening in the world.”

And finally, what’s next for you for the rest of 2025 and beyond?

I’m currently working on a children’s book and can’t wait to share more soon, I’ll keep you posted!