Tamara Koch de Gooreynd is a London-based artist specialising in bespoke, imaginative artwork for luxury brands, weddings and events. Working from her home she shares with her husband and one year old in West London, she creates intricate designs primarily in watercolour and inks.
Where do you find your inspiration? Are there particular artists, places, experiences or everyday moments that influence your style?
Mad gardens, the Bloomsbury Group, peoples’ handwriting, certain poems, the tube, Francis Bacon. Most of all through trial and error! I love packaging, I can’t get enough of tinned foods. I have hundreds of photos of sardine and anchovy tins and various jars of gold and red passata filling up my phone.
When starting a new project, what is your creative process for turning an idea into an illustration?
Colour. Linking the right shades to the mood and tone of the project is a great way to start building out the image in my mind. I like to imagine friends and family that I feel would best encapsulate the project I’m working on, their homes, jewelry, what they keep in their fridge, how neat and tidy (or not) they are and from this glean different ideas about colour, style, shape. It’s a great exercise in coming to designs we might not otherwise have found.
What illustrations do you love doing?
Working with lovely couples before their wedding is always great, as you're building towards such a joyful day. People often have a sense of what they’re looking for when they come to me, or a couple of references. Part of the fun is unpicking this together - learning more about them, their interests, their characters - and from there we start to create their wedding world.
What is it that you like about Charles Farris candles?
The richness of their fragrances, they have a timeless quality and luxurious feel. I’ve become so attached to the Garden of Eden VI now that as soon as I smell it I feel I’m home.
Where do you use them around the home?
One sits on my bedside table to help me wind down before bed. A moment in my day I look forward to is lighting the Garden of Eden candle, pouring a deep glass of wine and then sitting on the sofa when the baby has finally gone down.
Which are your favourite CF scents and why?
VI is my number one. I love the richness of the scent and the sense of calm it brings to a home. Elizabeth too is beautiful, and great as a lighter summer scent with its lovely jasmine and orange notes. If I was to create the perfect Charles Farris aroma journey through a home I’d have the fresh Elizabeth in the kitchen, the enveloping Garden of Eden in the bedroom and the delicious Redolent Fig next to a hot bath.
Can you give us a sneak peak of any upcoming commissions?
I can! I’m currently painting a big toybox for a little boy called Frank, covering it in his favourite things; automobiles, pandas flying airplanes, lions in red racing cars and giraffes on unicycles.
I’m also working on a group of illustrations for a newly engaged couple, a collection of their favourite pubs around London. This will form part of the table plans at their wedding and it’s a lovely excuse to stroll around London to sketch them.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Tamara’s work or enquiring about wedding and event stationery please email her at Hue London, huelondondesigns@gmail.com.
