Kelly Thompson graces BLUNT Umbrellas with her gorgeous florals!

Created by beauty and botanical illustrator Kelly Thompson, this Limited Edition BLUNT Metro celebrates new seasons in the garden with a classic Kelly twist.

Drawing inspiration from farmers’ markets, this hand-sketched design carefully details beautiful wildflowers and whimsical mushrooms in Kelly’s iconic illustrative style. This extremely limited edition design is available in our much-loved Metro model in tonal apricot and is also available, for the first time, on our latest BLUNT Coupe model in sky blue. 

We speak with Kelly Thomson: 

What are your primary tools when creating your works?

My tool kit is very very simple! I just use a black coloured pencil, recycled card and an eraser, then I scan and colour in Photoshop.

What other ways do you apply your creative problem solving in your day to day life?

Ooh this is quite a hard question because I don’t really even think about being creative, it’s just a well-trained muscle for me. I guess one of the main ways is that I’m always looking for alternative answers and solutions to things, it encourages me to play and find new things, if something doesn’t work I don’t hit a wall, I try something new. This applies to working to a creative brief, down to everyday things like how to plate my dinner or what I’m wearing. Once your creative brain gets going it’s on and everything is an opportunity to be creative.

How has your artistic practice evolved during Covid?

It’s changed a lot. I went from being booked for my busiest and most successful year of illustration in 2020 to having seven jobs pulled in the space of two weeks! It was crazy, nobody wanted to develop new products or do a large advertising spend with all the insecurity around lockdowns and what would happen after. In saying that, once I got over that initial anxiety I’d say it’s been very positive for me. For the first time in 15 years I had some time and I really invested it into growing Makers’ Markets which has paid off. It has also allowed me to rest a little and now I’m feeling much more creatively invigorated and excited to get back into collabs more and see how else I can expand my creative practice.

Do you still draw inspiration from New Zealand?

I love the motherland! I always have at least one NZ based client at any time and can’t wait until Jacinda opens the Trans-Tasman bubble and lets me come back for a visit again! ...YAY IT LOOKS LIKE KELLY'S WISH CAME TRUE!