97_Art Source.qxp_49/51 20/05/2025 15:44 Page 1
Art Source
Best In Class
Having worked in broadcast design for leading TV companies, it was having her daughter that prompted Sarah Best to turn her attentions towards greeting card design. And in the last three years since Sarah joined The London Studio Artists Collective, her designs have notched up almost half a million cards for different online platforms and retailers. PG travelled to the Teme Valley to find out more about Sarah’s creative journey.
“I’m Sarah, aka Mrs Best – an independent artist, card designer, and proud owner of a bricksAbove: Sarah Best. and-mortar shop nestled in the heart of the Teme Valley. My store sits on a working farm, surrounded by rolling countryside. I’ve been running my shop for the last seven years. It’s become a real creative hub, not just for my own designs, but for other brilliant indie makers too. My journey into greeting card design started rather unexpectedly during maternity leave. I’d spent years working in broadcast design with the BBC and ITV, honing my skills as a graphic designer. It was the arrival of my daughter that shifted my perspective. I wanted a creative outlet that would allow me to work more flexibly, from home, while also soaking up those precious early years of motherhood. That’s when the spark for card design was ignited. In late 2021, I joined The London Studio Artists Collective, and it’s honestly been a game changer. Being part of a supportive, likeminded community has opened so many doors – not just across the UK, but internationally too. From contract advice to creative trend forecasting, TLS has provided the tools and insights I needed to grow my brand in a way that feels authentic and sustainable. It’s pretty surreal to think that I am now approaching almost half a million card sales through working with TLS – a number that honestly blows my mind. Knowing that something I sketched at my kitchen table could end up on someone’s mantelpiece, or tucked inside a gift in homes around the world, is the biggest honour. I’ll never stop Below: A touch of the retro for Father’s Day from Sarah. Below right: Tapping into popular culture. feeling grateful for that. Through TLS, my designs have reached leading platforms like Moonpig and Funky Pigeon, as well as appearing on greeting cards in high street stores
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Left: A contemporary uplifting design. Below left: A fun and pretty design and quirky caption. Below: A fresh approach to a Dad card.
such as Tesco, Ryman, Utility and Postmark. Internationally, I’ve had the joy of seeing my designs on cards stocked in the US and Scandinavia with retailers including Escargot and Mossy Frog. That kind of exposure is something I once only dreamed of, and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities that have come my way. Owning my own shop has been such a fulfilling part of the journey as well. It’s not only a place to showcase my own work, but also a space where I champion other independent artists and makers. Seeing customers connect with our pieces – and knowing we’ve made their day a little brighter – brings me so much pride. Family life, in all its glorious chaos, is at the heart of what I do. My cards are inspired by the humour, mess, joy and everyday absurdities that come with real life. I aim to create designs that are fun, playful, and a bit cheeky – the kind that make people stop, smile, and say, “That is so me.” Below: Sarah’s daughter and dog A lot has happened in a short time, inside the Mrs Best shop. but looking ahead, I’m still dreaming big. I’d love to see my designs on cards in aspirational retailers like Oliver Bonas, Urban Outfitters, Liberty London and Selfridges. For me, it’s about continuing to grow without losing the heart and humour that started it all. This journey has been a whirlwind of ink, paper, parenting, and persistence – and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Sarah Best is part of The London Studio’s Artists Collective. www.thelondonstudio.com
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If you are an artist, photographer or verse writer and would like to be considered to appear in Art Source, please contact PG’s Jakki Brown on jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk. This is an editorial feature and as such is free of charge. PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 97