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The Lynn Tait
Most Promising Young Designer Open to: This special award category recognises and rewards the wealth of young creative talent that we have in the UK. This award is open to all designers and artists (employed by a publisher or freelance) aged 35 years or under on 1 July 2024.
2024 Finalists in alphabetical order
Rachel Burt, greeting card designer at Hotchpotch l Emily Byrd, founder of Bird & Co Studio l Georgi Doig, director of happiness for Lil Wabbit l Beth Lewton, l
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Rachel Burt,
designer of Hotchpotch “Hi I’m Rachel! I am a greeting card designer at Hotchpotch. I have been working in the greeting card industry since I graduated from university (some years ago now!) and feel so lucky that this is my job! I love doodling on my iPad and it has become a bit part of my design process. There is so much potential in digital processes and I love to explore these!” l
Emily Byrd,
founder of Bird & Co Studio “I have always had a passion for getting out into nature and exploring the wild. From a young age, I was at my happiest drawing in trees and making woodland dens. I have always loved making people happy and would spend hours crafting special birthday cards for friends and family. For a long time, I’d dreamed of having my own business and in 2022, I combined my passion for illustration and design with my love of the outdoors and created Bird & Co Studio. Over the last year I decided to give this new venture my best shot, so after doing my first Christmas market, I signed up for PG’s Ladder Club in December 2023. The day inspired me so much and I met other cardies that have since grown into good friends. This led on to me doing the GCA’s Dragons’ Speed-dating event in March 2024, which helped me get used to pitching my work to retailers and gain some valuable feedback. Then in June I launched officially to the retail trade on Faire and at the PG Live show. I was so chuffed to leave the show with orders, amazing new contacts and more industry friends, as well as a Golden and Sunshine Tickets! My designs are hugely inspired by my adventures in
34 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE.
senior creative of Woodmansterne Publications l
Esme Linton, senior designer of Woodmansterne Publications
Emily Nash, founder of Emily Nash Illustration l Lex Rogy, founder of Little Roglets l
the natural world (often accompanied by my spaniel Mylo), and my goal is to create beautiful, illustrated products that help to protect it. I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved so far; being a finalist for two Henries awards, planting 500+ trees and already being stocked in amazing stores around the world - I feel like I’m living my dream and I’m so excited to see where my journey leads me next.” l
Georgi Doig,
director of happiness for Lil Wabbit “I am beyond excited to be a finalist in this category for the second year running. When launching lil wabbit just four years ago, after I took my grandmother’s watercolour paints home following her death, I could never have guessed that one day I’d be nominated for an art-based award. Since last year’s Henries I have been busy beavering away…I’ve created two new ranges consisting of 55 designs; launched our new bee scheme, sponsoring 60,000 bees, each one representing a card sold; continued our StreetVet campaign and hit a total of £13,000 raised to date; taken part in my first PG Live and Harrogate Home & Gift, as well as our fourth Top Drawer, plus landed my first small chain and national (thanks to the Dragons’ event). Being recognised among the publishers in the category is truly amazing and we can’t wait to get to the awards and party the night away!”