Name, Location, Occupation
Leslie Shewring
Victoria BC Canada
Designer and Photographer
Please describe your workspace:
I work in a large white space right now on the top floor of an old building. I like it because it is quirky and has lovely light. Right now it is actually sunny so the space is filled with a warm glow. I try to keep the place tidy but that often does not last long.
What are you working on right now?
I’m working on some new pattern ideas for another range of fabrics. I have also been doing some art direction for a company I collaborate with.
What has been your most rewarding project to date?
That’s a hard question for me…right now it is probably Decorate with Flowers, the book I co-authored with Holly Becker. It was rewarding to work with different people in a format that I have never done before. Creating a book was a whole new experience for me.
Has there been a defining moment or turning point when you realized what you wanted to do for a living?
I was getting ready to apply to Law schools but was so busy doing window displays and teaching floral design classes I kept putting it off, I guess it didn’t really excite me. One night as I was decorating a window I thought, “this is so fun there must be a way to do something creative and still get the Masters degree” my father wanted for me. I started working on a portfolio the next day and that very fall went off to work on a Master’s of Fine Arts, then a Master’s of Architecture followed. I have always worked in design of some kind.
What do you think is the most difficult aspect of your work?
Balancing time with my family and time for work. Often I need time and space around me to work and create. This can be tricky when you are just getting going on a painting or the light gets really good and then you need to pick up the kids from school. My kids always come first, which can be difficult for my work. I wouldn’t have it any other way though.
What are you reading at the moment?
The Apothecary’s Daughter by Charlotte Betts
What websites do you visit for inspiration?
There are so many, off the top of my head, Pinterest, Canelle et Vanille, Mokkasin, Hanna’s Room, Decor8.
What are your simplest daily pleasures?
My first cup of coffee in the morning, cuddling my kids, cooking, reading to my kids at night, and working in the evening when the house is still and the kids are tucked in their beds.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In the garden, painting and doing more creative projects.