Bespoke Folk started in Bilsthorpe Nottinghamshire in 2013. We are now based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and still create all of the unique products you see on our site. Everything is created from our imagination, everything is created for a reason.
We create art in the fields of wildlife greeting cards, wildlife notecard packs, wildlife prints, still life, botanical, abstract and wildlife paintings, insect drawings and metalwork for the house and garden.
The metalwork range showcases pieces from garden plant support frames and plant stakes to coffee tables and metal furniture. They are designed to be beautiful to look at and have improved functionality in mind. Pieces are commissioned according to one’s wishes or can be purchased from the existing range.
The art is varied and comprises paintings, drawings and greeting cards. Across the range, there are various forms and subjects from invertebrates to mammals to sealife and plants to flowers in a variety of media. The wildlife greeting cards, wildlife notecards and wildlife prints are all UK British wildlife species. The paintings are watercolour or oil. Each design is unique so there will be something to pique your interest. Alternatively if you have an idea in mind for a particular piece then this can be created for you as our name suggests, it will be bespoke.
About the artists
Courtenay Holden MCIEEM (Bachelor Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science (Hons First) degree) is an artist and Senior Ecologist who has exhibited her abstract works in New Zealand, France, Canada and England. During her travels, her range of work has expanded from contemporary abstract oil and mixed media on canvas to include delicate still life works in paint and drawings.
During her travels Courtenay spent much time volunteering at various animal rescue and conservation projects with Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece (Crete), the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. (Burnaby, Vancouver) and Muktuk Adventure Dog Sledding (Whitehorse, Yukon). Due to her continued interest in wildlife and the environment, in 2010 she embarked upon a science degree in wildlife conservation whilst continuing her volunteer work with Nottinghamshire Dormouse Group and local Wildlife Trusts and starting her ecologist work. Human-wildlife interactions, issues and conservation research are her interests.
Courtenay’s inspirations lie predominantly with mammals, but she is also fascinated by insects, reptiles and amphibians. This can be seen in her still life works and studies of the natural world. Courtenay uses watercolour / ink / pencil on paper to accurately show the fine detail of flora and fauna from the British Isles and Europe. Each art piece is a unique signed original and never reproduced. As well as creating works from what she finds inspiring, she also has completed many commission pieces and is always open to suggestions for such works.
Robert (Bachelor of Business in Information Systems and Bachelor of Business in Management) was raised in mallee country on a wheatbelt farm in Kondinin, Western Australia and it was there that he learned how to weld through necessity. He had many opportunities to play with his creativity on the farm from building, making, converting or repairing things. But it was through living and travelling in Europe and Canada since 2005 that this creativity has been realised. Robert designs pieces that reflect uniqueness and individuality, something which he would want and use regardless if the appeal was not widespread. He prefers to appeal to people who seek something different than commercially-made, mass-produced or offshore products.
