It is our absolute pleasure to introduce you to the uber talented Brook Gossen, A.K.A. our Guest Designer for March! You may have already spotted our gorgeous collaborative Rainbow Enamel Earrings and Pins, but oh my, you are in for a HUGE treat this month... That was just a teeny little taste of what's to come, my friends!
We've partnered with Brook to bring you THREE of her stunning original artworks, on Ruby Olive products that you know and love. Our first RO x Brook Gossen launch is on International Women's Day (8th March 2022) and it is truly special. The artwork is titled 'Equality' and is a part of our Charity By Design initiative, giving back to an extremely important cause 'Equality Now' - click here to learn more. This cause is super close to our hearts and we are so proud to be supporting Equality Now.
Here's the Equality artwork in all of its glory! We can't wait to show you ALL of the goodies, but in the meantime, read on and learn more about the wonderful Brook...
RO: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
BG: I’m Brook, an artist and designer living on Yuggera Country and working from home in my creatively very messy studio. I am a mum to 3 teenagers and a cat, and pretty much just love creating art with the intention of brightening people’s day. I have a twin sister, and an awesome husband and both are my biggest cheerleaders… aside from my mum haha!
I create fun and colourful patterns and illustrations for textiles, homewares, stationery, giftware, jewellery and packaging. I love working with brands, big and small, to bring their wonderful products to life!
RO: Use three words to describe your art?
BG: Colourful, feel-good, and fun.
RO: As an artist, have you ever struggled with inspiration and creativity? If so, how did you get that spark back?
BG: Yes! I’ve been going through a bit of that recently actually. Doing short courses or art challenges are a great way to reconnect that spark. It gets you out of your comfort zone and gives you some direction, so you aren’t focussing on the loss of your mojo, but instead about trying and learning new things. Also, just creating with the sole purpose of enjoying the process and not worrying about the outcome takes the pressure off too.
RO: We are so thrilled for our collaboration. What product are you most excited to see your designs on?
BG: I am so thrilled too! It’s a dream come true. I’m most excited for the puzzles (we always do one on the school holidays) and the jewellery range. So exciting!
RO: Is there a particular impression or feeling that you want to leave people with when they view your designs?
BG: I really want people to feel a moment of joy in their day when they see my work. Hopefully it makes them smile. It’s really that simple.
RO: We love talented and amazing women (like yourself) here at RO. What’s the best and worst thing about working for yourself?
BG: The best thing is that I work from my home studio, which definitely suits my hermit tendencies. I love that I am always around when the kids get home from school and can chat to them about their days before we all get back to work/homework. The worst part is feeling like I should also be keeping up with the washing and tidying etc during the day, even though I am working full time. I need to remind myself regularly to just leave it and get to work and focus, it will still be there when I’m done unfortunately haha!
RO: Tell us something we’d never guess about you?
BG: I can write backwards, just as quickly as I can write forwards. It’s my party trick ;)
RO: You have worked with A LOT of wonderful brands. We won't ask which one was your favourite, but do you have any fun stories that you can share with us about the collaborations and creative process?
BG: One of my earliest collabs happened thanks to my lovely sister Mandie. And that collaboration led to many more. We were chatting to a couple of lovely ladies with an amazing fashion brand at a market and Mandie pretty much said to them (while I was there, mind you!), “Did you know my sister is an artist? You should work with her”. So right then and there, they scrolled through my instagram and decided they wanted to work with me. I am forever grateful to my proud sister for believing in me. 
RO: As an artist who is skilled in both digital and traditional art, do you have a preference for either, or do you use both a physical and digital medium during your creative process?
BG: I use both. I largely work digitally as it streamlines my design process and makes my time more efficient. In saying that though, there is nothing like getting out the paints and paper and playing and many of my ideas come from that process.
RO: How do you find inspiration?
BG: I try to take the time to enjoy the little things in life as often as I can, and they inspire my practice. Since having 3 kids, time just seems to fly; and over time I have realised that what makes me truly happy is moments, and experiences rather than things. It can be as simple as enjoying the clouds in the sky, or picking a flower on my morning walk. I then take those moments and experiences and try my best to express them in my art. 
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us Brook! We have loved getting to know you better, and showcasing your gorgeous artwork.
Sooooo, what do you think?! Are you looking forward to the fabulous new RO x Brook Gossen goodies? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
CONNECT WITH BROOK:
Instagram - @brookgossen
Facebook - @hellobrookgossen
Website - brookgossen.com