Meet the Maker - Wotmalike

Jo Burrows is the designer behind Wotmalike's quirky wooden decorations (for life, not just for Christmas!) 

What got you started making / creating your designs / products?

I’ve been a designer for many years working for high street brands – in 2010 I decided to branch out on my own as I had many ideas I couldn’t utilise and was able to bring them to life by starting my own company

How would you describe your designing / creating style?
I am mainly trend led – through my years designing for mass market I was able to learn to spot trends.  In my own way I use current fonts, colour palettes and drawing trends subtly in my work. My character drawing has developed through looking at faces intently looking at weight distribution and facial characters. I have my own style which I think is easily recognised.

What is your motto?
Stay focused, dwell on the positive.

What was your first success with your designs / products?
Regional cards for Newcastle (Geordie cards).  I am from Newcastle and used dialect on birthday cards, I was the first to market with this idea – I still sell loads of these cards and have inspired many others to do the same.

Tell us about your design process.

Research, sketching (my sketches are pretty rough) then onto digital drawing.  I still draw with a mouse I haven’t mastered the tablet pen thing!

How important is environmental sustainability of your products?
We mainly print on eco card, our wood is ethically sourced, we print our own product tags on recycled paper.  We try to be conscious of our carbon footprint wherever possible.

What has been your most interesting commission (apart from the Globe, obvs)?
I designed merchandise for the Terracotta Warrior visiting exhibition in Liverpool in 2018 – I learned so much about Chinese warriors and put my own design slant and created a modern on trend look to an ancient theme.

Shop Wotmalike decorations here