About me

Wendy with pink hair looking at the camera

Hello there, welcome to Doris & Fred

I thought you might like to know a little bit about me

My name is Wendy Flynn
Doris and Fred were my grandparents
I live in South West London with my wonderful husband and young son.
I am an Artist specialising in surface pattern design and Illustration
I started making notebooks in 2014 as gifts for friends, after a while I popped a few on Facebook and people loved them, Christmas 2014 I made about 300 personalised pocket notebooks!
Since then my collection has grown as customers have requested different types of books, to make their lives more organised.
I continue to create more patterns for the covers, usually doodling while watching tv and have plans for lots of new products
I have been creating art for as long as I can remember, it is all I ever wanted to do.
I have a degree in Graphic design from Bath Spa University College (way back in 1998)
I spent most of the 3 years in the darkroom and on the computer, drawing with my mouse. (I was the only illustrator in my year to primarily use a computer, which seems really odd now!)
I love to draw with India ink, using a sharpened stick, or dip pen, this comes from a mark making class in the textiles portion of my foundation course, I still have the stick i used then (in 1994!)
I also love using Illustrator and photoshop to enhance my doodles and add colour and sometimes texture.
Sometimes my work starts from a drawing, sometimes it just sort of happens on the computer, it depends on the day!
I learned all about colour and pattern design whilst working for Trend studio D-CipherFM from 1999 to 2006.
I love to take photographs of everything around me, patterns and just things that interest me, from food to flowers to lines painted on the street! This used to involve carrying a bulky camera around all the time but thanks to my phone I can do this without too much sighing from those around me. These pictures inspire me and sometimes become part of my work.
I am happiest near the sea or in my favourite park in the sunshine.
My Inspiration comes from a variety of sources,
Artists I love - Jasper Johns, Martin Parr, Carolyn Gavin, M.Sasek, Jim Field and Rob Biddulph
Things I love... hanging out with my family, taking photos, listening to 90s indie music, having a cheeky dance, baking cakes, watching tv box sets, finding cool vintage fabrics, good pizza, burritos the size of your head, chocolate, a meal with good friends.

5 things you might not know about me…..

I am addicted to Diet coke
I have a slight hoarding problem (see the stick mentioned above)
My son is named after a Painter, a Musician and a Norse God!
I can't wear high heels
I love to make lists!

I am always up for new product ideas or collaborations Please get in touch if you are interested, or with any commissions or Licensing deals, either by email dorisandfred@gmail.com or through the contact me page.