Five Favourite Things with Artist & Designer Jess Wheeler

In this series we ask creatives from various fields to choose five of their favourite things. These are items that could have inspired their work or given meaning to their life in some way; objects that represent a moment in time, or that forms part of journey leading to where they are now. I think it’s wonderful to, especially in these times, be able to dip into what certain things mean to people. The objects we cherish often carry energy such as love, joy and hope, and can evoke memories as well as those emotions when we think of them. The idea is to tell short stories through objects, and that with just five items you can take part in someone else journey and get to know them a little.

Jess is a designer and artist working  across a variety of disciplines from set to homeware design. Her cross disciplinary approach has a unified, nostalgic, nature driven narrative. Her varied mediums of working aim to remind the viewer the beauty and fragility of our natural world, it is therefore important to Jess that her pieces transcend seasonality and have a conscience. All of her pieces are hand made by her or by small-scale makers in the UK, using honest sustainable materials. I am especially in love with her watercolours that so gently depict the delicate nature of flowers.

Follow her at @jesswheeler.design

Jess with her illustrations for The Edition 94

Jess Wheeler

Quilted Jacket

1930s quilted bed jacket- I found it in the most incredible vintage shop near me in North Wales, Ashmans Antiques and Old Lace in Welshpool. It’s a real gem which supplies costumes for films and TV, I quite often find amazing props for shoots there. This jacket my favourite find, I love imagining a glamorous lady lying on her perfectly pressed bed drinking a Martini! On seeing my jacket, my mum said that her granny had her bedroom decorated in the exact same fabric. Her bed spread, head board and dressing table was covered in the same baby pink quilted fabric with tiny blue flowers. 

The 1930s quilted bed jacket from a local vintage shop

Japanese Snips  

Very sharp Japanese snips - They’re always close by, I keep a pair in my car incase I come across something interesting on a verge. Last week i came across a massive patch of wild welsh poppies which are incredible yellows and oranges. They are just beginning to seed so I’ve been gathering seeds to scatter in my garden! 

Japanese Snips

Victorian Nighties

This one in the photograph is from my favourite vintage shop in Welshpool, Ashmans Antiques and Old Lace. I love anything wafty with a great collar. I always wear one in bed and throughout the summer.

Jess wearing one of her favourite Victorian nighties

Beautiful Bits

I’ve been picking up beautiful bits since forever. I have a collection of stones, pebbles, twigs, dried seaweed, shells and sea glass which are arranged on a mantle in Wales, they are all sentimental. This is a forever charging arrangement, I’m a real fiddler so I’m always rearranging everything in my house. I think this unsatisfied, constant need to perfect the way bits are arranged in my surroundings heavily informs my set design and styling work. 

A selection of collected pieces on a mantle

Murano Glasses

I’m obsessed with colourful handmade glassware. I really believe in using your special things everyday and never saving things for special occasions. They brighten up any table or bedside table. I love a brand called Asp and Hand who make incredible things from glass. I just got a few for my birthday from The Edition 94, an amazing homewares shop which I’m actually collaborating with on a very excited collection of hand painted trays launching soon.

Murano glasses