Lucy Webster Fine Art – Introduction

Lucy Webster, a Lincolnshire wildlife and pet portrait artist, uses her self-taught skills and her First Class Honours in BSc Wildlife Conservation to create eco-friendly plantable wildflower greeting cards. While supporting the preservation of the natural world, she is also supporting mountainous communities in India to earn an income; all the paper Lucy uses is created by these communities using traditional paper-making practices.

By using eco-friendly materials and supporting local communities, Lucy’s artwork not only promotes environmental sustainability but also contributes to the economic empowerment of marginalised groups. Through her plantable wildflower greeting cards, she encourages others to appreciate the beauty of nature while actively participating in its conservation efforts.

We strongly believe by supporting Lucy’s business we are also raising awareness of the conservation of our Natural World.

Q & A

What is your brand’s mission?

To raise conservation awareness and encourage people to bring nature indoors via art.

Is there a particular cause that inspired you to start your mission?

The natural world inspires me on a daily basis. Being able to use my creativity to make a difference and raise awareness of issues impacting biodiversity conservation is not only rewarding, but something I feel is vital during a time of climate and environmental change.

What are your key brand values?

Care, Create and Conserve. I care about the work and products I produce and the nature that inspires me. Through caring for the environment, I ensure all my products are as environmentally friendly as possible and take time to source ethical materials. I create to deliver key conservation messages and tell the stories of the species we share the planet with. I conserve by doing my best to have minimal impact on the planet and creating products that last or that can give back to nature.

What is your brand’s story?

My business was not planned but rather started from nowhere thanks to lockdown! I have always been a creative person and took art at GCSE and A-level, however decided to pursue a career in Wildlife Conservation which I studied at Nottingham Trent University. I was applying for jobs and had a placement arranged when Covid came along and we all got stuck at home for months!

I was working in a local convenience store at the time and it could get stressful, so when I came home I decided to use the new ‘free time’ to do something I hadn’t been able to do whilst job hunting – be creative! I thought I’d lost my creative side, but when I picked up my pencils and began sketching I rediscovered my passion for it. I decided to teach myself how to draw realistic portraits using coloured pencils as this was a medium I had always wanted to learn but never got around to. I watched YouTube videos and slowly began drawing portraits of my family’s pets. My family and friends encouraged me to share my drawings on social media and not long after I began getting requests for commissions. And that was how my business was born!

 What makes your brand stand out against similar brands?

The main thing that makes me stand out as a brand is the ethical and eco-conscious sourcing of materials. For example, all my greeting cards are plantable, so rather than throwing them away and contributing to the ever-increasing waste in society, people can instead rip them into small pieces, soak in water, and plant. After a while, the wildflower seeds that are embedded in the card will begin to grow and once flowered will benefit bees, butterflies and other insects.

The paper I use for my cards is actually made from pre-consumer recycled cotton which is a waste product of the textile industry. Any scraps that don’t get made into garments are instead soaked and reduced to a pulp before being spread on large boards in the Nepalese mountains, where they dry in the sun and then get cut into sheets. This is a traditional paper-making technique that has been passed down for generations, so producing and selling this paper allows these skills to continue whilst also providing a source of income to the mountainous communities. Alongside the cards I also produce plantable tags, bookmarks and calendars.

My wooden pin badges are made from cherry or maple wood which is more environmentally friendly than metal or plastic, and also requires less water and CO2 than other tree species. The wood comes from sustainable forests where the trees are cut for management purposes to prevent the spread of disease or overcrowding.

Is there anything you would like to mention about your brand?

I hope to one day earn a full living from my business but appreciate that it takes time to get established. My long-term goal is to produce artwork that can be sold or auctioned off to raise money for wildlife and conservation charities that work so hard to protect species around the globe. If I can use my drawing skills for good and to help make a difference, then I feel I’ll have fulfilled my creative purpose.

Any proud accomplishments you would like to mention?

I am proud to have won multiple awards for my original drawings, which as a self-taught artist is a real accomplishment. Additionally having a thriving Etsy shop and seeing my products stocked in independent shops around the country is incredibly rewarding considering I set this business up single handily and continuously put so much of my time and effort into creating my work and products, despite working a part-time job alongside.

All images and information have been consented to be shared publicly by the brand owner themself.