Sketching Out the Future

First Tabi was invited to take part in an exhibition at the prestigious Paul Smith Gallery in Central London, and then she was offered the chance to design and paint a custom bike for her sister Maddy, the Team GB gravel cyclist. All this while studying for a part-time Masters in Illustration at Falmouth as well as working as an online tutor and mentor.

The Paul Smith commission came about after the exhibition manager spotted her work at the Society of Women Artists exhibition last summer. “It was a lot of fun to try a new approach to my usual materials and scale,” says Tabi.

“I created five new drawings, all inspired by the people of London and the idea of individuality and anonymity in a city. I’m fascinated by our relationship with technology - how it can transport us out of the moment we’re in and capture our attention so entirely. This series captures individuals in their own worlds, amongst the chaos of busy London life.”

To see these paintings and others, please check out her Instagram: @tabithanutt 

The bespoke bike for Maddy was a real labour of love. Commissioned by Maddy’s sponsor Ribble Cycles for the Gravel Earth Series, Tabi illustrated the pink Custom colour Gravel SL by hand, with a series of beautiful quirky images all with great meaning for her sports loving sister and fellow LEH alumna.

The design is a snapshot into Maddy’s world and features her personal journey, where she has come from, where she is going to and key inspirational words to help her when she rides across Kenya and beyond.  

“The Ribble project was so much fun,” says Tabi. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before and was a real challenge, but it does mean a lot to me. Maddy says it’s her dream bike and I simply can’t wait for my illustrations to accompany her all around the world.”

Tabi kept the design project as a surprise for her sister. You can see the big reveal on Maddy’s YouTube channel HERE.

If you are logged into your Holles Connect account, you will be able to see some more images of Tabi’s work and her stunning bespoke bike, in the gallery below.