My name is Jill McFarlane and I am the professional artist behind colourmeadow - fine art prints on wood, fabric and box shelves. colourmeadow prints have organic textures, stone washed colours and clean lines.
I live on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula and work from home in a small studio space that my business is rapidly outgrowing! Outside my love of all things arty, my interests include bush walking, ocean swimming and Latin dancing.
I am a solo artist and work on my business as well as looking after my two kids. I trained at Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland and have exhibited my oil paintings in commercial and public galleries throughout Australia before embarking on colourmeadow.
I started selling on Madeit this year. Madeit is completely based in Australia looking after local makers; I wanted a platform that truly did only showcase local artisans and makers and was affordable to my small business.
The ‘everyday beautiful’ from my life inspires the drawings behind colourmeadow prints. Living in a particulary beautiful part of the world - Mount Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula - means that even on my walk to school with the kids I find imagery to inspire my colourmeadow work! Flowers and trees silhouetted by the sun, beach hut candy colours and curving bays - fleeting whimsical glimpses of beauty that capture my imagination.
It is important to me that colourmeadow designs have a simple and calm quality so that they harmonise with the home. Colourmeadow was born out of my own desire for contemporary, affordable artwork after I white-washed the walls of my home. I embarked upon creating simple linear prints that would complement on-trend interior design. Colourmeadow had to be more than just paper prints, therefore I experimented with texture, printing on wood and fabric and loved the results.
Each artwork starts off as a hand drawn lineal pencil drawing. I then add colour to the image digitally, retaining the integrity of the original hand drawn line. The digital process allows colourmeadow prints to be available in a range of beautiful textured surfaces such as linen and wood and also gives me the flexibility to custom print different sizes and colour schemes.
I have my work printed in Melbourne and make up my prints at home. The natural world has always been a calming important presence in my life, therefore sustainability is something I strive to achieve in my business by using local suppliers of materials and locally made products such as my Tasmanian oak frames made in Warragul, Victoria, and having my work printed locally.
Being creative was part of my family life growing up so it is a process I deeply enjoy - that feeling of creating something you are proud of from your own skills. I feel handmade is particulary important in today’s age of mass consumerism and waste, in order to get back to living more sustainably.
Handmade to me is also about supporting local artists, businesses and the local economy - it has so many positive effects for your community.
Jill is offering Madeit’s community newsletter subscribers free domestic postage at colourmeadow for a limited time. Subscribe below to get the coupon, plus weekly handmade shopping guides, designer spotlight stories and discounts:
Visit colourmeadow to find more bold, yet serene textured art prints inspired by the ‘everyday beautiful’: colourmeadow
My name is Jill McFarlane and I am the professional artist behind colourmeadow - fine art prints on wood, fabric and box shelves. colourmeadow prints have organic textures, stone washed colours and clean lines. 
