Setting up home in Overton six years ago heralded the beginning of a personal and professional adventure for Jo South. New to Hampshire, this ever-smiling artist quickly fell in love with the county’s topographical highlights where village life, with its festivals, sheep fair and wheelbarrow races perfectly suited the upbeat, nostalgic portraits for which she is known.
Yet although Jo’s whimsical treatment of local places and events is her calling card, the reason I discovered this energetic personality is due to the success her signature style launched on an entirely different subject in an entirely different location.
“I thought thousands of people would apply so there was no point,” Jo reflects, recalling the moment she heard about an Instagram post the iconic store, Liberty, had put out asking for illustrators and doodlers. The timing, coinciding with half-term, also influenced her initial half-hearted response. So what changed her mind?
“I did some research into the building, discovered the story of two warships whose timber was used to create the store, and a couple of mornings later woke up with a really good idea.”
The composition, linking Regent Street’s Tudor revival structure with the origins of its materials, hit the mark and in February this year Jo received an email congratulating her success on being selected for inclusion in the spring edition of the biannual The Liberty Book.
Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av Hampshire Life.
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Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av Hampshire Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Southampton's first Michelin star?
Newly opened southeast Asian restaurant, Blue Jasmine, could have all the right ingredients to claim the coveted title
This GIRL CAN
Tracy Edwards MBE paved the way for women in sport with her boat Maiden. Now, 30 years on, she’s showing women around the world that they can do something amazing too
The good ship LIBERTY
A call out on Instagram saw this Overton artist being included in the iconic Liberty Book
For KING & country
Can someone be born into greatness? We share the story of one of Britain’s most underrated monarchs, Henry III
Doing it for THEMSELVES
Multi-tasking sisters Iman and Yasmine El Sheik have just launched their new haircare brand Divinely Made, set to transform curly locks across the country
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Julie Tatchel and Amanda Middleditch from Bear It In Mind in Hythe regularly have viewers in tears with their bear restorations on the BBC hit show, The Repair Shop
A walk in Wonderland
A New Forest walk in the footsteps of Alice Hargreaves, the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland
Creature comfort
From growing up with Hampshire racehorses to caring for dogs and cats at home, Clare Balding’s love of animals has seen her through good times and bad
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Hampshire’s diverse habitats attract all of Britain’s six native species of reptiles
A friend in need
Margot has met a kindred spirit to share her renovation horror stories
