About Me

A little about me...

I was born into a family of caterers in the mid-70’s, the family business was located in an amazing old building surrounded by huge trees, overlooking the river and mainly catered for wedding banquets. The over-exposure of gorgeous bridal gowns, exquisite wedding cakes and beautiful flowery bouquets in my young days has turned me into an over the top romantic adult who likes to eat wedding cake for breakfast. Hanging around my parents business also meant I had a lot of time to think, be imaginative and wonder what I might be when I grew up.

I don’t know that my dreamy childhood fantasy of securing a job with Max Factor as the “Head-Namer of lipsticks and nail polishes” was ever realistic, but as I grew up I never lost the need to keep my hands and imagination busy; always creating and always dreaming of having my own business just like my parents.

In the mid 90’s I started working at my local Museum of Art & History, it was there that I discovered the design software “Freehand” and fell completely in love with graphic design. Having two young daughters and bills to pay I wasn’t exactly in a position to study full-time for a design degree, but I was passionate, so I just started experimenting with design and taking on freelance work for anyone crazy enough to take me on.

While graphic design then became my career for many years, I started incorporating more and more illustrative features into my designs. I began to really let loose on this when I worked for a local magazine. It was while working at that job that it struck me that these little illustrations could be more than just a pretty addition to a page.

It started slowly... I would create a card for someone’s birthday, an illustration for my daughter’s bedroom wall and then a light-bulb moment where I realized that this was undoubtedly the future I had dreamed of as a child… being a fulltime illustrator. Ok, so I’m jumping the gun a little bit, I still have to work fulltime to pay the bills, but I have become fulltime “outside of work” illustrator for now.

If you browse through the illustrations on my site, you will find that they were mostly originally created for very special people in my life, or represent things in my life that I love…(note the many coffee illustrations). There are prints that pay respect to New Zealand artists I admire, prints that celebrate the unique native Maori language spoken in my country, and pretty little Babushka dolls with colour schemes inspired by my favourite childhood memories. All in all, the illustrations I make are straight from my heart and they each have their own story, which is why my brand name is my own name - my illustrations are an extension of myself.

My products are 100% created and manufactured in my hometown Hamilton, in the heart of the mighty Waikato. Supporting local businesses has become an important factor of my work ethic.

I hope you enjoy checking out my work. I'm always keen to consider taking on new projects so don't be shy to contact me!

All works © Bron Alexander 2012