Lockdown for many, this has been a year of banana bread, Tiger King and TikTok. But for some, this has become the perfect opportunity to start a new business, the extra time or the drastic change of circumstances has aided towards the creation of something brand new. We chat to members of our team who have created a new business during lockdown.

Elizabeth Kennedy – Greeting Cards

Lizzie Kennedy is an Artist and Events Manager for PopUp Painting. Over lockdown she launched her beautiful range of greeting cards. When asked what inspired her to do so, Lizzie said ‘I was looking for a creative outlet that I could explore and develop further. I started making greetings cards about 5 years ago which had been popular but other things happened so during the sort of quieter months (if you don’t count home schooling) I started to look at this again. I did a bit of research and created a range of watercolour animal greetings cards. They are selling so I am now looking to expand further and produce more prints.’

Lizzie has been through various phases of selling artwork and prints and is aiming to become more consistent and create series of prints.

‘I started making greetings cards about 5 years ago which had been popular but other things happened so during the quieter months, I started to look at this again.’

You can find more of Lizzie Kennedy’s greeting cards on her website and Instagram.

Laura Macdonald – Art Prints

Lockdown has inspired Laura Macdonald not only to start life as a full time artist but to move from London to the west country! Before Lockdown, Laura was enjoying life as an aspiring actor in the city, but the last 12 months have changed this.

‘I originally trained as an actor and art has always been something I’ve done on the side, a few commissions here and there. Over the past few years art has become my main source of income (through PopUp Painting and now online art sessions with a fabulous charity, entertaining children in hospital) and having made the move out of London and back to Cornwall I was keen to make sure I can continue to work doing something I really enjoy.

Honestly, it’s been a bit of a slow process so far, adjusting to the move, lockdown life, and my own indecisiveness over what I want to create! But I am picking up more commissions, finding my style and experimenting and coming up with new ideas all the time. Some exciting things in the pipeline, watch this space!‘ says Laura on the move and new business venture.

‘Having made the move out of London and back to Cornwall I was keen to make sure I can continue to work doing something I really enjoy.’

You can see more of Laura’s work on her website, Etsy and Instagram.

Wyland Tondelier – Online Bespoke Recipes

Wyland Tondelier is normally a visual artist has created the innovative company, Inventive Cuisine over the last year. Wyland used the shift into online interactions as a great platform to ‘share [his] love for food, flavours and textures with guests from around the world and enable them to experience [his] culinary skills’

‘The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has seen much of the country stay at home and order food deliveries instead of heading to their local supermarkets’

This initiative provides a cooking experience with your leftover food. Wyland will create a new recipe unique to you and the members of your household. Wyland says he is not a Chef, ‘but [is] passionate about food, and a healthy lifestyle.’
Inventive Cuisine was born in 2020 when Wyland ‘had the idea to use my creative passion for cooking to make it an innovative experimental idea for the everyday person. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has seen much of the country stay at home and order food deliveries instead of heading to their local supermarkets. After all, who would not want the convenience of being able to access healthy and balanced meals for the whole family without leaving the house?’

Inventive cuisine is a great opportunity to be guided out of your comfort zone. During your online workshop you will be helped to create and discover other flavours and pairing that you would have not thought of or dared to try.

You can find out more on AirBnb or you can purchase Wyland Tondelier’s recipe book on Amazon.

George Dunkerton – Tea Blending Company

George Dunkerton launched A Little Cup Tea over Lockdown. A little Tea Cup is an artistic tea blending company that merges tea and art. The company aims to encourage creativity through the catalyst of tea, using flavours that focus on wellness and encouraging engagement through a community that can be created through its offering.

George is very interested in the comfort tea can bring ‘I have found the offering of tea to be a huge support to me when meeting new people and sparking conversation and collaboration, especially in creative environments. I wanted to make blends that focused on ingredients that encouraged both stimulation and calmness (both of which I feel you need a balance of for creative thinking) without the need for caffeine‘. George also runs Tea blending and art workshops alongside this to widen the community and allow people to engage with one another and their imaginations.

George Dunkerton says the reason for starting the business now is purely down to the benefit of so much new free time and says ‘A Little Tea Cup was also a great way to bring some well needed wellness and self-care during a very unpredictable and isolating time.‘

‘The business is going well, albeit a little slow due to not being able to access other local businesses as easily as in normal times. I would love to be stocked in some local stores which I am slowly getting round to now things are easing! But I have had a lot of online support mainly thanks to the joys of Instagram, which is an incredible platform! The workshops have also helped in engaging a wider audience as they make a perfect experience gift.’

‘A Little Tea Cup was also a great way to bring some well needed wellness and self-care during a very unpredictable and isolating time.‘

You can find out more on A Little Cup Tea’s Website, Instagram and Facebook.

You can also check out the Eventbrite for ‘taste & create’ masterclasses. The next one coming up is on the 18th April.

Rebecca Hunter – Murder Mystery Game

Rebecca Hunter and her partner, Matthew Lowe have much of their careers based in the events industry. So come March 2020, life became very quiet for the pair. Back in post lockdown days, they used to enjoy hosting Murder Mystery Dinner parties with their friends. ‘Writing a game of our own was always something we spoke about, but we never had the time. We loved the games we played but often the story lines didn’t make much sense, and the female characters were always very weak. We wanted stronger characters and something that used a bit more initiative to solve‘ Rebecca said. After a few quiet months, Moon Rising Mysteries was born.

Once we were allowed to have picnics outside, Rebecca and Matthew sat down for entire afternoon in a park and got brainstorming. Four months later, on Halloween, their first Murder Mystery game, Murder in the Victorian Manor, was released.

The game had huge success, with being an Etsy Best Seller over Christmas. The two are now writing an Escape Room and another Murder Mystery Game.

‘We wanted stronger characters and something that used a bit more initiative to solve‘

You can buy Murder in the Victorian Manor by Moon Rising Mysteries here or follow them on Instagram here.

You can visit the PopUp Painting’s Team Gift Guide here.

Artists that started a new business during lockdown