Caitlin Davies Go back
Exhibits at
I am Caitlin, a writer and maker in Broadstairs. I decoupage seashells and ceramic baubles with hand-painted tissue paper designs, sealed with non-toxic varnish. Each item stocked at Westgate Galleria is unique and inspired by Broadstairs' seven beautiful bays, with archive fish illustrations and Victorian landscapes.
Back in the early 1980's, I completed a Foundation in Fine Art in London. I then became a journalist, working as a human rights reporter in Botswana. I'm the author of 14 books, both novels and non-fiction, and am also a trained teacher.
Many of my books take their inspiration from forgotten women, such as Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion of the World, set in 1860's Margate and based on the life of Victorian swimmer Agnes Beckwith, whose father hailed from Ramsgate.
Other books have a criminal theme, from female prisoners to professional women crooks and female private detectives. Bad Girls: The Rebels and Renegades of Holloway Prison received a nomination for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2019.
I work as a Royal Literary Fund writing fellow at Kent & Medway Partnership Trust, offering free writing support to all NHS staff.
I returned to making art during the Covid lockdown of 2020, by badly decoupaging my bedroom furniture. Then I started to look for ways to use the sea glass I'd found on Stone Bay, by producing small mosaics. When I moved to Broadstairs and became a volunteer at Dickens House Museum, I began decoupaging shells with Dickensian characters.
I also work to commission, and can personalise shells and baubles with your name, company name/logo, and copyright free images. A recent example is the bespoke scallop shell designs I made for Kebbells, the Broadstairs seafood restaurant, used to serve customers' bills.
Decoupage is fun, absorbing, and a way to relieve anxiety and unwind. It's also much quicker than writing a book! It's so pleasurable playing with images, paper, glue and paint - I hope the finished product can give you pleasure too.
My creative journey
Back in the early 1980's, I completed a Foundation in Fine Art in London. I then became a journalist, working as a human rights reporter in Botswana. I'm the author of 14 books, both novels and non-fiction, and am also a trained teacher.
Many of my books take their inspiration from forgotten women, such as Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion of the World, set in 1860's Margate and based on the life of Victorian swimmer Agnes Beckwith, whose father hailed from Ramsgate.
Other books have a criminal theme, from female prisoners to professional women crooks and female private detectives. Bad Girls: The Rebels and Renegades of Holloway Prison received a nomination for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2019.
I work as a Royal Literary Fund writing fellow at Kent & Medway Partnership Trust, offering free writing support to all NHS staff.
I returned to making art during the Covid lockdown of 2020, by badly decoupaging my bedroom furniture. Then I started to look for ways to use the sea glass I'd found on Stone Bay, by producing small mosaics. When I moved to Broadstairs and became a volunteer at Dickens House Museum, I began decoupaging shells with Dickensian characters.
I also work to commission, and can personalise shells and baubles with your name, company name/logo, and copyright free images. A recent example is the bespoke scallop shell designs I made for Kebbells, the Broadstairs seafood restaurant, used to serve customers' bills.
Decoupage is fun, absorbing, and a way to relieve anxiety and unwind. It's also much quicker than writing a book! It's so pleasurable playing with images, paper, glue and paint - I hope the finished product can give you pleasure too.