Meet Jessica Joanne
Hello, I’m Jess – a history nerd, a book reader, a fairy-tale dreamer, and lover of the colour pink.
On a rainy day, you would find me curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book. Ideally, this would be in a cosy armchair next to a blazing fire in a quiet library or crumbling castle—but, hey, a girl can dream, right?! I love to read about history, and I have a special interest in the fifteenth and sixteenth-century British history. I believe there is a lot we can learn from history and tradition. The past informs the present more than we are often aware of.
I am fascinated by beautiful, old-world things. While it is no longer practical to work on a typewriter, or with ink and a quill—trust me, I would if I could! I believe in the elegance of words and believe they can help us to achieve our dreams, irrespective of what medium they’re communicated through.
I have always loved stories with a touch of magic. When I was younger, this was the glittering pages of my Shirley Barber fairy books (which are definitely wasted on my two boys!) but even as an adult, fairy-tales still inspire me. I’m always on the look out for books which capture readers not just with their words but also with illustrations. I truly believe that you should strive for beauty in everything you create, a concept which appears to be overlooked in many ways in our modern world.
That’s me on a personal level. On a professional level, I studied law, history and English literature. I have ten years of marketing and design experience which has given me a firm understanding of the importance of designing a brand, not just a business.
Why Damascena
Rosa x Damascena, or the Damask Rose is a pink-coloured flower. It is thought to have been bought to England in the sixteenth century by Thomas Linacre, a classical scholar, physician of Henry VIII and tutor to Erasmus and Queen Mary I.
To me, the colour pink represents a mix of red and white – my love for fifteenth century British history. Most of the fifteenth century was consumed by the Wars of the Roses or Cousins War, a battle for the throne between the Yorkist (white roses) and Lancastrians (red roses). When these houses were united following the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the Tudor reign began – commonly represented by a rose which was both red and white.
Roses are also a popular symbol in fairy and folk tales where they are often used to represent innocence or royalty.
Follow along on Instagram where I’ll be sharing lots of historical images, poems, quotes, and the odd fairy illustration.
