She says: “In my non-work time I love to bicycle. It’s
the perfect speed to travel and see things. I’d love to
cycle around the world one day visiting my favourite
cities along the way, but I fear I will have to settle
with lots of smaller trips instead.”
“When it’s raining and too cold for cycling I love to
bake anything with chocolate in it - White Chocolate
Oreo Cheese Cake is a favourite at the moment!”
Perhaps unsurprisingly then, when asked what
would be the title of her memoir should she ever
find the time to write it, Cecily responds: “Buildings,
Bicycles and Baking”
She explains: “I’d made a pair of oil paintings of
Venice that were 8ft tall and 2ft wide each. It was
a labour of love so when a lady saw them in an
exhibition and offered me some money for one of
the pair I couldn’t believe that someone wanted to
pay hard earned cash for something I’d made.”
“From then on I always had it in the back of my head
that I wanted to create a life around things that I
made. I still have the second of the pair hanging in my
house as a reminder that people actually sometimes
buy the things I make.”
Venice, like London, is a city that has provided much
inspiration for Cecily’s work. “As all of my work
focuses on building and cityscapes I find trips to
different cities or even a wander around London can
spark an idea,” she reveals. “I try to visit a new city
each year, I’ve just been to Rome for the weekend
and am working through my photos at the moment
to create a skyline.”
When she’s not hard at work, Cecily admits that
the travelling bug takes over, particularly when she
takes to two wheels to cycle around London.
For more details on Cecily’s work visit
cecilyvessey.com.
Her designs are also featured on Designers Makers
Picture credits: Product shots by Yeshen Venema
Profile image by Lucy Roome
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