Jewellery and Watches

Live drawing at a totally unique location!

Yesterday I drove up to Banbury to draw guests at Aynhoe Park for Pragnell Jewellers. Booked by Susannah at Couture Events to draw at a lavish party for their loyal customers. Pragnell’s is a family owned business with stores in Leicestershire and Mayfair as well as their flagship store in Stratford-Upon-Avon. They sell the most exquisite jewellery, made in house by master craftsmen and sold alongside luxury watches such as Cartier, Rolex, Patek Philippe.

The orangery at https://aynhoepark.co.uk/ where I worked sketching guests, was adorned with taxidermy leopards, a toucan and a giraffe, seemingly being lifted by gigantic porcelain balloons.

It really was the most ostenatious location that I’ve ever had the pleasure to work in! Out of the window next to me was a stunning view over the parkland which was full of deer. My guests kept spotting huge stags whilst I drew their portraits. It was a crazy busy 5 hours with barely time to change my paint water, but a thoroughly enjoyable day!

MyTheresa.com

Jacqueline was recently commissioned by the online retailer of gorgeous luxury clothing and accessories from Balenciaga, Prada, Gucci and other leading designers’ latest collections.

‘Inner Circle’ and ‘Front Row’ customers from this month will receive beautifully illustrated newsletters, invitations to fashion shows and personal shopping events.

Jacqueline and Kathy Wyatt team up to illustrate guest portraits for Bvlgari in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Kathy and I were invited to stay at Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St. Moritz to draw fashion portraits of their special guests for an event to celebrate 100 years of jewellery watch making. It was an informative talk in a beautiful suite in the world famous luxury ski resort. We prepared 'poses' before the event so watches could be photographed and printed onto watercolour paper which we then drew the portraits. The event was a huge success, Kathy and I managed to draw nearly 40 portraits between us in 3 hours. To view Kathy's work please visit www.kathywyatt.com . You can also read my agent illustration web’s blog here -https://www.illustrationweb.com/news/3695/bulgari_celebrates_with_live_event_drawing_duo

Kathy and I on the balcony of the Helen Badrutt Suite, photographed by brand ambassador Walter Lussu

Jacqueline's next event was also for a luxury brand jeweller, this time in Selfridges for Bulgari.

At the end of April, Jacqueline spent time in The Wonder Room at Selfridges drawing customers at a most unique event. Bulgari were showcasing Elizabeth Taylor's private collection of jewels. Famously passionate for the brand,  the diamond encrusted snakehead seen on the bracelet that she wore in the film 'Cleopatra' has since adorned many of Bulgari's unique designs from handbags to diamond rings. I drew customers' portraits onto paper which had been printed with a photograph of a stunning Liz Taylor necklace so they could even 'take it home with them'! (or at least an image on paper!)

Jacqueline flies to Paris for DeBeers' promotional event at their prestigious showroom on Rue De La Paix

In April Jacqueline flew to Paris to meet her Paris agent Marie Bastille (www.mariebastille.com). An early start at De Beers and a very long day sketching, first of all press and then customers at the launch of their wedding collection. Jacqueline sat amongst beautiful diamond engagement, wedding and eternity rings, it was the perfect atelier for the day- it was an unusual job as DeBeers wanted pencil sketches with a little soft pink watercolour to show off the diamonds.

Diamonds are definitely a girl's best friend!

Had a lovely commission for Calibre Watches 'Ladies Brand Guide' last month, illustrating in my loose watercolour style to compliment a selection of beautiful watches for their 16 page brochure.

The brief was from Claire Cheung at Northstar to feature ladies performing on stage. These could be dancers, singers, actors etc but they needed to feel powerful and dominant. I had 2 weeks to fulfil the brief, working on rough pencil ideas first and I had a wonderful time throwing the paint around to get some shapes to compliment the watches. It was nice to have  direct brief that I could also feel very creative in!

Ragley Hall- ancestral seat of the Hertford family, hosts Pragnell's Christmas party. Jacqueline Bissett paints fashion portraits of the guests in the elegant music room

Back in late November, I had the honour of working at Ragley Hall near Stratford Upon Avon.       A wonderful, Grade 1 listed mansion set in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, near where I grew up. PragnelI is a fabulous family-run jewellers with shops in Stratford-Upon-Avon and London. They sell the most beautiful watches and jewellery, both contemporary and Antique. The company, now run by Charlie Pragnell prides itself on extensive knowledge of gemstones and certainly seemed to 'go that extra mile' to find the perfect piece for their loyal customers. I painted some of the guest's portraits in the music room, next to the main room where champagne flowed and live artists and beautiful dancers entertained.

Fashion portraits at a beautiful afternoon tea at The Bvlgari Hotel, Knightsbridge

Spent yesterday afternoon with a bunch of very hip, stylish fashion & lifestyle bloggers in The Spirit Room of The Bvlgari Hotel- a super stylish hang out for Knightsbridge locals and visitors alike. Below are some of the sketches that I did as quick 12-15 minutes of the ladies who were all model like in appearance- made my job very easy!!!