Lifeforms Art
Hello! We’re the Hughes family, from Ceredigion, West Wales. We’re passionate about sharing our love for nature through art and story telling.
Lifeforms Art is a project we began in 2017 to share our own conservation and environmental awareness work and to promote the conservation message.
Our aim is to deliver the natural world in a way that helps you express and enjoy your own passion for nature and share it with others as ethically as possible.
We’re experienced naturalists with a background in 2D and 3D museum display and hands-on conservation of some of Britain’s most threatened species.
Meet the Team
Hello, I’m Ian, My obsessive interest in nature reputedly began when a toad walked past my push chair when I was 2. Having spent my childhood following, observing and keeping all sorts of animals, I left school at 16 to become a voluntary trainee in my local museum where I learned the arts of museum craft as well as beekeeping and aquarium management.
I went on to work in other museums and galleries including the National Museum of Wales and then Dudley Zoo, where I was seconded to work for the Federation of Zoos on national conservation projects, with the government conservation agencies, and international projects for invertebrate and aquatic conservation. Commissions for museum type displays such as sculpting bats, monkeys and dinosaurs, led me to found Lifeforms in 1998.
Since then, we have progressed through a long evolution of conservation and art work to where we are today in self-directed art and awareness rather than commissions, services and contracts. This has allowed us to broaden LifeForms into the family business, LifeForms Art, which makes it much more sustainable and much more fun.
I’m not a big fan of piña coladas, too sweet for me I prefer a nice glass of red!
Hello, hello! My name is Jake, I am the eldest son of the Lifeforms Art team. I’ve been working with my Dad for as long as I can remember, one of my earliest memories is a night time newt hunt.
I’m currently living in London, but never miss an opportunity to get back to West Wales and out on a kayak.
Growing up around my Dad’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the natural world and his passion to both save it and continually soak up all the information he can, I’ve found my relationship with the natural world around us is one of exploration and continual questioning. I find myself being drawn continually to rabbit’s warrens of information, about the bizarre and beautiful creatures and plants we share our planet with.
Though I do some pencil and ink illustration, more and more of my art work is done digitally, generally stipple work. But given the opportunity I like to experiment with other techniques. I also hope to do some animal inspired jewellery in the not too distant future.
Hello, my name is Gwenan! I was born in Carmarthen and grew up near Cardigan in West Wales. I am now living and working in London as a theatre Director and Stage Manager and am also an Associate Artist for BolSHE, a creative collective for Welsh and Wales-based women.
Alongside my work in theatre I make miniature wire figure sculptures inspired by the world around me. They are very connected to the time I spend in Wales, and are often mounted on pebbles found whilst beach-combing when I’m there. I am very excited to be working with Lifeforms Art on some bespoke pieces celebrating the wonders of nature and promoting conservation.
Hello, I’m Kerry, aka Momma Hughes! I was an Occupational Therapist, before moving to Wales and starting the fun journey of home schooling the boys. I started making jewellery about 10 years ago, it was my girly escape in an all male world. I make mainly eco friendly wedding rings and sea glass jewellery, over at Beachcomber Jewellery.
I’m usually behind the scenes here at Lifeforms, answering your emails, updating the website etc. I’m very excited to be adding some jewellery to the Lifeforms Art collections, I am loving finding the nature textures and turning them silver. I hope you love them too!
I quite like piña coladas but I’m more of a real ale person!
Hi, I’m George, I’m the graphic designer for the Lifeforms Art team working mainly behind the scenes, making sure all our products are suitable for printing. When I’m not working you’ll either find me with my head in some sort of encyclopaedia or atlas, or in the middle of a river trying to get a better photo of a kingfisher, salmon, otter… or any animal really.
I do like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain!
Hi there! My name is Ben, I’m the youngest member of the Lifeforms Art Team.
I’ve grown up surrounded by the wonders of the natural world, from walks in the woods or nearby beaches, finding identifying and sometimes collecting fascinating artefacts and lifeforms, to hands on invertebrate conservation projects, to life-size models made for zoo and museum display decorating the garden, to tours through the universe on dark starry nights.
Home is a place filled with jars and pots of shells, feathers, driftwood and assortments of pebbles and sea glass. With skulls and fossils lining the shelves. I love it wholeheartedly and I make it my mission in life to share and inspire a love of nature.
Love every moment.
p.s. I don’t mind a piña colada but I much prefer a Barti Spiced
Hello! My name is Alice. I work as a director and dramaturg in the theatre industry. I’m the founder of BolSHE, a creative collective for Welsh and Wales-based women.
As someone who works in the arts, I try to make sure I work in eco-friendly and ethical ways. I work as a Translator for Lifeforms, and also learn all the time about the amazing things that nature has to do every day from this wonderful team, especially what’s on your doorstep.
Shwmae! Fy enw yw Alice. Rydw i’n gweithio fel cyfarwyddwr a ddramatwrg yn y diwydiant theatr. Fel rhywun sydd yn gweithio yn y celfyddydau, rydw i’n ceisio i sicrhau fy mod i’n gweithio mewn ffyrdd eco-gyfeillgar a moesegol. Rydw i’n gweithio fel Cyfieithydd i’r cwmni hon, ac hefyd yn dysgu trwy’r amser am y pethau anhygoel sydd i’w weld mewn natur bob dydd, yn enwedig yr hyn sydd ar eich stepyn ddrws.
Hello! I’m Layla, I’m a bodation apparently, I’m originally from Brecon and my dad was entered as best of breed at crufts, although you wouldn’t believe it if you met me!
I love being part of team lifeforms, it means I get to go to the beach a lot, the beach is great, everything smells fantastic and if I’m lucky I’ll find a tasty treat on the tideline.
I enjoy kayaking, I’m also known as Layla the sailor.
Thanks for buying from Lifeforms Art, your purchase helps to keep me stocked with fishy treats – my favourites.
