Emma Stubbs-Hunk lives in the Staffordshire countryside utilising the surrounding flora and fauna as inspiration for her rustic folk art items which range from furnishings to kitchen items; the highly ephemeral to the highly practical.
Emma set up business as Stubbs-Hunk Designs in 1988 with her then husband, Ron. This was initially from a retail premises creating and selling hand-painted items to the public and then due to demand from retailers moved into wholesaling both the hand-painted goods but also creating a popular range of cards and wrapping papers for the gift industry.
During this period Emma had two books published on her popular decorative painting techniques; Country Painting Projects (David & Charles 1996) and Emma Hunk’s Country Painting Style (David & Charles 1999).
Sadly this cottage industry could not financially sustain the needs of the growing family and Emma took an opportunity to train as a Probation Officer in 2002, qualifying in 2004. Since this time she has juggled her full time work with offenders in North Birmingham with a hectic family life and continuing to design and paint wherever possible, continuing to undertake private commissions.
Meanwhile, Kat has been sewing all her life and began selling her pieces in locations including the now legendary indie design haven ‘Guiggins’ in Liverpool . Always making one off pieces and combining vintage and new fabrics, she combined her demanding career in Caring for Vulnerable People with her fashion business to sustain herself.
In 2003 Katharina opened KatKat at Heart of the Country Shopping Village Lichfield , selling her own individual designs and introducing South West label Chandni Chowk to Staffordshire ‘fashionistas’. Kat Kat soon became a destination for those wanting an alternative take on what was then available for special occasions.
In 2005 she sold her business in order to take time out to raise her daughter but continued to sell her designs on line and through weekly London
Now raising 2 young children, the demands don’t get any less but she has now set up a retail ‘by appointment’ studio in a barn where members of the public can come and enjoy the combined merchandise of Kat and Emma at their leisure, watch them at their work and enjoy some coffee and cake!!
Emma and Kat met through ‘marriage’; Kat married Emma’s nephew Ben in 2004 and they now all live as one chaotic but happy family in the family farmhouse that has now been home to four generations of Stubbs’s.
