Felix Tabitha was formed in 2008 when Kathryn started selling her glass and textiles at local fairs. Here she answers some questions about Felix Tabitha:
The question we get asked the most is where the name came from… the two birds drawn in our logo back in 2008 were named after her two children.. and it stuck!
How did the business take off? From doing regular craft fairs, I started teaching glass in my studio in Bognor for 6 people on one Saturday a month. I also set up an Etsy shop selling worldwide glass garden decorations. Then lockdown happened.. I uploaded a couple of other designs of garden decorations including a design of an allium I had made for my mum for mother’s day. Sales went mad and we made 16,000 of these alliums and sent all over the world.
Why Emsworth? In 2021 I visited the Emsworth Arts Trail and wanted to buy a piece being shown in the sailing club. The artist didn’t have a card machine so I went to the cash machine at the Tesco Express. Whilst waiting in the queue I turned around and saw the Old Post Office (next to the fire station and museum where I used to go to ballet!) and a little A4 sign in the window saying ‘to let’. I crossed the road and looked in the window and thought it was an amazing space that could be brilliant for a shop. For some reason I thought I would have a look and called the number. The chap was in the building and said I could look around there and then. I went into the first area and fell in love immediately with the space. Then into the second selling area and thought that would be great for workshops… but I hadnt seen anything yet. The door led through to the old Sorting Office with its high ceilings and amazing light, room for at least 30 people for workshops and I was hooked. This was going to be my future. I got home that day with the artwork I loved from the Arts Trail, but also with a new building, shop, workshop teaching space and change of career!
Who is there to help you? Its a family affair! I am in the shop a couple of days a week, then either teaching workshops or making in the studio. Two or three days a week you will see Heather and David – my parents and then at weekends or helping in workshops you will meet Virgil and Oscar.
You may even meet the friendly ghost which I am sure is one of the old postmen. 🙂