We talk to Kirsty Thomas who runs Tom Pigeon designing and making jewelry, stationery, art prints and home accessories.

Kirsty Thomas runs Tom Pigeon from the East coast of Scotland designing and making jewelry, stationery, art prints and home accessories inspired by her surroundings, but her career almost took a very different path.

“I loved art at school, but I was also pretty sporty and so I initially opted to study sports science at Liverpool University much to my art teacher?s dismay,” she says. “After a year of measuring muscles and studying the dynamics of rugby, I decided to jump ship and transferred to the Foundation Art and Design course. I discovered fashion and textiles and realized that I wanted a much more creative future.”
It should have come as no surprise ? Kirsty has always had an interest in the arts. “From as early as I can remember I have drawn, made things and generally got my hands dirty,? she says. ?Creativity was a big part of my growing up and although my parents didn’t work in the creative industries, it was always encouraged.”

After a foundation course at Liverpool University, she studied for a BA in Design Studies at Salford University. “I felt short-changed by my degree at the time, because it left me as a jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none,” she says. “But, it did give me a really good understanding of design theory, contextual studies and design history and the confide...