OCA Creative Arts : Student Story – Gemma Lorente-Shore

Tell us a bit about your current creative practice as you approach the end of the Creative Arts degree.

As I finish my Creative Arts degree, my creative practice is really focused on bringing together illustration and paper goods. I started out with Paper Pawtraits, my bespoke pet portrait business, and it’s still part of what I do, but now my main focus is on stationery and small paper products things like illustrated cards, notebooks, planners, and even themed advent calendars. I love creating products that people can interact with, that make everyday life a bit more joyful, and that tell a story, whether it’s a playful bunny on a notebook or the daily surprises of a 3D interactive advent calendar.

My work now sits at the intersection of illustration, design, and craft. I love combining the careful, detailed approach I use in pet portraits with the playful, joyful energy of my stationery and paper products. Colour, composition, and how people experience and interact with my work such as holding it, opening it, or using it every day are always central to what I do. Animals remain a huge inspiration for me, giving them a voice through my work, educating my audience and sharing joy through my designs is a core part of who I am as a creative person.

In what ways have you developed interdisciplinary methods as part of the degree and your creative practice?

The degree has been really valuable for blurring the lines between illustration, product design, and craft. I’ve experimented with different papers, printing techniques, packaging ideas, and eco-friendly materials, which is something I wouldn’t have done if I was just doing portraits. For example, the advent calendar I developed as the final creative outcome for 3.3 wasn’t just about drawing, it needed structure, interaction, and paper engineering.

I’ve also thought a lot about digital versus physical presentation, like how to photograph stationery or portraits so they feel special online. Combining fine art, craft, design, and digital skills has really helped me see my practice as something bigger than one medium or one product type, it’s all connected.

What have been the highlights or key moments of studying for your degree with OCA?

One of the biggest things for me has been watching my ideas and creativity grow. The structure of the degree pushed me to explore new directions like themed stationery lines, eco-friendly products, and playful new ideas while also continuing with portraits.

I’ve really enjoyed seeing my work evolve in a more commercial, applied way, and getting feedback on things I might have just thought of as “fun projects” and learning how to present them professionally. It’s been exciting to take ideas from sketches to finished products that people can use and enjoy.

What have you gained from the tutor-student interactions through Stage 3?

The tutor feedback has been invaluable. I’ve learned to reflect critically on my work, think strategically about how to develop projects, and present them in context. Tutors encouraged me to push the boundaries of my practice, especially combining creative ideas with practical production. Having someone to challenge my thinking and offer perspective on both my portraits and stationery has helped me refine my style and approach. I’ve come to thrive on feedback, seeing it as a valuable part of the creative process. Rather than taking it personally, I view it as a chance to learn, grow, and refine my work, helping me create the most successful and fulfilling pieces I can.

What are the most important things you have learned along the way?

I’ve learned the importance of consistency and reflection. Creative practice isn’t just inspiration, it’s showing up and doing the work. I’ve also learned to trust my style and my instincts and to realise that what I make, whether it’s a portrait, a stationery item, or an advent calendar has value because it connects with people.

And probably the most important thing is seeing how combining all my areas of creative thinking really works: illustration, product design, and even small-scale business thinking all feed into each other.

What advice would you give to current and new students?

• Keep experimenting: try materials, mediums, and ways of presenting your work, even if it feels outside your comfort zone.
• Document everything: sketches, product tests, failed ideas—they all feed into your development.
• Trust your voice: your style and approach are what people respond to, so let them shine.
• Balance ambition with self-care: it’s easy to burn out when you’re passionate, so pace yourself.

What are your hopes and aspirations for beyond the degree?

I want to grow my stationery, pet portraits and paper goods line as my main focus. I hope to create more seasonal collections, limited-edition pieces, and playful products that people can interact with daily as well as bring more awareness of the world’s animals.

I’d also love to collaborate, exhibit, wholesale into shops and publish in ways that combine storytelling, illustration, and design. Ultimately, I want my creative practice to be joyful, sustainable, my passion for animals to shine within my art and be meaningful, blending business, art, and craft into something that can grow over time without ever losing its heart.

Online Spaces

• Website: www.paperpawtraits.co.uk
• Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaperPawtraits
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paper_pawtraits