The London Studio announces deal for Alice Mole with James Ellis

Art licensing and design studio The London Studio has announced that artist and illustrator Alice Mole, a member of its Artists Collective community, has been licensed to create an extensive new greetings card range for sustainability champion and award-winning publisher James Ellis.

James Ellis initially commissioned 29 designs, but the project has gone so well that the publisher already has more new designs planned to expand the range across different relations and milestones – a massive vote of confidence for a new range. The cards will launch this summer to UK independent stores, multinationals and distributors around the world as well as on the James Ellis website.

The new license, managed by The London Studio, involves a commission of 29 square-format designs by Alice Mole, inspired largely by everyday life, with a sprinkling of the surreal.

Alice’s work features in Waterstones, Utility, Ryman Design, Trader Joe’s and London’s Globe Theatre, as well as lots of independent stores across the UK and USA. Alice specialises in drawing and painting fun, colourful, quirky art that is relatable, unique and is art that makes people smile – and this new collection for James Ellis does not disappoint.

James Ellis Stevens launched his company in 1990, selling his mother’s art to local shops in the Buckinghamshire area. A print and framing service followed and eventually the company began to publish work by other artists. In 1997 it published its first range of greetings cards, soon followed by stationery, all using designs from a selection of wonderfully talented independent artists and winning awards such as the coveted Henries Award for Best Art Range 2024.

James Ellis gives 1% of its turnover to environmental causes through the organisation 1% for the Planet – and the founder, James Ellis Stevens, was asked to speak at the Greeting Card Association’s AGM last year about sustainability in the card industry, which is at the core of the company’s ethos.

The company is proud to be an environmentally friendly business, never using single-use plastics in its products or packaging, running the studio on green energy, donating spare materials to reuse charities and, wherever possible, printing on board that is made from wood pulp sourced from sustainable forests.

Founder, James Ellis Stevens says: “When we first saw Alice Mole’s work, we knew we were onto something special. Her aim is to brighten up your day, but in a way that is, distinctively and memorably, very much her own. This colourful, unique and engaging new card collection is a wonderful addition to our portfolio of outstanding art from talented and original artists and it’s been a joy working with Alice and with Soula at The London Studio. We’re sure the new collection will be a big hit with James Ellis customers across the UK and beyond.”

The London Studio Artists Collective, a community that brings together, promotes and collaborates with some of the world’s most exciting independent artists, made news recently when it secured branded areas in key Ryman Design stores to add to a growing national and international presence.

Alice Mole says: “The Artists Collective engages with artists in a way that helps them highlight their work to potential partners that appreciate their values and style. It’s certainly been a great support in bringing me together with James and his team. James is an ideal partner, whose company has great reach, who supports interesting and talented artists, who cares about the environment, and, most importantly, who chuckled more than a little at my portfolio.”

Founder and director of The London Studio, Soula Zavacopoulos, says: “James Ellis is a company with a distinctive approach, an exceptional reputation, and a strong portfolio of talented artists – a perfect match for Alice Mole and her witty, instantly identifiable art. The London Studio’s Artists Collective is securing growing interest from the greetings card and licensing trades, and I’m thrilled that we’ve helped Alice’s work to finding an even larger audience through this partnership. I have so much respect for the work James Ellis does, both in terms of supporting independent artists and giving 1% of its turnover to environmental causes. It’s a pleasure to work with James Ellis on this phenomenal new range!”