my handdrawn heart by gumdots on Etsy

How I started and why, plus, what is a gumdot?

How I started and why:
I was on maternity leave after having my second baby, and I started drawing as a form of mindfulness to help with anxiety. I illustrated a few pieces for friends and family, and then began getting requests from them for artwork that they could give to their friends. After a while I decided to start the business and with word of mouth, and social media, it grew from there.

I love all animals and plants, especially native Australian species, as they are beautiful, unique and remind me of home. I do not want to see them disappear through extinction, and this passion has driven me through my career at Perth Zoo and also my business with gumdots. Education is an essential part of conservation, as people protect what they know and love, and through my drawings (and associated information that I provide), I want to spark a love of these species in any person that I can.

What is a gumdot?:
Well, at first I really had no idea what I wanted to call my business, but I didn’t want the absence of a perfect name to hold me back from starting, so I just dived in! All I knew is that I wanted to create a new word because being unique and authentic is so important to me.

I wanted the word to be inspired by both my artwork subjects and the style of my drawing. My deep love of eucalyptus is where ‘gum’ originated, and my frequent use of dots in my drawings accounts for the other half! Most of my drawings have a gum blossom somewhere, and I always ‘dot’ their pollen on. These are what I call ‘gumdots’.

gumdots

gumdots

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Featured items

Great Southern Land Illustrated Map Australia A4 / A5 unique map illustration print; Australia souvenir drawing wall art koala eucalyptus

illustrated letter 'under the sea' print of unique fineliner illustration, personalised Australian nursery decor, orca fish Australia ocean

Australian bush kids activity printable bundle colour in nature craft, digital file, nature play echidna mobile treasure box popstick puzzle

A3 Choose your own map adventure! Australia Rottnest New Zealand England double illustrated map artwork bundle wall art print souvenir

Items

All Items

A5/A4 Choose your own map adventure! Australia Rottnest New Zealand England double illustrated map artwork bundle wall art print souvenir

Australian Bush Wrapping Paper - unique gift wrap printed from unique illustration; gumdots Australia woodland flowers rustic colour in wrap

Quoktoberfest pun greeting card unique all occasions Octoberfest Quokka Australiana card; gumdots Australian native series Rottnest souvenir

illustrated letter 'aussie bush' unique illustration print, personalised Australian animal wall art Australia kids nursery decor font

Twin baby greeting card, Congratulations on your pair of devils, gumdots illustration print Tasmanian Devil; Australia twin Tasmania animal

Choose your own 30 cards gumdots greeting card bundle; 30 unique cards, Australia birthday card thank you card all occasions colour in card

Choose 4 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card funny card, animal greeting card,

Australian Christmas Wrapping Paper -unique gift wrap illustration print; gumdots Australia Christmas flowers rustic colour in gift wrapping

Australian bush kids activity printable bundle #2- colour in nature craft, digital file, nature play, numbat, home school teacher resource

Choose 16 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card funny card, animal greeting card,

Perth Cityscape A5 / A4 white ink print; gumdots fineliner illustration city skyline Perth souvenir Perth Australia urban art Australiana

I love you bigger than the whole sky- greeting card printed from unique illustration; space planet solar system love card Valentines Day

Australian bush kids activity printable bundle colour in nature craft, digital file, nature play echidna mobile treasure box popstick puzzle

Choose 30 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card, funny card animal greeting card

Choose 1 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card funny card, animal greeting card,

Choose 2 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card, funny card, greeting card,

Jellyfish pun greeting card; I don't think you're ready for these jellies; gumdots ocean animal illustration funny card Beyonce song lyric

Your love really hits the spot- chuditch quoll greeting card; Australian animal unique birthday anniversary valentines Day card love

I love you bigger than the whole sky- A4 / A5 print of original artwork illustration; gumdots galaxy space planet sky solar system wall art

Thank you for helping me grow- colour in thank you teacher greeting card; Unique thank you card; flower pot

Turtle Reef A4 / A5 unique illustration white ink print; gumdots Australian ocean under the sea coral reef fish Ningaloo Reef Australia art

little orca art print from unique illustration, teal black & white whale drawing wall art, gumdots little art marine ocean australia drawing

Illustrated Map of New Zealand- A4 and A5 unique map illustration print; NZ souvenir drawing unique decor wall art kiwi penguin kakapo

Choose your own 12 cards gumdots greeting card bundle; 12 unique cards, Australia birthday card thank you card all occasions colour in card

Easter Bilby kids’ activity printable bundle colour in nature craft, digital files, Australian animal, nature play, join dots, mask, basket

illustrated letter 'bugs in the garden' unique illustration print; gumdots ladybug garden font flower leaf bug personalised hand lettering

Numbat Out of Natives A4 /A5 gumdots print of unique fineliner illustration, Australian animal wall art; Australia modern Australiana leaf

Australia Bush Christmas Gift Tags 5 pack; print of unique illustration Australia Bush card colour in swing tag (turtle parrot flower shark)

Choose your own 20 cards gumdots greeting card bundle; 20 unique cards, Australia birthday card thank you card all occasions colour in card

A3 Choose your own map adventure! Australia Rottnest New Zealand England double illustrated map artwork bundle wall art print souvenir

Choose 14 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card, funny card, greeting card,

Choose 12 unique illustration cards- Australian Christmas pun colour in cards; Australia Christmas card, funny card, greeting card,

Manta Reef A3 white ink print of unique handdrawn illustration; gumdots Australian ocean marine Ningaloo coral Reef fish Australia souvenir

Great Southern Land Illustrated Map Australia A4 / A5 unique map illustration print; Australia souvenir drawing wall art koala eucalyptus

illustrated letter 'under the sea' print of unique fineliner illustration, personalised Australian nursery decor, orca fish Australia ocean

Too cool for school- trigger fish greeting card; print of unique handdrawn illustration, coral reef ocean drawing unique card colour in card

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