Approach
A trailblazer dubbed the future of surface design, Sam Wilde is a multidisciplinary British artist redefining the creative industry with his contemporary take on fine art patterns.
A modern-day master of colour and illustration spotlighted as one of this generation’s leading talents. Sam’s award-winning artworks subvert audiences’ expectations with his signature worldbuilding approach to the genre. Breaking the boundaries of traditional surface design with unabashed playfulness and triumphant flair.
Sam additionally founded the luxury British interiors, fashion and homeware brand Vespertine as a means to enrich our bodies, homes and spaces with expertly crafted fine art patterns.
Background
An early affinity with science and mathematics led Sam Wilde to Durham University where he achieved a 2-1 honours BSc in Natural Sciences. Immediately afterwards he embarked on a three-year career in London’s financial sector where he worked as a Raw Materials Trader. During these years Sam spent his limited time outside of work honing his talent, and without any prior art or design qualifications, went on to achieve a masters in Printed Textiles from the Royal College of Art.
Sam has since been commended for his outstanding artistry, having received a ELLE Decoration British Design Award, Saatchi Art Artists to Collect in 2022 Award, Marks & Spencer Fashion Fabric Award, Svenskt Tenn Textile Talent Award, TexSelect Design Futures Award, Bloomberg London Architectural Design Grant and a Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Grant.
Sam has collaborated with industry-leading brands including Adobe, Apple, British Airways, Fortnum & Mason, John Lewis, Liberty, National Trust, Nvidia, Sanderson Design Group, Svenskt Tenn and V&A. And guest lectured at universities which include Buckinghamshire New University, Kingston University and the Royal College of Art.
Sam has exhibited artworks at internationally renowned galleries including Kitano the Magnet (Kobe, Japan), Strandvägen 5 Svenskt Tenn (Stockholm, Sweden), Turner Contemporary (Margate, UK) and Young V&A (London, UK). And has a strong presence in China with solo exhibitions across major municipalities in Jinan, Taiyuan, Wuhan and Zhuhai. Sam also has deep cultural ties to Japan with artist-in-residency stays at historic sites in Kitanocho and the Fuji Five Lakes.
Sam's multidisciplinary approach encompasses animation, ceramics, illustration, oil painting, product design, screen printing and sculpture, citing his personal experience as a synesthete and love for evolutionary biology as his biggest influences.
