Inspired by LBTY: Ianthe Oud by Fee Greening
The dip pen and ink illustrator turns her ethereal eye to Liberty LBTY. Fragrance’s enticing oud.
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Inspired by LBTY: Ianthe Oud by Fee Greening
The dip pen and ink illustrator turns her ethereal eye to Liberty LBTY. Fragrance’s enticing oud.
A deep-rooted passion for artistic expression lies at the heart of Liberty, from the Tudor foundations of our store upwards and outwards. The exquisite world of Liberty’s LBTY. Fragrance is no exception, guided by a passion for creativity and collaboration, celebrating history and heritage with an eye to the future.
And what better way to explore the intricacies of the Liberty’s LBTY. Fragrance collection than by continuing our close collaboration with the creative world? This year, we’re tasking a series of contemporary creatives with reimagining each scent through their unique artistic media as part of our Inspired by LBTY. series.
Through her fascination with the gothic, fairytales and medieval illuminations, illustrator Fee Greening’s works exude more than a hint of the magical. Trained at Central Saint Martin’s and the Royal College of art, her delicate line drawings, created predominantly through dip pen and ink, allude to themes of paganism, witchcraft and mythology – making her reinterpretation of the enchanting Ianthe Oud a perfect pairing.
Liberty travelled to meet Fee (and her dog Patti) at her cottage and studio, hidden deep within the Dorset woods, to discover more about her unique LBTY. creation.
Inspired by LBTY: Ianthe Oud by Fee Greening
Can you tell us about your practice?
I’m an illustrator and I work with dip pen and ink and watercolours. I apply my drawings to a huge variety of things, fabrics, wallpapers, tiles, blankets, bespoke pieces. I make everything here from my little hut in my garden.
When did you first become interested in this type of work?
I've always drawn, ever since I was a child. When I was about ten, a family member gave me a dip pen while we were on holiday in Venice – probably just to keep me quiet at lunch!
Once I started using it, I never stopped. You dip it in ink, draw a few centimetres, then dip again. You have to be careful not to blot it, but once you get the hang of it, it’s addictive. It’s a very relaxing way to draw.
I love how the black ink lines make things feel tougher. A lot of what I draw is delicate: flowers, nature, animals, so the ink gives it edge. It stops it feeling too sweet. It gives everything a darker, slightly tougher feel than pencil or watercolour alone.
Much of your work is inspired by medieval manuscripts and fairy tales. How did this interest develop?
I grew up in the countryside without many children nearby, so I played lots of imaginary games and had a vivid imagination. I loved pretending to be witches or mermaids, and I was obsessed with Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Tolkien, and Robin Hood.
All the worlds I loved were medieval, castles, tapestries, knights, enchanted forests. From there I became fascinated by medieval art, illuminated manuscripts and the Pre-Raphaelites, artists who were also inspired by those enchanted worlds.
What draws you to mythological and witchcraft-inspired themes?
I adore nature, and while I jokingly call myself a witch, I’m really interested in humans’ connection to nature. Intuition, caring for the land and animals, and making everyday life more magical.
I’ve always loved strong female characters, especially witches in the sense of women living independently, connected to the natural world, focused on their craft. That’s what interests me most, hence me living in my hut in the woods with my dog!
Do you see a synergy between these inspirations and your creation for the Liberty LBTY. Fragrance?
Absolutely. When I smelt the scent, I immediately thought of woods after rain: earthiness, moss, night-time.
Violet feels like such a magical woodland flower. I was also thinking about Ianthe, the water nymph from Greek mythology, and that sense of the supernatural.
What were your first impressions of the scent?
Ianthe Oud is a really magical scent. The woodiness makes you think of enchanted forests, witches, other worlds. It transports you somewhere mystical and otherworldly.
How did you approach creating art inspired by scent?
I smelled the perfume, read about its notes – the flowers, the woods – and then, as I normally do, I went for a walk with the dog. By the end of the walk, I usually have the piece fully planned in my head.
I’ve worked with perfumes before, and scent is fascinating, it can take you anywhere. It’s personal and evocative; it can transport you to memories or make you feel more powerful or romantic. Everyone interprets scent differently, which is interesting to respond to in artwork.
Could you talk us through the artwork you created?
I wanted the florals in the scent to be the focus. There’s the pale bergamot flower at the top, the bright yellow mimosa, and the dainty woodland violet. The Art Deco curves from the packaging reminded me of butterfly wings, so I included butterflies with those shapes.
The background is my usual swirly ink lines, and in this Liberty purple I hope it feels like dusk, my favourite time to imagine a woodland, just before nightfall.
How does it feel to collaborate with Liberty?
I've been going to Liberty since I was tiny, and I was blown away by the Arts and Crafts, medieval feel of the building. I remember the worn wood on the staircase feeling like a fairytale castle. I was fascinated by the story of the ship-like structure of the building and tied it together with Peter Pan in my mind when I was little. Liberty has always felt magical to me.
There's a strong connection between my work and Liberty, craftsmanship is central to both. I love the Arts and Crafts movement and the idea that you can apply your style to anything: fabrics, wallpapers, homeware. As a child walking around Liberty with my mum as she bought fabrics, I realised my work could live in all these different forms. Liberty has always supported craftspeople, and I’ve admired that for a long time.
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Ianthe Oud Eau de Parfum 100ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Liberty Maze Eau de Parfum 100ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Tudor Eau de Parfum 100ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Zephirine Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Wild Rosinda Eau de Parfum 100ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Discovery Set 3 x 8ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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Hera Reigns Eau de Parfum 100ml
Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders over £100! Delivered within 3-5 working days. Normally £5.95.
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