How a Rainy Sunday in Lockdown Turned into Jackton Art

Stuck indoors, I picked up a pen and drew the church where my parents were married as a surprise anniversary gift. When I gave it to them, the reaction was amazing: “You drew this? Really?!”

That one drawing sparked something bigger. It brought back wonderful memories and emotions for my parents, tied to this special place, and that became the idea behind Jackton Art: to create artwork that means something - that elicits nostalgia and memories of great times. That was back in August 2020, six months into the Covid pandemic.

At first, we focused on black-and-white line drawings of places close to our hearts — St Andrews, Glasgow, iconic Scottish landmarks like the Kelpies and Wallace Monument. But we wanted more life in the pieces, and that’s when Adam started adding colour using Adobe software. The moment we saw that first coloured drawing, we realised the potential. Soon after, Natalie took over the colouring and design side.

What began as a passion project quickly gained momentum. People started asking for commissions — wedding venues, anniversary gifts, and favourite family spots. By mid-2021, with around 20 drawings complete, we launched our website for the first time.

Our early collaborations opened even more doors. Projects with organisations like My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Bo'ness Rugby Club, and Cartha QP Rugby Club gave us visibility while supporting great causes. Soon, we were setting up market stalls in places like New Lanark and Portpatrick, and by the end of 2021, we had enough work to release our first calendar.

Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. As we scaled, our house (and garage!) became makeshift studios and storage space — filled with art prints, packaging, and frames.

In 2022, we took a leap into wholesale, focusing on visitor centres and local gift shops. This became a huge part of our growth. We’re now stocked in places like:

• The Kelpies Visitor Centre

• Wallace Monument

• National Trust for Scotland sites

• Royal Yacht Britannia

• Eilean Donan Castle

• Ben Nevis Visitor Centre

By 2023, the business had grown so much that Frances began working multiple days a week on Jackton Art alongside her lecturing job. We registered as a Limited Company, and expanded our product range to include:

• Magnets

• Cards

• Coasters

• Tea towels

• Art prints

  
  

Not every experiment worked. Our notebooks didn’t sell, and a few gift shops only ordered once. But every misstep helped us refine what works — and that learning has been invaluable.

Fast forward to today, and here’s where we are:

• 🏆 Award-winning, having won in the Gift category at Scotland’s Trade Fair

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A growing family team: Frances and David now full-time, with Natalie and Adam part-time

• 🖼️ Over 100 Scottish locations drawn and available as prints

• 🛍️ Stocked in 25+ visitor centres and gift shops across Scotland

• 🏢 A permanent space in the Scottish Design Exchange in Glasgow

• 🌐 Selling direct to customers via our website

• 🛒 Still hitting the road to do markets and in-person events

• 🏨 Delivered all the art for a 102-bedroom hotel

  
  

From a rainy day drawing to supplying hotels and gift shops across Scotland, the journey of Jackton Art has been full of passion, growth, and learning. We're still just getting started — and we’re excited to bring you along for the next chapter.

Thanks for being part of our story – David, Frances, Adam, and Natalie.

We're now accepting orders for our 2026 calendar! Why not take a look while you're here?

https://www.jacktonart.com/product-page/2026-calendar

St Bartholomew's Church - The First Drawing