Kylie Harber - Owner & Artist
AUSTRALIAN ARTIST & WALLPAPER DESIGNER
A trip to California changed my life.
It was 2010 and my post holiday excitement dwindled to dread as I scrolled through my happy snaps, searching for a photo worthy of my wall.
I had left my heart in San Francisco and I had nothing to remember her by. I was frustrated that my photos did not accurately capture the beauty I experienced.
Those endless hills. That breathtaking orange bridge. The charming row houses. The pervasive rolling fog and the glittering, pounding ocean. A delightful mix of wild nature and modern architecture.
Thankfully my partner had taken excellent photos, one of which we hung in the living room. It filled my heart with joy and longing every time I glanced at this gorgeous cityscape.
This experience motivated me to start creating artworks of the places I left my heart (while also taking up manual photography).
I didn’t consider myself an artist then but I knew I was creative. Inspired by a decade of drawing maps and plans in my job as a landscape architect, I drew a map of San Francisco - every street and waterway in crisp linework. It was my love letter to my ‘soul city’.
This is is how Tiny Giraffe came to be.
Travel is like an addiction you don’t want to quit.
And a hand-drawn map of a city where you left your heart? It brings a joy like no other.​
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I’m based in sunny Brisbane, Australia creating bespoke wallpapers and murals for amazing clients every single day.​
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I'm living my dream life, one I created myself with 22 years of hard work, dedication and a lifelong passion for art and design.
The Story of Tiny Giraffe
Tiny Giraffe artworks embody the spirit of travel, the places we leave our hearts and our dreams for the future.
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After creating my own San Francisco map I realised I'd love a series of maps for my wall at home. So I drew more cities and called the series my "I Left My Heart" collection.
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In 2016 my passion project turned into a side hustle.
I launched the Tiny Giraffe website to share my hand drawn city maps with the world. I presented my art prints at the Paddington and Balmain markets in Sydney, then Finders Keepers Barangaroo and a pop up shop in West Elm.
One day in 2017 a client landed in my inbox, asking if I could make my Sydney map larger and I said YES, despite not knowing how to fill the 7m wide wall in his office! I went into the office and started quizzing my interior design friends who all had the same suggestion - WALLPAPER.
It took a lot of phone calls and design discussions but the outcome was incredible. Now? I work full time in Tiny Giraffe, creating custom designed, large scale wall art for a variety of spaces.
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I also help businesses with their branding assets too - my artworks, illustrations and patterns immediately take a brand from generic to bespoke. I love to see my artwork used across products, websites AND interiors for a holistic approach.
My current dream is to work within a hotel or a boutique restaurant where my bespoke mural artwork might also feature in the menu or other marketing pieces. I'm also dying to create a metallic wallpaper map mural - will you be the one?
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Tiny Giraffe artworks feature crisp linework, drawn by hand, for beautiful, elegant artworks. I complement my line art with traditional watercolour and digital hand lettering for a unique aesthetic.
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About Mr G
Business Advisor. Muse.
Mr G is the spirit behind Tiny Giraffe.
When I was thinking of a name for my business, it needed to represent the spirit of travel!
Tiny Giraffe was named after Mr. G - a tiny yellow swizzlestick that I found in my cocktail, having a celebratory last drink at the end of a fabulous holiday.
Mr. G hails from the bustling city of Hong Kong. He used to work in a bar at the airport, until I found him, put him in my pocket and we began our adventures together.
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I brought him home as a memento of the holiday. Since 2012, he has sat beside me as I create your precious artworks.
Mr G is the silent cheerleader (with huge personality) behind my artworks - watching me draw every day. He reminds me of the power of travel and the passion behind why I started.
He encourages me to reach for my dreams and to make a difference in the world.
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You can read Mr G's story here.
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*If you hear me say 'us' you'll know I'm referring to me and Mr G.
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