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About Tiny Giraffe

Tiny Giraffe artworks embody the spirit of travel, the places we leave our hearts and our dreams for the future. 

 

Where did you leave your heart?

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In 2010 I travelled to San Francisco and fell head over heels IN LOVE with the city. When I got home, and couldn't find the perfect artwork of the city I left my heart in, I drew it myself - every laneway, road and street in crisp digital linework.

 

I launched Tiny Giraffe in 2016 as a passion project, to share my hand drawn line art maps with the world. Now I work full time in Tiny Giraffe, creating custom artworks on commission in my delicate, line art style.

 

My work has evolved to the wider application of surface design for a variety of surfaces for interiors and landscapes - everything from custom wallpaper and frosted film, to laser cut metal and sandblasted concrete. I also love to work with brands to help their products and textiles stand out.

 

Each crisp line is drawn by hand, for beautiful, elegant artworks that transform a space or product, and tell your story.

About Kylie

Hello! My name is Kylie Harber and I'm the founder and artist behind Tiny Giraffe. 

I am a multi-passionate creative, with 20 years of experience across art, design, photography and landscape architecture. 

 

I'm currently based in sunny Brisbane, Australia, although I always have itchy feet! I love to travel and am happiest when wandering with my camera in hand. I'm obsessed with art, design, good food and wine, and experiences over things. I care about the environment, and drawing attention to the beauty of places I visit and call home.

 

When I'm not working, you'll find me hiking, at yoga, writing, reading, wandering plant nurseries, foraging flowers, hunting down a sticky chai latte or escaping to the beach.

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My other great love is writing. You can read more of my travel inspired words on Substack, through my personal newsletter, Let's Go This Way.

My Story

The Long Version

I'm a manifesting generator Sagittarian! 

 

I was born and grew up in Toowoomba, lucky to grow up on acreage. I fell in love with the land and the seasons. I loved the way Eucalypts sparkle after a summer storm in the valley, stars shone brighter in the winter, Autumn turned the leaves golden and spring bulbs bloomed. As a kid, if I wasn't jumping in puddles, sitting by the fire, climbing pine trees or sitting under the archway of blossoming jasmine - I was in my room drawing.

 

 won first place in a Toowoomba-wide graphics competition in my senior year of high school. I also hiked and studied art through completing my Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award. I sailed on the tall ship

Young Endeavour' at 16. I was dying to see the world.

 

After high school, I followed my love of plants and my desire to protect the environment to study landscape architecture at QUT in 2002. I worked as a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer for many years, developing skills in project management, graphic design and public art. I travelled as often as I could!

 

In 2010 I travelled to San Francisco and fell in LOVE. When I couldn’t find the perfect art print of the city I left my heart in, I drew my own, and other cities followed. It took over 40 hours to draw all the streets in Adobe Illustrator. I printed it on fine art paper in bright yellow and hung it on my wall. I also started to learn photography on a DSLR. It was a momentous year for my creative growth!

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In 2013 I was made redundant. It was a traumatic experience for me, but cemented the gut feeling I had that I wanted to work for myself - to be more creative and to make a bigger difference in the world. I got an ABN and worked freelance/on contract for the next three years, all while continuing to draw more maps over many late nights.

 

I launched Tiny Giraffe in January 2016 and moved to Sydney two months later. I was working as a Design Manager there, managing large teams of architects, engineers and town planners to deliver multimillion dollar projects. It was intense. When I wasn't working or exploring Sydney, I was drawing. On weekends, I presented my small selection of hand drawn maps - the {I left my heart} collection - at Sydney's Paddington and Balmain markets. I slowly grew my portfolio of elegant, line art creations, all inspired by my love of travel and what makes places special.

 

In 2017, an exciting request for bigger wall art landed in my inbox. It was a business! They wanted to fill an entire 7m long wall! What!? I said yes, before I knew how to achieve it. My extensive experience in design and construction gave me confidence to find a solution and I reached out to my interior design friends. I discovered the world of wallpaper, and I created my first wallpaper mural. It was the same year that I designed and delivered the entry signage for the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens in Mount Tomah. I was so proud, and I realised that my favourite part of being a landscape architect was in art creation and surface design. When I looked back at my projects, I had been sneaking public art, surface design and artful signage into my projects since the very beginning.

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In 2018 I moved back to Brisbane and dedicated myself to making more art and getting more clients. I landed a pop up shop at West Elm which helped get the word out.

 

In April 2021, after a full year in lockdown and feeling like life really is too short not to go after my dreams, I finally took the terrifying and exciting leap to go full time into my business. It's been the best (and hardest) decision ever. I can't describe how happy I am to be creating custom art projects for a variety of clients all over the world.

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I pour my whole heart into creating colourful, elegant and delicate line work. I have a strong attention to detail and a passion for people's stories, which is reflected in every artwork.

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Qualifications

Bachelor of Built Environment (2004) - QUT

Graduate Diploma of Landscape Architecture (2009) - QUT

Registered Landscape Architect (2011)

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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. 

 

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, and sat him on my desk. Since 2012, he has sat beside me as I creates 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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