Meet the maker: the face behind the brand
My name is Sarah and I live in Rotorua. I have busy family life and work part time as an ECE Teacher.
My work primarily began on canvas, painting natured inspired pieces with a playful, gentle and whimsical flair. However as my business grew, I switched to working with different mediums that would be easier to produce for online sale.
I use to hand paint my mugs, but with a new member in the Sarah McAlpine Art household, sublimating mugs were not only less time consumimg to make, but also a popular choice for my customers. My signature Oh For Fox Sake! range began as an entry to a Spoonflower Design Challenge, where I was required to design a fabric based around the theme "nocturnal animals". I immediately chose to focus on foxes, remembering them prowling the streets from my days in London.
I had a lightbulb moment remembering the slogan "oh for fox sake", and without further ado my famous mug range was born. I have now a full fox-inspired collection of mugs, featuring every "fox" related slogan one can dream up. It's impossible to read them with a straight face!
The foxes eventually inspired an Oh For Duck Sake collection too, with a mug to suit every occasion. And lets not get started on the chickens!
My pieces make extraordinary gifts, they have also been a popular collectors item. Hands up if you have more than one of my mugs!!
My art is playful, witty and bright. I create repeat pattern fabric, holiday themed gifts, key rings, prints and fluffy mugs just to name a few. Perfect to give as a gift and sure to evoke smiles on a bad day. a little ray of sunshine in this sometimes gloomy world.
Featured Collection
Hippity Hop into Easter this year with one of our personalised Easter mugs, choose from three awesome designs and three different sizes. This year they also come at a special price!
Sarah is not only a beautiful artist, but she is so accommodating and helpful to purchase from.
I've bought several items from her, most of which have been personalised, and have been delighted with the quality and love that's gone into creating them.
The receivers are always delighted with the gifts she's created!
I highly recommend her workmanship and professionalism.
- Laura, Tauranga
I ordered a set of super heros peg people for my 3 year old son and a set of farm animals for my 9 month old daughter for their xmas stockings and they absolutely love them! Sarah made these to order for me in the size I wanted, they are amazing quality and they took no time at all to arrive!
- Aimee, Rotorua
Fabric Design
Fabric Design
We have been creating repeat patterns for fabric for nearly two years now. We are excited to be able to offer these designs through a New Zealand business; For Fabric Sake. We also have a store on the US site Spoonflower, where you will fine at least nearly 200 designs to purchase from. We also welcome opportunities to create a pattern uniquely for you and your brand. Please get in touch to discuss options.
What else do we do?
We are pleased to announce that we have our very own Digitees website. Digitees is another local Bay of Plenty business. Through them we are able to get our designs printed on a range of apparel and other merchandise. From kids to adults sizes, summer and winter, their range is huge.
Doodlewear Collaboration
We are also proud to be a part of the Doodlewear community. Doodlewear brings creatives together. You can find art for everyday wear in one location. Doodlewear art prints are created by amazing NZ based artists and printed individually with care in NZ. They proudly support local artists.
​What do we do?
Sarah McAlpine Art creates surface pattern designs for your products, prints, clothing designs, vinyl decals, printed fluffy cups, kids cups and other sublimated products.
Custom orders and licensing of patterns are welcome.
