Sam Toft

Sam Toft

is a beloved British artist whose quirky and uplifting illustrations have captured the hearts of audiences across the UK and beyond. Best known for her gentle and humorous depictions of everyday life, her work revolves around the charming world of Ernest Hemingway Mustard, his wife Violet, and their faithful dog Doris-characters who navigate life's simple pleasures with warmth, whimsy, and quiet joy.

Working primarily in oil pastel on paper and board, Toft developed her signature style-affectionately referred to as the "wonky donkey" technique-which involves layering, scraping back, and reworking pigment to create texture and character in every stroke. This tactile, sketchy aesthetic gives her work a distinctive visual identity: slightly imperfect, full of movement, and rich in feeling.

Born in the UK and now based in Brighton, Toft studied illustration at art college after a varied early career that included stints in catering, civil service, and psychotherapy training. She turned to painting full-time in the early 2000s, building a loyal following with her storytelling-driven compositions and idiosyncratic characters. Each of her pieces is part of a larger narrative-a gentle, ongoing tale of love, friendship, and the small delights of everyday life.

The world she paints is intentionally low-key and nostalgic: bicycle rides in the countryside, dog walks along the shore, quiet cups of tea in a favourite café. While minimalist in composition, her works are packed with emotional nuance, celebrating the humour, contentment, and occasional melancholy of life's quiet moments.

Sam Toft's work has been widely exhibited, and her images are licensed for a popular range of prints, greeting cards, calendars, and home accessories, allowing her art to reach a broad and enthusiastic audience. Despite the scale of her commercial success, Toft has remained true to her independent ethos, maintaining creative control over her characters and storytelling, and continuing to produce original work from her Brighton studio.

Her appeal lies not just in her style but in her ability to create a world that feels lived-in, lovable, and emotionally resonant. Her titles are often playful and poetic-part of the story themselves-and add an extra layer of intimacy and connection to each piece.

Toft's art is frequently described as life-affirming, with collectors and fans drawn to the sense of peace, kindness, and gentle humour that her work offers. It provides a comforting escape-a visual reminder to slow down, find joy in small things, and see the beauty in the mundane.

Today, Sam Toft continues to paint, write, and share her uniquely personal world with fans old and new. Through her distinct visual language and ever-evolving cast of characters, she has created more than just a body of work-she has built a universe of optimism and charm that resonates deeply with the human experience.