For the last few summers, Brilliant Brighton – a collective of 500+ Brighton city centre retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, have commissioned local artists to design banners to help us add further colour to the city centre over the summer period.
Following a call out for submissions earlier this year, local artist Bella Gomez was chosen for her signature colourful, playful designs. These are inspired by Brighton’s coastal charm, creativity, and fun and lively atmosphere – a place where ‘the energy never stops’ (which is also a nod to the Women’s Rugby World Cup, coming to the city later this summer).
To find out more about the artist, her process and love for Brighton, we caught up with Bella…
Hi Bella, how long have you been working as a designer?
I’ve spent 20 years immersed in the world of design. From my early days sewing and selling bags in Spitalfields and Portobello markets, to manufacturing in Jakarta and designing for both high street and luxury fashion brands.
These last 12 years, I’ve focused on surface pattern design, creating bold botanical artworks across packaging, advertising, textiles, stationery, books and more recently murals.
I’m passionate about the power of colour and pattern—how they can transform and elevate a space, an object, or even someone’s mood.
Tell us more about some of the projects you’ve previously worked on…
I am best known for creating striking floral patterns and vibrant abstract artworks. My mural work includes a 12-storey tropical façade for Hotel Figueroa in Downtown L.A., which brought a vivid botanical reverie to the city’s concrete backdrop.
I also painted a vegetable-inspired mural for London’s Urban Farmer Project, a beautiful initiative feeding vulnerable communities and reducing food waste.
I love the diverse projects and opportunities to collaborate that my work attracts —from interactive children’s books with Quarto, to painted packaging for Tropic Skincare, advertising campaigns with Facebook and Simple, and bespoke hand-painted wallpaper for Saatchi & Saatchi and Investec events.
What made you want to submit a proposal for our summer dressing project?
Recently, I’ve created large building wraps for Fleet Street Quarter and artwork for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, both in London, I loved the idea of ‘dressing’ my local city centre. Brighton’s creative spirit and love for bold visual expression seemed a perfect collaboration.
Can you tell us about your process?
My process always begins with a bit of scribbling—getting ideas out of my head and onto paper. For this project, I jotted down a list of everything I associate with Brighton: the sea, the music, the people, the colour, the energy. From there, I started doodling and sketching rough ideas, exploring how to bring those elements to life visually.
In Procreate, I played with two distinct design routes: bold, graphic block layouts and more detailed, fun vignettes. Once we settled on a direction, I took the sketches into Illustrator and began drawing up the final designs.
My favourite part is always experimenting with colour combinations and the overall flow of the piece—it’s where the artwork really starts to sing.
What was your inspiration for the banners?
I wanted the banners to be bold, vibrant ‘calls to action’—something that stops people in their tracks and are easily visible from below.
I hope my designs capture the energetic mix of the city, combining playful characters, clashing colours and familiar local landmarks.
Whether it’s dancing, sharing food, discovering a hidden gem, or simply soaking up the atmosphere, there’s something for everyone.
I hope the banners inspire people to get together and enjoy the big and small things in life.
Which is your fave design and why?
I would have to say take a dip. I have always had a strong affinity with the sea, having spent my early years roaming beaches. The sense of freedom and renewal that comes from a swim in the sea is unmatched. For me, a walk along the coast is tonic for the soul – whether feeling the force of the waves, the soft hues on a hazy day, or soaking up the setting sun. This design is a tribute to that feeling; a call to pause and to connect with nature.
How does it feel to have your designs helping us to brighten up the city this summer?
It feels incredibly special. Brighton has such an inclusive, creative heart, and to know that my work is part of its streetscape this summer is very exciting. There’s something really powerful about art being out in the open, accessible to everyone, interacting with their everyday.
Finally, when you’re not working – what do you enjoy doing most in Brilliant Brighton?
Wandering North Laine and The Lanes with my kids and rummaging for vintage finds. Paddleboarding the local beaches. Enjoying cocktails on tap and that egg and soldier dish at No No Please, and sharing a sauna with friends at whilst looking across the horizon is heaven.
See our Brilliant Brighton banners, designed by Bella Gomez on Market Street, Bond Street, North Street, Western Road, North Street and Preston Street, and enjoy cheerful bunting (also part of our dressing the city summer project) in North Laine and The Lanes, over the coming months.
See more from Bella at bella-gomez.com and @bellagomezprints.
