We are a small team of talented professionals, academics and creatives with a wide range of skills and experience. Steering our fantastic organisation is our passionate and experienced voluntary leadership team. All of this would not be possible without their collective efforts. Read on to find out more about our board. Explore the list below to meet our team:
Louisa Rogers
Louisa studied Fashion Photography & Styling at the London College of Fashion before moving on to a Creative Entrepreneurship MA at Newcastle University. She is the founder of Trendlistr, an online destination for curated vintage clothing styled in modern, trend-led ways. . Her interest in fashion history and theory has led her to deliver talks on the emergence of vintage fashion, fashion & subcultures and the significance of colour in 20th century clothing to a range of organisations.She now lectures at Northumbria University on the Fashion Communications BA (Hons) course, and at Sunderland University on the Fashion Journalism BA (Hons) course.
Susi Bellamy
Susi Bellamy is passionate about colour. With a background as a Fashion and Beauty Editor for Conde Nast Publications in London and various other magazines, Susi is now a textile designer and artist. She was a committee member of the Colour Group of Great Britain but started our initiative to bring colour to the north with Colour Collective UK in 2016 (formerly the Northern Chapter of the Colour Group of Great Britain).
You can see more of Susi’s art and textiles on www.susi-bellamy.com
Emily Allen
Emily is a creative individual with a strong eye for detail and colour and a special interest in design, interiors and fashion. With a foundation diploma in Art and Design from Newcastle College and a First Class BA (hons) in Fashion Communication, she has a wide breadth of experience in the creative field.
Emily went on to work for Trend Bible where she built her trend forecasting skills, mood boarding and experience with colour palettes. She currently works at Guerilla Communications and is a freelance illustrator. Her interest in research and forecasting allows her to create in depth analysis within multiple sectors for national and international clients. With extensive brand experience she is able to advise and deliver forward thinking designs.
MARCUS REED
Committee member
Marcus is an award winning Illustrator, published author, founder and Creative Director at Almighty / Street Gang.
He worked at Saatchi & Saatchi for four years, before turning freelance.
His clients include Harrods, American Express, Samsung, MLB, BBC, Watford FC, JD Sorts, Pilsner Urquell, Harvey Nichols, Santini Cycling, NME, Art & Graft.
He has exhibited at Tate Modern [London], La Gait Lyrique [Paris], National Museum [Liverpool] and Design Week [Beijing]
RUTH KELLY
Committee member
As a trend forecaster and illustrator, Ruth has a rich and varied experience of working with colour.
After studying a BA in Fashion Communication and MA in Multidisciplinary Design Innovation, her career began in the world of FMCG as a communication designer. This role included persuading the wider corporation with the integral role of design research and innovation.
Moving back to the North East, she honed her skills as a trend forecaster at Trend Bible, where working with colour quickly became one of her favourite aspects of her role. Leading the Gift & Greetings and Baby & Kids teams, she was responsible for developing fresh and commercially appealing colour palettes and design direction for international leaders.
She currently works freelance as a trend researcher and is enjoying continuing her journey with colour through the world of illustration for children.
JOE GILL
Joe is a Senior Freelance Graphic Designer who specialises in third sector and cultural clients.
With over ten years experience in the design industry, he has worked with a host of North East and International clients such as Tyneside Cinema, Tyne Theatre Opera House, Workplace Gallery, Alexa Chung and Chisenhale Gallery.
MARIE DIFOLCO
Marie Difolco is an author and advocate specialising in Accessible Colour. Her book, Supporting Colour Blindness in Education and Beyond, is informed by over a decade of voluntary work, her lived experience as the parent of a son with Protanopia, and long-standing collaboration with Newcastle University’s School of Psychology. Colour Blindness is one of the world’s most common visual disabilities, affecting an estimated 300 million people globally. Alongside her role as Operations Manager at a firm of naval architects, Marie champions inclusive colour use across education, design, and industry.
JO CLARK
Jo Clark has a love of all things colourful. As a Newcastle University Business School lecturer, and former assistant director of learning and development, Jo is interested in ensuring that educators design learning materials with colour accessibility in mind. Together with committee colleagues, Marie Difolco, and Gabrielle Jordan from the Newcastle University School of Psychology, Jo hosts events and presentations exploring the issues surrounding colour vision deficiency (CVD), or ‘colour blindness’, in education. Considering CVD in the design of teaching materials and other communication tools, ensures that when colour is intended to convey meaning it can be understood by all learners.
Gabriele Jordan
Co-Founder
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Ursula Ojikutu
Committee member
Sophie Anumudu
Committee member
Sophie is a Fine Art Consultant at Clarendon Gallery in Newcastle. Her career has consistently explored the power of colour and its influence on decision-making — from bridalwear, where clients rarely choose true white, to menswear, where colour often expresses identity and loyalty. In her current role, Sophie focuses on how art and colour shape atmosphere and emotion in the home, drawing on a broad understanding of the subtle ways colour impacts us all.
Colour Collective UK 