TWO GWENT artists set up a business in illustration and soft toys thanks to the help of business support organisation Venture Wales.

Genna Davies of Main Street, Newbridge and Joel Lewis of Princes Walk, Pontypool, set up Genoel Ltd in February this year.

This was after the 24-year-olds had both completed a national diploma in Fine Art at Coleg Gwent Crosskeys and a degree in Illustration and Design at Swansea University and decided to use their talents further.

It was after finishing her degree and stumbling across a leaflet on setting up a business that Miss Davies contacted Venture Wales.

Miss Davies said: “I wanted to use my art for the business and was then talking to Joel about it when we decided to join together.”

Miss Davies now uses her passion for drawing to produce murals, sketches and portraits for interested customers which are mostly the everyday public while Mr Lewis designs soft toys which are then sent off to a Chinese company Taier Decor to be produced before they are sold on the company’s website.

The idea has led to Genoel being one of 100 scholars in Wales to be awarded a Knowledge Exploitation Fund scholarship which has seen them receive more than £10,000 so far to fund their business.

Miss Davies said: “We are really pleased with how the business is going as we have had some interest in the illustrations and sold 14 of the soft toys last month. It now feels like we have got the business fully set up and are now ready for it to grow.”

For more information visit www.genoel.co.uk