We Mean Business: ‘It’s been a slower start than usual and I’ll spend the rest of the year making ends meet’
This caricature artist, cartoonist and illustrator admits it has been a slower start to the year than usual, and she will spend the rest of 2026 working hard to make ends meet.
Launched in February, the Chronicle & Echo’s latest campaign hopes to help curb future business closures after a bleak start to 2026 across the town.
The twice-weekly stories spotlight what Northampton stands to lose if your favourite businesses were to close down, highlight the biggest challenges they currently face, and encourage greater support from the powers that be and the community before it is too late.
Vicky Hunt runs Vix Caricatures and launched her career in this line of work in 2012, after it had been a hobby for years and she did not expect it to go any further than that.
Having been asked to draw at a friend’s wedding, this opened Vicky’s eyes to the fact she could turn her passion into a career and it has continued to grow over the past 14 years.
Vicky is hired for all sorts of events, including weddings, birthdays, leaving parties, christenings, baby showers and business and corporate bookings. This spans team building days to having drawn everyone in an office for a mural wall.
The artist also takes on commission work and it depends on the booking as to whether she puts pen to paper or draws digitally, which can also be watched live if displayed on a big screen.
Let’s take a look at what Vicky had to say…
How would you summarise your experience of running an independent business in Northampton at the moment?
“I love working within Northampton but there’s not a lot of business at the moment,” said Vicky. “I’m working in other areas outside of Northamptonshire as there’s not enough business coming from the county.
“That means spending more on running costs and more time on travel, which I don’t mind doing, but it’s definitely something I prefer to do less of.
“I’ve been doing this for nearly 15 years now and I’ve built great relationships with local venues and suppliers. The support is really strong in Northamptonshire.”
Vicky has spent the start of 2026 putting herself out there at venue open days and wedding fairs, which she would typically shy away from as she prefers the creative side of her business to the sales aspect.
“I wish I’d started doing them earlier,” said Vicky. “I’ve done around 10 already in 2026 and I’d normally do two a year. I’ve had more time as I’m not as busy. I’m used to having a quiet January and February, and March onwards is busy, but it’s unusually quiet.
“Talking to other suppliers, it seems to be across the board and not just myself, which is a relief to hear but it’s a worry. It’s potentially the cost of living rising, wars going on, people not wanting to spend as much, and last minute bookings rather than ahead.”
Interestingly with weddings, which make up 80 percent of Vicky’s business, the founder has seen an increase in people planning years in advance with lots of enquiries for 2028.
What are the biggest challenges you currently face as a business owner, and what impact do these have on the daily running of your venture?
“With it being a slower start to the year than usual, I rely on that income,” Vicky continued. “Income being dropped is detrimental, and I’ll spend the rest of the year making ends meet.
“I’m a small business owner and sole trader. I do everything to do with the business, I’m a one-man-band. I can’t switch off by the end of the day and as much as I’d love to find help, it’s just too expensive. I absolutely love the job and I’ll keep fighting for it.
“A lot of people tell me they wonder whether to go for myself or a photo booth. You can’t compare the two as it’s a very different service. I do hand-drawn creations and art in three-to-four minutes per head.
“Everyone loves to watch and it comes alive on the paper in such a short time. I put marker pen straight to paper so there’s no room for error and it’s exciting to watch.”
What do you believe Northampton stands to lose if your business were to close down? What unique offerings do you bring to the town that would be sorely missed?
“I offer a fun and unique experience for all kinds of events,” said Vicky. “From my 15 years of experience, I have a wealth of knowledge from working with suppliers and venues and at thousands of weddings. There’s a lot of knowledge that can be shared.
“I can roam around or set up a seated booth for people to come and grab their caricature. I’ve had fantastic feedback after events, saying they loved having me there and that guests are still talking about it days after.
“I love meeting people and there’s a very special connection made. The big reveals are the moments I love. I’ve built a connection with the twenty-something-thousand people I’ve drawn, and I’ll always cherish that.”
What small actions can our readers and the Northampton community take to support your business in 2026?
Vicky concluded: “Explore options for events you’re planning and consider more of a local reach and what the community has to offer.”
The founder shared that social media has much less of an impact on her business than it used to, as it was Facebook that enabled her to build her presence to begin with. Vicky continues to share videos, though they do not reach many of her 11,000-strong audience.