Born in Norfolk, Summer Thornton studied at the Norwich School of Art & Design and worked as a theatre set designer before shifting her focus to illustration and design.

After she moved her studio to an old Victorian warehouse in South London in 2000, Thornton began to create her contemporary watercolours, stating, “I like the unpredictable nature of using watercolour, it adds an element of freedom and richness to my work, especially when the colours flow into one another.” Summer has a keen eye for design and also likes collecting antiques and vintage clothing.