Kiera Docherty was born in Aberdeen in 1979 and grew up in the Scottish Borders. A voracious reader and prolific artist as a child, her first ever paid job was drawing cartoons for a local community centre notice board. She used her earnings to buy a pair of Dr Marten boots.

Refusing to be limited to one area of interest, she studied History of Art, and English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, and Fine Art, Illustration and Design at Edinburgh’s Telford College and was awarded an upper second class honours degree in English literature with Art history and diplomas in Illustration, Graphic Design and Creative Writing.

She worked with Borders Youth Theatre from 2005 to 2013, devising and directing plays, and delivering drama workshops for children and young people, as well as constructing sets and props and continues to work with them  designing posters and programs for several productions a year.

Her first poem was published in 2012 in New Writing Scotland 30.  In 2014 her short story ‘Relay’ won first place in the Bloody Scotland Short Story Competition. She has contributed her skills as a dramaturg on plays produced by Perth Theatre and Play Pie and A Pint at Glasgow’s Oran Mor. 

Kiera has designed logos, branding, advertising and print products for a number of Edinburgh based shops, businesses and events. In the 2000’s she enjoyed a long standing relationship with several nightclubs at Edinburgh’s Studio 24 on Calton Rd, most notably designing the logo and print advertising for The Mission and Mission Jr, Edinburgh’s premier Rock and Alternative club night of the 90s and 00s.  

Since the birth of her son in 2011 Kiera has focused on expanding her freelance business taking on private commissions as well as opening an etsy shop with her illustrations on greetings cards, prints and small gifts, and building her online presence as a surface designer on sites such as Society 6, Redbubble and Threadless Tees. 

She enjoys the creative freedom and variety that freelancing brings and continues to work in a wide range of roles for varied clients, as a writer, artist and designer with a particular passion for the arts and entertainment industries.

Kiera currently lives in Edinburgh with her amazing husband Grant, and their awesome son.

She continues to use her earnings to buy big stompy boots.