44-year-old Jo Stenberg from Kenton in Newcastle, who recently graduated with a first class degree in Textile and Surface Design from Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD), has won a national design competition by leading brand, Absolut Vodka.

The New Designers exhibition at London’s prestigious Design Centre – where over 3,000 of the most promising graduate talents from Britain’s leading design courses exhibit – Jo entered Absolut’s competition, now in its fifth year, to create a new design for its iconic vodka bottle.

Jo specialises in natural forms but with a modern twist, often taking inspiration from naturally occurring shapes and geometry and combining this with contemporary techniques, materials and aesthetics. Speaking about her achievement and the inspiration behind her design, Jo said: “My design was a mixture of melting ink spots and x-rays of fruit to create my ideal Absolut drink, but mixed with my concepts of blending science with art and nature.

“It has been an amazing and invaluable experience to work with industry people and see how it all works. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, as it was just something I did before we went to the New Designers show. I spent the afternoon putting a design together and then all of a sudden I am there, creating my designs in a day.”

She added: “I am now continuing with my small business as a dressmaker but in addition to that I plan to design and sell clothing and homewares featuring my own surface designs. Through my studies I’ve also developed a strong interest in fine art and would love to continue my studies and create my own pieces in the future, perhaps even to exhibit in local galleries.

After judging by a jury from New Designers and Absolut, Jo was chosen as the winner and will receive £500 of artists’ materials, and her work will be exhibited for one year in the foyer of the Absolut UK London offices.