Russell’s Story

Russell bowlbyRussell Bowlby is the founder of The Wild Deck Company and our long-established sister company, Flights of Fantasy. It’s his values that drive the direction of both companies.

A Family Passion

Both The Wild Deck Company and Flights of Fantasy rest on the principles of inspired design and meticulous hand crafting. This is a passion that flows through the family blood. Russell’s grandfather spent hours painstakingly building a replica toy doll’s house for Russell’s mother based upon the design of their own house. It was embellished with true to scale furniture, appliances and accessories. This amazing play house still stands fully functioning to this day. Skip back a generation and the building craft is ever-present: Russell’s great-grandfather designed and built their own family home.

Always Interested In Wildlife

Russell has always had a deep love and interest in wildlife, which began from his early days at boarding school where pets and animals of all kinds were strictly prohibited. At senior school, Russell’s interest in wildlife grew to include owls, foxes, ferrets, hawks, snakes and rats along with a small farm of ducks, chickens and a pig. A sympathetic head teacher was more supportive of his hobby and Russell was allowed the use of a pigeon loft to house his animals.

Prize For Nature

Despite being bitten several times by a rat, a fox and two adders, Russell’s love of animals endured and he won the most sought after school prize for nature.

Russell’s love of wildlife, conservation and animals continues to this day. He lives in the Norfolk countryside and finds that his interest in nature incites great inspiration when designing and creating projects for The Wild Deck Company and for Flights of Fantasy.