Central & Gus
Ruby Jezebel & Jackpot Flame Unicorn Portrait Study
Ruby Jezebel & Jackpot Flame Unicorn Portrait Study
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Ruby Jezebel Unicorn and her daughter, Jackpot Flame, love audio books. They allow the ladies to listen together, invariably pausing every few sentences to ping ideas off of each other. This pastime is incredibly inspiring; lately, they have become ever more motivated by ‘live your dream’ books that bridge the personal growth and business genres. How fabulous to build a business doing what one loves because, of course, money is energy and freedom of choice. And for them, this choice would be to offer the same freedom to others.
But, they wondered, “What do we want to do? What does the world want; what does it need?”. They settled in to mind-map it out, and the answer was clear: to believe. To believe in dreams; in love; in goodness; in ideas; in passion; in health; in things intangible, often illusive. Things that dance around our fingers, waiting, wanting for us to reach out to them. In a flash, Ruby and Jack spoke in unison: A rainbow.
They would, and did, build a rainbow-making machine. They named their fledgling company ‘Excelsior’, meaning ‘ever upward’, symbolic of both the rainbows and their dreams. The prototype was ready: a steam-driven machine with every part, right down to the last bolt custom-made and hand-tooled. Giddy with excitement, they wheeled their deviceful contraption to the riverside. The water was so clear and pure, they were certain the rainbow would mirror in clarity. Ruby manned the crank, turning cautiously from Stop to Half to Full, and then all the way to Double. It was magnificent! They stared in wonderment.
Now, every mid-morning, Ruby and Jack head to their favourite lush pasture for a brunch-and-business meeting and a rainbow. The units are in full production, and business is booming. Rainbows fill their lives and, of course, there is the proverbial pot of gold. The best part? Everyone, everywhere, can create their very own rainbows too.
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Portrait Study, 8x10”, 9x12”, or 11x14" in protective cello. Each Portrait Study is accompanied by a whimsical tale of the animal featured. Entirely collectible, the stories intertwine, creating a much-loved community of characters. We print on a luxurious 318 gsm, 100% cotton paper. Soft and durable, this paper showcases crisp detail and vibrant colour.
We donate a portion of gross sales to animal welfare.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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They are — and that's one of the things that makes Central & Gus so unique. Every character lives in the same universe. They know each other, reference each other, cross paths at the switchboard, in the woods, at the patisserie, on the road. Collecting them is a little like reading a novel one chapter at a time — except each chapter fits on your wall or popped in the post for a stamp to someone you love.
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We spent a long time on this. Every Central & Gus illustration is hand-drawn in pencil — and so we are eternally inspired by the classic #2, enrobed in that particular shade of yellow. For that, we call it Ticonderoga Harvest. Studies on colour and emotion find that people associate this shade with joy — which felt exactly right. It also nods, quietly, to our farm roots, everything that grows out of the land, and also to a less tangible but just as important creative harvest. The envelope is not an afterthought. It is part of the story.
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They are extraordinary gifts — and we say that not as a boast but as something we hear constantly from our retail partners and customers. A Central & Gus card is not a card you send and forget. It is a card the recipient reads, re-reads, frames, or keeps in a drawer to return to. The story on the back transforms it from a greeting into a small, meaningful object. We have heard from one customer who had special date-day trips with his young daughter, each time choosing one special card for her coveted collection. The goldenrod envelope alone tends to stop people in their tracks. Another, a fiance purchased the entire set for his partner, a reminder of a day they spotted them in a shop and giggled while reading the stories aloud. These are not cards. They are moments, saved.
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Wholeheartedly yes — and the characters seem to know instinctively which age they are speaking to. Children are drawn to the illustrations, the names, the animals. Adults read the stories and find themselves unexpectedly moved. We regularly hear from customers who frame them in nurseries and living rooms alike, who give them to grandparents and grandchildren in the same gesture. The world of Central & Gus does not have an age. It has a sensibility — and that sensibility tends to recognise itself across generations.
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Yes — and we love that you asked. We offer curated collections and themed bundles. Our Open Water & Coastal set, our Woodland & Hedgerow set, our Wetland & Waterway, or our Start Your Collection bundle are all wonderful entry points. And for those that just wantall of themat once, The Whole Gang brings every character home together at a saving. Bundles make particularly wonderful gifts — there is something about receiving a community of characters at once that feels genuinely special.
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We do — and this is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of every gross sale goes directly to animal welfare. The characters you collect are not just whimsical illustrations — they are advocates. Every purchase is a small act of care for the natural world and the creatures in it. We are deeply grateful for every order that makes this possible.