The artists recommended at the end of this blog post will then let the virtual world know what they are creating, and so on and so on, until we all know the ins and outs of each others dreams. Got it? Good. Right.......
Where did the idea come from for the artwork?
I'm working on a rebranding at the moment for a Superstar DJ in Australia, DJ YO! MAFIA. The idea came over a delicious tapas lunch at her flat in St kilda, Melbourne, with her and her beautiful girlfriend, one of my oldest childhood friends, when i was visiting Australia in December / January earlier this year. We got on really well, and she had a look at my work, and decided that I was the woman to update the style of her brand! Her brand is already really strong, so it's quite a daunting challenge taking something that's already good, and making it better... So fingers crossed, it'll all go according to plan!
Recently I finished work on a project branding and creating the website for a brand new festival, run by the same people that put on my all time favourite festival in the world ever, Shambala. I created a mural for one of the stages at Shambala last year, and the organiser of the festival saw it and liked it, and after I got in touch with him, he decided to get me on board to do some design work for him for this new project. I've seen the prototype for the finished website, and I'm really excited for it to go live, as I've never done anything quite like this before, and I think it looks great. I was lucky enough to be working with the super professional web designer Damien Doherty, who made the whole process easy breezy from start to finish. I'd love to do more work like this in the future, I find website design quite fun.
What genre does your artwork fall under?
I call myself an Illustrator, but I trained as a painter, and I consider myself an artist / designer / illustrator / muralist / vandalist / typographer hybrid. I think to survive in this multi-faceted industry you have to keep your fingers in as many pies as possible. Basically, if the job involves some type of image creation, I'm happy to do it. I also like other creative pursuits like cooking (and often burning) food, and writing shit poetry when I'm drunk.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Probably someone like Kristen Schaal. She's got a wild look in her eyes and an awkward forwardness that I can relate to, especially her fangirl character in Flight of the Conchords. At my lower points, maybe a bloated and exhausted looking Lindsay Lohan. Or if I'm really flattering myself, maybe Christina Ricci. A couple of people have told me I look a bit like her. I really can't see it, but I'll happily go with that.
What is the one sentence synopsis of your work?
Traditional drawing methods combined with digital manipulation to create striking, colourful, and often somewhat feminine imagery.
How long does it take you to create a finished image?
It can take a day or less, or it can take painful, laboured weeks, depending on my mood, the client, how far a commission is from my 'natural' style, how much freedom / restriction I'm given, whether or not inspiration strikes, the list of variables is endless...
Who or what inspires you?
The other artists in my studio and in this area of Bristol - which is one of the (many) reasons I have a studio at all. Being surrounded by such hard working, talented people all the time is hugely encouraging and motivating.
Outside of my studio, I have countless artists that I look to for inspiration. Glancing at my bookshelf, a few that stand out that I refer to frequently for inspiration are Alex Katz, Daniel Clowes, Adrien Tomine, Egon Schiele, Chris Ware, Tove Jansson, Luc Tuymans, Paul Noble, to name a few. I find the internet and sites like ffffound and tumblr a constant source of inspiration / distraction.
What else about your artwork might pique the viewer’s interest?
I hope that people like the colours, textures, and the strength of composition. In much of my work I try to capture a certain mood or atmosphere, a seriousness, perhaps a sense of melancholy...
Will your work be self-published or represented by an agency?
About half and half. I am represented by an agency, Art Department in New York, but I get about half my work through people contacting me directly. And then when I have free time I try and do my own personal projects.
My writers / artists to tag are:
Studio buddy, football fan, lanky drawer, Christopher Wright aka Bobbi Soccer.
Another studio buddy, the beautiful and brilliantly talented draftsperson and artist Anouk Mercier.
ANOTHER fellow Jamaica Street artist, and painter of all creatures great and small, Abigail Reed.
My neighbour at Hamilton house, a young graduate from studying illustration in Bath, and a bright illustration star of the future I predict, Tess Redburn.
My very own mum, a great writer, a great mum, and a great friend.
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