Imaginative Escapades: How Boredom Fuels Beth’s Artistic Ingenuity
‘I’d love to say my work is all deeply meaningful, but honestly? These days, I just enjoy drawing things that make me laugh or give me that warm, fuzzy feeling—like a cup of tea on a miserable, drizzly morning.‘
–What is more important for you as an artist: the medium, or the message?
Oof, that’s a tough one! I absolutely love the process of drawing—getting lost in sketching, bringing the images in my head to life, and then battling with proportions. There’s something weirdly satisfying about spending an hour researching how a leg bends at an oddly specific angle or how light bounces off a particularly moody rock. I’d love to say my work is all deeply meaningful, but honestly? These days, I just enjoy drawing things that make me laugh or give me that warm, fuzzy feeling—like a cup of tea on a miserable, drizzly morning.
–Do you think boredom can be the origin of a very good idea? Where has boredom taken you lately?
Absolutely—boredom is the petri dish where my best (and often weirdest) ideas grow! Recently, I was stuck in a bit of a creative slump, so I decided to post about Valentine’s Day commissions on social media. Turns out, people really love personalised drawings, and what started as a ‘why not?’ moment quickly turned into a fun little side project. So yes, boredom is basically my unofficial art director at this point.
–Where do you travel in your imagination these days?
Lately, my brain has been wandering deep into forests—lush, green, and full of mystery. I live in a city, so any time I get to be in a proper forest feels like a treat. In my head, I picture magical creatures darting between the trees, tiny cottages with curling chimney smoke, and me just running barefoot through the moss, tending to plants, and making delicious meals like some sort of enchanted woodland chef. Basically, I want to live in a Studio Ghibli film, and since that’s not happening, I just draw it instead.
–When was the last time a work of art transported you to a different place?
One of the most brilliantly bizarre pieces I’ve ever experienced was an installation at the Tate Modern called For Pecking Order. Picture this: you’re wandering through what looks like a corporate office, except it’s slowly being overtaken by nature—leaves on the floor, eerie lighting, and, oh yeah, a bunch of people in business suits wearing pigeon masks. It was this surreal exploration of power dynamics and surveillance, where you were told to ignore the pigeons (which is very hard when one is literally staring you down in a suit). At the end, they had a VR experience where you actually got to be a pigeon, soaring above the city, which, honestly, was the cherry on top of an already unhinged but brilliant experience. Highly recommend. You can check it out here!
–And as a consumer of art? Do you like experiencing art in that way better than in a physical gallery? Do you think all good art, digital or otherwise, should invite us to view the world differently?
I love both! Digital art can be so immersive, and installations like For Pecking Order really make you feel something in a way a static painting might not. But I’ll always have a soft spot for physical galleries—the smell of paint, the quiet hum of existential crisis or awe in the air… beautiful.
As for whether art should make us see the world differently—definitely! Illustration, in particular, is all about turning words into images, translating ideas into something visual. A single piece of art can offer a glimpse into someone’s life, their passions, even their quirks. And I think it’s just as important to look at work we don’t like. Why doesn’t it resonate? What makes us uncomfortable? Some of the biggest creative breakthroughs happen when you confront what you don’t immediately understand.
–What is the story behind the snake with legs?
Ah, my leggy little dudes! This all started when I was working as a chef in a restaurant I absolutely loathed. It was always dead quiet, and between wiping down counters for the hundredth time and listening to the same playlist on repeat, my mind started wandering. I’d doodle little characters on old tickets, and one day, I just thought, “What if a snake… but legs?” I sketched out a few ideas and started asking friends ridiculous questions like, “If a snake had legs, where would they even go? How many would it have? Would it walk or scamper?” Their responses were glorious, and from that point on, I was hooked.
The real challenge, though, is the fact that my snakes don’t have arms. You don’t realise how important arms are for conveying emotion until you take them away! I’ve had to get creative— using tails, mouths, or even just floating objects to get expressions across. It’s been a weirdly fun puzzle, and I love pushing the limits of what these odd little creatures can do.
–There’s a lot of animals featured in your work – why do you think that is?
It’s funny because, as a kid, I never used to draw animals—just people, and mostly just their faces. It wasn’t until university that I started challenging myself to draw different creatures. I got really into their shapes, their movement, and the sheer customisation potential—because let’s be real, you can make a mythical animal as ridiculous as you want, and it’ll still be great.
But I think my love for animals comes from my mum. We lived in this tiny village in the middle of nowhere, and she was always rescuing animals—birds, foxes, you name it. She studied zoology, so our house was basically an unofficial wildlife rehab centre. My favourites were our two massive African sulcata tortoises, who had their own little mansion in the shed. My mum always joked that she preferred animals to people, and honestly? I get it.
–What exciting characters have you got planned to show the world soon?
As much as I adore my snakes-with-legs, I do miss drawing other weird creatures. Right now, my obsession with forests is inspiring me to create some new woodland oddballs—strange little plant creatures, silly-looking dragons, and whatever other whimsical beings pop into my head. I want to build a whole world full of magic and nonsense, a place I’d want to escape to myself. Expect some bizarre but hopefully loveable new faces soon!
–Last but not least, if all the nations of the world got rid of borders, what do you think people would follow – art, music, or food? And where would they go?
That’s a tough one, but I think food would be the game-changer. Art and music are already beautifully diverse, but food? That’s where the real magic happens. I used to cook a lot of Greek and Italian food, but ever since meeting my boyfriend (who was born in India and moved to the UK as a kid), my cooking has completely transformed. He introduced me to a whole world of spices, and now even my cottage pie has a twist—turmeric, beef masala, oregano, and a bit of mango pickle (which is life-changing, by the way). If borders disappeared, I imagine we’d see this happening everywhere—wild fusion recipes, old favourites reinvented in unexpected ways. The world would basically turn into one giant, delicious food festival. And honestly? I’d be all for it.
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