Inspired by History and Imagination: Mali’s Tale
‘I am influenced by many different types of media, I find inspiration in most of what I consume.‘
-Where does your interest in illustration come from?
I have been drawing since I was a child. I think I started thinking about art as a hobby and a passion when I was in primary school. I was selected to do a painting program at a local high school and this taught me the foundations of painting and art principles. Taking that course encouraged me to practice painting and art more seriously, and I became more interested in developing my skills. I discovered illustration in high school when I took design classes, and I felt that I aligned with my practice more than fine art.
-Have you noticed changes in how your work is being perceived these days?
I’m still quite new to illustration so I haven’t had much experience with others interacting with my work. I am still learning a lot about how to display my work online and in physical spaces. I think my work has improved over time so in that regard it is nice to see encouraging comments!
–How much of the illustrations that you make do you keep for yourself?
A lot of the work I have made so far has been gifts for family and friends so often I end up giving it away! At the moment, I am very interested in printmaking techniques, such as risograph and screen printing so that enables me to make multiple copies, some of which I can keep or sell. I am trying to develop the commercial aspect of my practice to share my work with more people!
-Do you consider yourself a hippie artist?
In some aspects, as I am often influenced by the styles of the 1960s. I enjoy the bright colours and patterns from this era, as well as the music, which I find very inspiring. Generally, illustrators and art spaces are left leaning and open minded, which are values that I share and admire in this community.
-How does the media and art that you consume influence the illustrations that you create?
I am influenced by many different types of media, I find inspiration in most of what I consume. Books and poetry are probably the main source of inspiration and influence for me. I am a very visual person so when I read I often get very clear images of what characters or scenes look like, and I enjoy trying to capture part of that in my illustrations. I love to look at historical illustrators such as Ivan Bilibin and try and learn from them.
I am also inspired by places. While I was at university I visited Dingle’s Fairground Museum where I saw decorated historical signage and rides from the days of travelling carnivals and fairs. This was so inspiring for me, as I love the colours and the high levels of decoration, it is so vibrant and full of life. I was also fortunate enough to go to Glastonbury Music Festival last year where they had all kinds of performance based art and sculpture. This was another big inspiration for me aesthetically, as it felt like the most creative place I’ve ever been and I want to share that feeling in my work.
-How has it been with your creations being on the cover of so many magazines?
I really enjoy creating both book and magazine covers! It is a really fun creative exercise and it is always very rewarding at the end to see your work printed and bound into a book. So far I have mainly worked on University magazines and with the local publisher Night Parrot Press in Western Australia. I really enjoy working with other creative people such as writers and designers, it is a great opportunity to learn and get feedback on your process and illustrations. It is an aspect of my practice that I would love to develop and continue to be a part of in the future!
-Why have you made the decision to print your art out and how is that going so far?
When I did my MA at the University of Plymouth, I had the opportunity to try many different printmaking techniques and it was one of my favourite parts of university. Of all the methods I tried, I now mostly use screen print and risograph because I enjoy the colours and flexibility of these methods. I found that creating physical artworks that are more interactive helped me to enjoy the process of making art more, and gives me a greater sense of achievement. I love being able to learn new processes and learn to work within the constraints of each printmaking medium. I think it inspires my creativity!
-What art style have you found to be your favourite till date and which ones are you willing to try?
At the moment, I really enjoy drawing in folk art inspired styles and I am trying to improve my use of patterns and decoration. I like to learn from historical illustrations and re-interpret elements in a modern context. I have been creating more three dimensional works lately using paper engineering, so often I bend the style I use to fit what is possible using paper.
For the commercial illustrations I have done I have tried out a variety of styles. I enjoy the challenge of finding what style fits the brief best, and I would love to continue to explore more ways of drawing! It keeps things interesting.
-Have you got anything new coming up soon?
I have recently been able to put some prints and tote bags that I made in the Culla Collective shop in Bristol, which is exciting! I have also started creating some small tunnel books which I hope to post on Instagram soon. And I have recently been awarded a printmaking bursary at Double Elephant Print Studios in Exeter, where I am improving my screen printing technique and learning a lot!
-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?
I like to think that if the world had no borders, people would be more open to different cultures, and wouldn’t follow one particular thing but embrace all the differences! I would find it difficult to pick just one of those things, as they all make up wonderful experiences when travelling. It would be great to be able to share so many experiences across the world.
ManicWorld Magazine 