FK talks to Brisbane based artist, Natalie Perkins. Natalie is the illustrator of our new beautiful Brisbane flyer!

How would you best describe your style and how has it evolved?
I have a lot of trouble describing my style! Most of the time I just say I’m an illustrative designer, using hand drawn elements to build pictures. I’ve always doodled, and in the last five years I’ve focused on resolving those doodles and repeating them, building up density and texture so that they become finished works in their own right!

Where do you seek inspiration?
Being very detail oriented, I find inspiration in the most ordinary places. I’m drawn to details in furniture and interior design much of the time: ornate frames, knick knacks and trims. I love taking photos of unusual compositions in our natural and human built environments too.

How long have you been creating your art and how did you start?
I studied visual art at uni, straight out of school, and that was well over a decade ago now. Reflecting back on my studio art days I can see common threads in my work too – the obsession with details and drawing, as well as my pondering on a woman’s place in art was evident in my work back then too. After working as a graphic designer for a few years I decided to strike out on my own in 2008 and now combine graphic design and art in ways that make sense and meaning for me and for my clients.

What is your creative process?
Much of my time is spent thinking and writing – I’d never really recognised how important reflection and writing were on my art work until I started to blog. Even though they seem like distinctly different activities, there are common threads, and I often think about drawing while writing, and writing while drawing!

When I work on commissioned pieces, I take lots of notes and do lots of sketching. These sketches and drafts go back and forth between me and my clients; I’m sure I adopted this method from being a graphic designer but it works well for me. I am always open to constructive criticism, and I love to solve problems. When the ideas and layout are resolved, I draw up all the components required and then compile them using Photoshop. If I’m doing a straight illustration, I ink and colour by hand.

What materials to you like to explore and why?
I’ve always been a drawer, it’s something I can’t not do. So I’m fond of drawing materials: pencils, a huge variety of pens, ink and watercolour. This year I’ve felt a little more confident to explore paper cutting and embroidery too. Mark making is important to me, and I’m sure I’ll always be looking for different ways to do it!

What do you love most about Brisbane as a creative city?
I love that Brisbane is coming into its own as an incubator of creative talent. I don’t love that the industry struggles to support us all, but I guess that will come in time. Brisbane has creativity in the most unexpected places, it has to fight to survive sometimes, but when you stumble across an awesome piece of graf, some guerrilla knitting or even another local artist hidden amongst the sprawling suburbs… it spurs you on.

What has been your favourite project/exhibition to work on and why?
I really liked working on pieces for the Leeloo Disband show this year, because I decided to show pieces that used different mark making techniques. I did a multi-layered paper cut piece inside a shadow box that took forever, and hurt my hands, but experimenting with it was worth all the pain!

What new works or projects are you working on at the moment?
I’m hoping to take a break from commissioned pieces for a little while so I can focus on my personal work. It’s hard to develop my personal style when I’m working with clients, because I don’t want to scare them with too much experimental stuff! I also just want to improve my art making, and the running of my creative practice. I do ongoing work with a few clients, like Brisbane’s Charlie Mayfair, so fans of the band will be able to see more of my work on posters and stuff in the coming months.

www.definatalie.com

FK talks to Sydney based artist, Renee Anne who is also one part of collectives Leeloo & Twin Set.

How would you describe your style of illustration?
Hard to describe?… I would say that my style is “natural and organic”, in the sense that I try to not over think concepts and my technique.  I prefer to let the marks and lines form as they should, not how they should.  I love using a technique known as “blind contour” where I look at the subject I am drawing, and not the paper!  That way you are drawing what you actually see, as opposed to what you think you are seeing.  I like to keep my work playful, light, and fun, with a pastel, vintage-y, eco aesthetic.

What or who most inspires your work?
Without going for the cliched response, I really think everything inspires me.  I love looking, and I love seeing.  Most often it is a thought that “inspires” me to get creating, and from there I like to draw on other influences, be they music, art, food, photographs to come to a finished product.  I am ALWAYS the most inspired after a good yoga class, which often means working late into the night!

What is your background and when did you start illustrating?
I have always been a “drawer” (what is the difference hehe!), sketching things in my bedroom for hours as opposed to watching tv when I was young.  I guess since I became internet obsessed and space limited a lot of my work then moved to the computer, however I try to keep traditional methods of drawing in my work, even if I am doing so digitally.  I was studying Art Teaching at COFA in Paddington for 3 years, so I guess I learnt some of the more “technical” things along the way there… however after lots of thinking and realising, I decided that teaching wasn’t for me and went on the pursue all things creative!

How would you describe your creative process?
I don’t think I have a very strict process when it comes to creating.  I have so many blank notebooks and visual diaries, purchased with the intention of plotting and planning ideas, but I never seem to fill them.  Instead, when an idea pops into my head I tend to JUMP at it, unpack all my tools and dive straight in.  I would probably save myself a lot of time and effort if I planned such creative spurts (I live in a tiny apartment and everything needs to be packed up in boxes after I have finished working), but I find such things hard to plan, and when an idea hits me, I can’t be bothered waiting!

Besides from being an illustrator what other ventures do you have?
As much as I would love to be a 100% full time illustrator, I find that my creative ADHD keeps me from sitting still for too long.  I work a few days a week with the fabulous Angela from Leeloo.com.au, helping with many aspects of the business including photographing the gorgeous products!  We (Angela and I) also decided to start a little vintage online clothing shop {twin set} to help channel our love for vintage styling and clothes.  We co-ordinate all the photoshoots, source the clothes and run the store and it is so much fun! I also have been working as a styling assistant at Real Living magazine, working on lots of shoots and fun projects with them.  Interior styling is something that I would LOVE to get into more, and I think it works well with my illustrating side of things, getting me out of the house and working those muscles with all the heavy lifting!!

What do you love most about running your blog?
Being able to use it as an outlet for when I want to buy something but know I shouldn’t.  Instead I just blog about it and I feel like then it wont be lost in the deep abyss that is the online world.  I also love the community and interactive side of things, being able to communicate with like minded peeps from all over the world!

What has been your favourite project/exhibition to work on and why?
Oh my, honestly all of them!  I think it would have to be the first exhibition I coordinated and co-curated with Angela last year titled Once Upon, where we invited 38 emerging and established artists from around Australia to create works representative of a fairytale.  Despite the many many late nights, hundreds of emails, and all hard work, the end result was truly magical. We had over 300 attend on the opening night! Absolutely worth every minute. Since then we have continued to ride the exhibition wave and are loving it. We are taking our second show DisBand (which was held in Sydney in May) to Melbourne, which opens on the 26th August at No Vacancy Gallery.

What new work or projects are you working on at the moment?
Ahhhhh, it seems like I have too many to even think!  Apart from working on my artworks for DisBand (as mentioned above!) and getting everything sorted for our first Melbourne show, I am also in the process of preparing my portfolio (harder than you would think!) and working on getting agency representation (hello!!? anyone!! hehe).  I recently had the pleasure of illustrating and designing Jason Grant’s website and as a result have a few more projects in the pipeline. Always seeking more though

www.renee-anne.com.au

FK talks to Sydney artist Nikki Catalano who recently debuted her range of artworks at the Sydney Finders Keepers markets.

How would you describe your illustrative style?
The current illustrations I am creating have a childlike quality with a Japanese/French feel to them. Like Japanese prints many of the illustrations make use of empty space whilst incorporating delicate pattern and detail. The images appear to be flattened and the depth comes from the incorporated textures, colours and patterns. The colours are soft like old picture books, a quality I really like for the nostalgic feel it creates. At present I am mostly drawing girls however I plan to create some more ‘boyish’ illustrations in the near future with pirate ships, trains and aeroplanes.

What is your creative background and when did you start illustrating?
I’ve been into creative things since I was very little. My mum loves art and her work involves art with children. My sister Rosie and I were her testing ground when she was studying early childcare. We always had paper, pencils and paints laid out on tables for us. We were encouraged to get into all sorts of creative activities.
I always loved art at school and then went and studied at Sydney College of the Arts and where I completed my honours majoring in Object, Art and Design. I wanted to cross disciplines and went on the College of Fine Arts to study a Bachelor of Digital Media. I am now studying an Advanced Diploma in Illustration and Design at Enmore Tafe. I love learning new things and being around other creative people keeps me inspired. Since school I have always carried around my little diary which I write ideas, paste images I like and draw. Illustration has become a true passion even though my creativity has crossed many disciplines including glass blowing, animation, jewellery and photography.

Who or what inspires your work?
Currently I am inspired by the illustrations of Ghostpatrol. The illustrations are gorgeous, sweet and quirky! I also love the animations of Hayao Miyazake who often depicts young girls in fantastical landscapes with strange and wonderful creatures. I’ve always loved the work of Hokusai particularly the many artworks of Mt Fuji.
The most prevalent inspiration for my work however is my own imagination. My illustrations remind me of thoughts, daydreams and visions I had when I was young. I was a daydreamer. I liked to imagine alternative worlds outside of reality, I felt safe and snug there.

Describe your creative surroundings and how it influences the outcome of your work.
I live in a very cute, two-storey granny flat that existed in a previous life as a horse stable. There is a pretty little garden outside and a gorgeous Japanese looking tree. I spend alot of time at my desk either drawing, looking around on the net, attending to orders or designing for projects.
I have some of my own illustrations on the wall as well as others like Kathryn Del Barton and Kareena. I like to keep the house mostly white so that the colours in the illustrations, photographs and drawings about the place really stand out. I also have these lovely wall decal stickers of birds, trees and bunny rabbits from Flatbird Design. My shelves are filled with magazines like Frankie and IDN as well as art books, previous visual diaries, old assignments I can’t seem to let go of and lots of pretty knick knacks.
I used to draw mostly when I was out and about but these days I like to be cosy at home and draw alone. I feel more peaceful this way and I think the drawings reflect how I feel when I do this.

What advice would you give other artists starting out?
I still feel like I’m starting out! My greatest advise is to find someone you admire, who is living their passion and learn from them. My sister is my greatest mentor and has always been very encouraging with my art. I watched her with her own music practice. Rosie not only has the courage to develop her musical career but also shows me that it requires work and is a gradual process. I’ve learnt that to live what I love is a step by step process, with lots of learning curves and determination.

What do you find most inspirational about Sydney?
Sydney for me equals home. Sydney is where I grew up. I was born here on Crown street and it wasn’t until I moved to Hobart as a teenager for a short while that I realised how much I missed Sydney. I missed all the iconic things like the harbor, beaches, galleries, festivals and gorgeous gardens are so unique to Sydney and are so much part of my history growing up here. I feel like there are alot of opportunities for me in Sydney as a creative person. I’ve also started selling my illustrations in Sydney both in stores and also at markets like the Finders Keepers! They are opportunities that arise more frequently in a big city.

What has been your favourite project/exhibition and why was it so rewarding?
My favourite exhibition I’d have to say was Good Girls with my friend and artist Isabel Watts. Previously I saw illustration as a past time and this exhibition was an enlightening moment for me. Seeing my work on the gallery wall made me realise I could do more with it. What began as an exhibition then spurred the idea of selling my illustrations as prints and grew into my online Etsy store, ongoing commissions, design markets and selling to stores.  The exhibition also encouraged me to study illustration further.
My favourite project was illustrating Mitsu; The Dark Witch and The Dream Wilderness which my sister wrote. We both work very well together and while my illustrations initially inspired many of ideas for the story, so too my illustrations embodied her ideas for the story. After 4 years in the making we are finally launching the book in June and it is already available to purchase online. This book is our little baby and we are now working on a colouring book together for Ludivine from Home and Human Fashion.

What new works or projects are you working on at the moment?
I’m in the process of creating new illustrations with more depictions of young adults with childlike surroundings. The illustrations combine stylization, collage and more realistic elements with brighter colours and black and white elements. I am also working on the colouring book with my sister which is very exciting, it’s all about daydreaming.  The other work I’m creating at the moment are more illustrations for boys seeing that most of my work appeals to girls.

www.nikkicatalano.com.au

FK talks to Sarah, a Sydney artist behind the beautiful Flossy P. Sarah also recently debuted her work at the Sydney Finders Keepers.

How would you sum up the style of your work?
Little doodley illustrations? More precisely, portraits of uncommon beauty, with elements of nature woven in.

What is your background and when did you start illustrating?
I studied fine art at COFA (UNSW College of Fine Arts) and created very conceptual installations, nothing at all like what I do now. It wasn’t until about 8 years afterwards, when my brain had had time to recover from the overdose of the conceptual, that I began to doodle. It took me a few years of drawing to get back in shape (so to speak), that was about 5 years ago now.
Although my illustrations are a world away from those initial installations, each of my drawings still carry some metaphor or concept.

What or who do you find most inspires your work?
Usually it’s me really noticing something. I may have seen it before, but it’s the moment that I really notice it properly that catches my attention. Then I feel inspired to encourage others see it too.

What do you love about living in a small town on the north coast?
Some days I love it more than anything, and some days I miss my old hood in the inner west of Sydney something terrible. But then something will happen (like seeing a whale shoot up out of the ocean, or having a teenaged check-out chick be delightfully friendly) and I’ll feel good all over again.
It’s also all the nature, the dramatic landscape, living so close to the beach without the hassle of parking, the unpretentious down to earth people, the general friendly chattiness, and the staunch pride and supportiveness of the small community.

Describe your creative process.
It involves lots of thinking, headspace and contemplation. Then once I feel like I’ve come up with something vaguely smart, I’ll start sketching out some very rough lines to get my ideas from my head onto the paper in a way it makes sense. Composition is important to me, so I’ll work on that until I’m happy; happy enough to commit it to the “fancy” paper.

What advice would you give other illustrators wanting to follow a similar path?
It’s really difficult not to get swept up in the latest fad. But I find the works that most people like of mine are the ones unlike anything else. To do that, you’ve just got to stick with your own thing and be patient.

What has been your favourite project/exhibition and why?
Every new project is my new favourite. I can’t help it, new things are exiting! But retrospectively it would be hard to beat some of the commissions I’ve worked on. They are usually commissioned to mark a special occasion for the person and their family, and I get to be part of that, in a removed but intimate way.
The Finders Keepers Market was also amazing. I don’t usually get to see people look at my work. So that was a super nice.

What can we expect from you next?
We just bought our first house, and I’ve subsequently become obsessed with décor… so I my next projects will be all about taking my illustration onto objects; pillowcases, teacups, soapdishes, etc.
There are also some secret-squirrel conversations happening at the moment with some big-wigs… they mentioned a colouring book! That’ll be fun.

www.flossyparticles.com

FK talks to Ant Hayes, a Sydney artist who was one of our runners up in our recent Art competition.

How would you describe the style of your work?
Black and white doodles of pyramids, tentacles and faces with the occasional splash of colour.

What is your background and when did you start illustrating?
I studied Digital Media at the College of Fine Arts in Sydney and then I worked in television for about 4 years, doing motion graphics. I decided to take a bit of a break and do something completely different, so I packed my bags and moved to Tokyo at the start of last year.

I started illustrating just for fun during university, mostly vector based stuff but it wasn’t until I was involved in a group show at start of 2009 that my passion for illustration was re-ignited.

Who would you say inspires your work the most?
I’m always drawing inspiration from many different artists and designers so It’s difficult to say who I would find the most inspirational, but some of my favourite artists include Tanadori Yoko, The Yok, Takashi Murakami, Kozyndan to name but a few.

What do you find most inspirational about Tokyo?
For me it’s the fashion. People here really put a lot of effort into what they wear and they aren’t afraid to try something a bit different. There’s also a great blend of handmade / custom and the designer that I find really refreshing.

Describe your workspace and surroundings and what your creative process is.
My desk is everything. I spend a lot of hours there so it has to be a nice space for me. Organised chaos is probably the best way to describe it, with pens, paper, magazine clippings, toys and rubbish all over, but for some reason I find that comfortable.

I carry a sketch book with me most of the time so I can write/sketch out any ideas I have wherever I am. Each project always starts from an initial sketch or three, whether on a piece of paper or in photoshop. I then refine it from there.

What advice would you give others wanted to follow a similar path?
I don’t know if my path is long enough for me to give advice about, but I think the most important thing is to stay motivated and to always be doing something. It’s very easy to put your pens down and a lot harder to pick them up again.

What has been your favourite project or exhibition and why?
Medicom Toys, who make a large number of designer toys and collectables, had an exhibition here in Tokyo last year and I decided to see if I could generate hype about a toy that didn’t exist. So I customized one of their ‘Be@rbrick’ figures and made a fake advertisement stating that it was only for sale at their exhibition. I managed to have a popular design blog pick it up and I was amazed at how quickly the story spread. I had a whole load of collectors contacting me asking how they could get their hands on one. It didn’t take long for people to figure out it wasn’t real. It was quite funny though to see how easy and fast it was for a story to spread on the internet.

I’m also really enjoying customizing shoes as well. The reaction has been really positive and I get a real kick out of people wearing my art.

What does being a finalist of our Finders Keepers Art Competition mean for you?
Its definitely nice to have people appreciate what you do, it makes all the hours sitting at my desk worth it. It’s also great to get some more exposure, which hopefully might lead to some new and exciting projects.

www.antisant.com

FK talks to Beth Emily,  an illustrator from Tasmania who was one of our FK Art Competition finalists

Describe your style of work and how it has evolved over time.
The personal work I create for Beth-Emily is based on my long-held passion for figurative illustration. I regard my collection of illustrations to be like a public record of my personal exploration and interpretation of forms found in nature. As an illustrator, my style is constantly evolving over time. But of late, my style comes as a result of my process, where I study a subject closely, recognise its unique idiosyncrasies and then build upon these characteristics using my imagination and through mark-making, textures and layers.

What is your background and what lead you to art?
I’ve always had a vivid imagination and, from a very early age, I found that drawing was a fantastic outlet for me to express my thoughts and ideas. So, in retrospect, it seems only natural that I felt the urge to pursue a career in a creative field. I undertook my academic studies at the Tasmanian School of Fine Art, where I elected to study the creatives disciplines of printmaking and graphic design. After graduating in 2007, I had a few jobs here and there, but none of them were on a creative level that held my interest for very long. So, in 2009 I decided to find a part-time job in order to set up my own illustration practice alongside the collaborative design studio, Floatingworld.

What mediums and materials do you work with most, and what is your favourite?
Paper, pencil and graphite (most of which ends up all over my hand as I’m left handed). However, I also love creating hand-generated textures with watercolour, paints and ink, as they can provide depth, details and tones that can never be replicated by pencil.

What has your art journey been like? Where would you like to see it take shape in the future?
Drawing from my own experience, it takes a lot of hard work, time and knock-backs to become a successful creative. I’m not even halfway there yet! But the ride is worth it. There are so many opportunities to meet other like-minded creatives, share our experiences and learn from each other’s journeys.

How has Hobart and your surroundings influenced your work?
There are not many cities like Hobart. For instance, in our house you can look out one window and see a mountain dominating the landscape and then go to the other window and see an expansive waterfront! We are really lucky because the natural wilderness is an everyday part of our existence. I live five minutes away from Hobart’s CBD and I have a menagerie of animals frequenting my garden. In a way this closeness to nature has fuelled my passion to study it and understand its many wonderful elements.

Tell us about your design and art studio Floatingworld.
Floatingworld was conceived in early 2007 by Tom Fitzgerald (my fiancé), Alecia Lanzlinger (close friend) and myself. The idea was to create a multi-disciplinary studio with a visionary approach to design. Quality, integrity, ethics and sustainability are our priority and we have a strong focus on collaborating with other like-minded and talent people. In early 2009 we established our studio in the heart of Hobart and are continuing to learn, laugh and collaborate.

What do you love most about living and working in Tasmania?
The Tasmanian landscape is sublime and its creatures are wonderful. That proximity to nature constantly inspires my imagination and helps remind me of the bigger picture.

What does being a finalist of our Finders Keepers Art Competition mean for you?
Being a part of the Finders Keepers Market is a wonderful opportunity for me to share my artwork to a national audience. It allows me to show people what I love doing and hope to inspire them to do what they love, too. I’ll also get the chance to meet new people and talk to them about their passions over tea and biscuits. My shout.

www.beth-emily.com

FK talks to Jefferton James, a Sydney based illustrator who was one of our Art Competition finalists

How would you describe your style and how has this evolved over time?
Thats a tough one, but I suppose its a cross between pop art and surrealism but the kind your Nanna would like (Nanna and Pop Art)! I think my target market is for that kind of person who thinks collecting spoons is still cool. I think its evolved over the last year as I have become more confident with photo montaging. In the beginning it was purely hand drawn; if I couldn’t do it by hand then I wouldn’t even attempt it.

How long have you been creating art and what is your background?
I was drawing before I could talk, if you count drawing charlie brown over and over again as drawing! I only started ‘knuckling down’ about three and a half years ago. Before that I was a big film nerd, which helps in my art as I try to tell a little story in each picture.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Pretty much entirely in the past, namely old photos and posters and children’s books. I used to have this weird thing where I couldn’t even contemplate an idea without going for a lunch time stroll and listening to “Road to Nowhere” by The Talking Heads. I don’t do that so much anymore!

What are your favourite types of artwork to create and what materials do you favour the most?
I would say a gig poster is my favourite thing to create as most of the time its a free license to go and be as experimental as you like. I’m lucky that most of the bands I work with are more than happy to let me loose on something. My main tools are free Ikea pencils, my 0.2 pen and my two dollar sketch pads. I also use Photoshop for colouring and lighting the images.

Where do you create and what are your surroundings like?
Oddly I seem to work best on public transport but that’s a little unsteady sometimes, so I come home and polish it up in my messy room or I borrow my very kind housemates snazzy computer.

How has the journey been in setting yourself up as a professional artist and what is the biggest thing you have learnt?
Its been a rather nice journey starting out, I was helped a lot by word of mouth within the inner west music scene. I also got a small business grant and they helped train me to figure out all that tricky business stuff. I would say the biggest thing I have learnt is how to manage my time. I wish I could learn how to manage my money though!

What are you working on at the moment and what are you looking forward to in 2010?
I’m working on a few things at the moment. A rather epic cd cover that has a navy and an airforce made out of musical instruments that are traveling on a powdered wig. A few video clip concepts for Sydney band ‘Boy and Bear’ and one for singer/songwriter Jack Carty. I’m also working on some t-shirt and bag designs.

What does being a finalist of our Finders Keepers Art Competition mean for you?
What I do is fairly solitary work and being a finalist for Finders Keepers actually makes me feel apart
of the art community. It’s also like having your work put upon the best fridge you can imagine.

www.cuteasfudgefactory.blogspot.com

FK talks to Sydney illustrator Jordan Clarke , who was also a runner up of our recent Art Competition.

Tell the us a little about the Art of Jordan.
The Art of Jordan is a clearly pathetic title I came up with in two seconds while on the phone to the domain name registrar. But weirdly it’s kind of grown on me – encompassing me as an artist/illustrator but also as a blogger reporting my mindless musings and inspirations.

When did you begin creating art and how has it evolved?
I was always the ‘arty’ one growing up – but I was totally directionless for years. I couldn’t find my place in the creative world and it’s only been recently that I discovered the diverse world of illustration. I studied graphic design and worked as a freelancer for a while, but it never felt quite right. I began experimenting with digital art in my last semester at college and I’ve been exploring different techniques ever since.

Who inspires you in your field, and who would you most like to collaborate with?
Nearly everyone inspires me – simply for the fact that they’re doing what they love. Shepard Fairey inspired me initially when I was doing more posterized artwork. I’m a huge fan of Biddy Maroney as well as Eduardo Recife and Jenny Hart – which is more evident in my recent work.

Where do you go in Sydney when you crave inspiration?
I find most of my inspiration online – flicking through art sites and blogs. I’d love to say that I go to twee bohemian cafes and obscure galleries but I’m far too uncool! I’ve been sharing space with other creatives at Bill&George in Redfern for a few months – I find it really helps me keep focused having a dedicated space amongst others. We’ve got some new artists and writers etc moving in soon which is exciting – meeting other creatives is always inspiring.

How difficult is it to have creative freedom and also manage your business?
If there’s a secret formula I’d love to hear it. I’m still a long way off making a living from my art. I’m aiming to create work artistically rather than commercially – I find sometimes I’m treated a bit like a monkey at a computer. It would be nice to be approached specifically for my illustration style but I know that even the most successful illustrators have to work under certain creative impositions. I like the idea of creating art that I love and selling it to whoever likes it, simple as that. That would be nice.

What has been your most rewarding project and why?
Nearly any time someone asks me to do anything I’m over the moon! I was thrilled to illustrate an article for Yen Magazine a long time ago, and the City Museum in Melbourne also used one of my pieces for the branding of a show. Both were in my older style. I’ve had a lot of interest in my recent Tarot Series (a work in progress), so I’m hoping to finish that and sell decks soon! It means a lot to be noticed – and gives me the confidence to stick with it.

What does being a finalist of our Finders Keepers Art Competition mean for you?
Finders Keepers is so well regarded amongst the creative community – so I am beyond excited to be among the runners-up. One step closer in the right direction!

www.theartofjordan.com

FK talks to Brisbane based artist Steven Rhodes. Steven is the artist behind our amazing new Brisbane Flyer

How long have you been creating art?
I’ve always kind of defined myself as an artist.  I did art at school and took oil painting classes. Instead of doing a fine arts course, I took the ‘financially secure’ path and studied a profession, working as a landscape architect. During this period my creative harvest changed to song-writing and recording and I’ve made about 10 albums worth of questionable material. This was an obsessive hobby rather than a career move. Then I got back into design again. Especially digital art which lead me to enrol in graphic design and onto my current trajectory.

You have just graduated from studying graphic design, how has your illustration evolved since starting the course?
I’ve always had artistic instincts, but I think studying design just reinforces those fundamental design principles and gives you the technical skills and shortcuts. In the past my style has been a lot more haphazard, whereas since graduating I’ve begun to hone in on my own unique visual style. Which is really what you have to have – an individual style that is your own.  It was also great just being around a bunch of like-minded individuals.

How would you best describe your style of work, and which areas do you most like exploring?
Well my style is still evolving but a lot of my recent illustration work is tending to be “arranged objects on a theme”. Kind of like a collage but with all the elements being hand-drawn and scanned.  I like to mix up the visual styles in a piece so I have detailed pen drawings and realistic sketches contrasting with flat colour and simple shapes.  I’m interested in complex detail versus empty space.  A lot of my work is monochromatic or a limited colour palette and I’m definitely drawn towards vintage, sepia-filled tones. I love aged textures and the beauty inherent in the ravages of time.

Where do you seek inspiration for your work and what are regular websites you visit for inspiration?
Nature, particularly birds, trees, vintage typography, mid-century modern cartoons, old flaking paint and urban decay, retro wallpaper, the crescent moon, seventies fashion, hallways, falling stars, storms, music, the late afternoon. I love film-makers with a distinct visual style – David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

I regularly visit the websites – Drawn and Threadless.  Jackywinter is great for checking out amazing illustrators. Lost at E Minor, Blanket magazine and all the emerging artists blogs are inspiring also.

You just won a Brisbane Street Press art competition, how has the reaction been since then?
Since winning that competition I have been hailed as a God amongst men…just kidding! No, other than some quiet pats on the back it’s basically been business as usual. It’s good to get your work on the cover of something but actually, I think one of the best things about winning is it boosts your confidence a bit. It lets you know that your work is making an impact and to keep going. Sweet validation. We fragile, introverted artists are so needy.

What do you love most about Illustration and design?
I guess I really respond to artwork that evokes an intense mood or feeling.  Something that surpasses the current design trends and just speaks for itself. I also love art and design that has a certain darkness and ambiguity to it. An element of mystery or a slightly unsettling atmosphere… with a sense of humour.

What inspires you about Brisbane?
Well this isn’t specific to Brisbane so much, but I like to go for walks in the late afternoon when the light starts off golden and fades to twilight. I find it’s a great way of clearing the mind at the end of the day. Where I walk there’s a field with cows, a big creek with turtles and ducks and eels. There’s also a bat colony.  I love watching swarms of bats flying overhead at dusk. Who doesn’t? It’s pretty inspiring that nature can still be so prevalent in the middle of the suburbs.

Where would you like to take your work, and what are you working on for 2010?
I’m just going to continue to get my work out there and seen by as many people as I can. I’d like to get enough illustrations together for an exhibition and just see what happens.

Long term I’d love to be able to do commercial illustration as a full-time career. Particularly in the creative industries such as music, fashion and publishing.  Or plan B: Live under a bridge.

www.stevenrhodes.com.au