“My work exists somewhere in the realm of art direction, photography, and styling. I take inspiration from lots of different areas, such as art history, film, and fashion. From the art world I take a lot from the Surrealist movement, and I am particularly keen on the absurd. I somewhat adopted the Surrealist technique of automatic drawing (drawing from the unconscious), and I found that this process sparks my creativity, particularly when thinking about the concept of a shoot. I really admire the work of contemporary practitioners and publications which have a sense of the bizarre and uncanny, such as photographer/filmmaker Nadia Lee Cohen and Toilet Paper magazine. This is a feeling which I aspire to achieve in my own work.”
How have you found your course/time at Brighton?
“I often think that moving to study at Brighton was one of the best decisions I have ever made, for both the city and the course. Coming from a small conservative town, I feel that I can freely express myself creatively here. The Illustration course has also really built my confidence and ultimately transformed my practice. I started out making small drawings, and gradually began trying other things, as the course encourages you to do, and eventually found things which really excite me”
How did you choose your course – why did you choose to study Illustration?
“It took me a while to find the right course for me. After doing a foundation, I did a year studying BA Fine Art, and when I realised that this wasn’t right for me my friend suggested that I look at the Brighton Illustration course. I started to explore the work of their graduates, and then went to their students end of year show, and I felt that this was the place I had to be. The multidisciplinary and experimental nature of the Illustration course is something which I was really drawn to and I think is part of why it is so rewarding for so many people”
What are your plans after graduation?
“After graduating my ambition is to work for an independent art/fashion magazine. But in the short-term I’m hoping to enjoy Brighton over the summer, continue making work, and maybe eventually go clubbing”
Find out about studying Illustration BA(Hons) at Brighton.
