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Illustration Collaboration: Scarlett Rebecca
Scarlett Tierney is an ambitious, young illustrator based in the East of England with a background in Fashion & Textiles. We were first drawn to her thoughtful, detailed portraiture from her personal projects and are so, so pleased to see that as well as making detailed still life drawings of our jewellery and accessories, she has also chosen to depict a character - a true “Aviary Girl” who she imagined would wear our wares.
As well as clearly being able to see how talented an illustrator Scarlett Rebecca is, we wanted to know a bit more about who she is, and how she works, so we asked her a few questions after she had completed her beautiful series of illustrations in response to our trinkets and treasures…
First of all, tell us a little bit about who you are, what you do, and if and where you studied.
Hello *waves* I am Scarlett, I’m 23 and I live in lovely Bedfordshire in a cozy little house that desperately needs a cat. I like to describe myself as a ‘fledgling’ illustrator, just beginning my journey into the world of illustration. I studied fashion and textile design but decided to move towards surface design and then illustration because I love drawing! I have no illustration training but heaps of enthusiasm which I think makes up for it. I also run workshops for children and adults, and teach textiles here and there. I love to collaborate with people and share skills!
Who and what have been your main influences and inspirations that have helped you to develop such a beautiful, delicate yet distinctive illustration style in such a competitive market?
Thank you! I am quite an impatient person when it comes to my work at the moment (I think it’s a phase). I used to love making intricate illustrations with fabric and thread but that takes too long! Drawing is so immediate, and it really makes you feel connected to the work because you’ve painstakingly drawn every single aspect. Plus I love the texture of pencil. I’m quite scared of colour so my illustrations are often quite muted and I’m always worried I’ll overwork a drawing so they have that unfinished look. I’ve always worked very realistically but I’m breaking away from that now, adding aspects of pattern into my work.
Some artists who inspire me: Julia Pott, Gemma Correll, Quentin Blake, John Cuneo, Mervyn Peake, Jenny Hart, Deidre Scherer, Rob Ryan… and Harriet Gray & Gemma Milly!
Do you live more in the past, or more in the future?
Both! I like to revel in the past and get excited for the future, but always make time for enjoying the now!
Where do you work from, and do you have any rituals before beginning a new piece of work?
I’m lucky enough to live in a two bedroom house right now where the spare room is my studio. It’s got a lovely bookcase (I have a book obsession.. I need them!), a cozy sofa bed, about a million pens and pencils and a lovely large desk.
I think Gemma Correll’s ‘Never Ending Cycle of Creative Woe’ describes perfectly my creative process. Firstly I have a cup of tea and then procrastinate for a bit, research in my lovely book collections, work on some designs, congratulate myself, procrastinate more and then rush to be finished for the deadline. I always try to figure a way to get people into a design because I love portraiture.
Describe a typical day in the studio.
Tea, look at my to-do list, twitter, email, look in one of my lovely books, tidy, tea, do some drawing, get uber frustrated, have a cry, another tea, sharpen a pencil, feel better, twitter, cake, more drawing, high five, cross things off on the to-do list with a flourish, tea.
What keeps you pushing forward and making new work?
I just don’t think it’s ever really crossed my mind not to…
How have you found collaborating with us on this project? Would you work across creative disciplines again?
It’s been wonderful, I’ve been so inspired by the gorgeous treasures I was working from, and I think our styles really worked well together. It was fab to run with a design with no restraints. I love collaborating, it keeps you fresh and opens up your creativity, it’s great to have a challenge. I’m just sad it’s over.
And finally the most important questions…
Favourite hot drink? Tea. Strong, splash of milk and a wet spoon of sugar.
Favourite ‘real’ drink? Baileys or a nice cold cider.
Rural or urban? Rural.
Cats or dogs? Cats, cats, cats, cats, cats!
Find Scarlett Rebecca online:
Scarlett’s work is also currently available at the Letchworth Arts Centre Christmas Fair from now until Christmas, as well as the We Are Bedford pop up shop until mid December.
‘Collaboration: the action of working with someone to produce or create’
There are so many differences in modes of creation and production across the vast array of creative disciplines that now exist, but one aspect of being a contemporary designer, maker or artist tends to remain the same; we all spend vast amounts of time working in isolation.
Just over a month ago, once again surrounded by a sea of half-made collections, half drunk cups of tea, scrawled lists, collages and quick sketches, and in desperate need of some fresh perspectives we put a call out for young illustrators who would consider working with us.
We were completely taken aback by the number of creatives at similar points in their careers who also wanted to join forces. All that we asked was that they chose selected pieces from our range as their starting point for creating a series of illustrations in their own, indomitable styles.
Once you have become used to working alone, inviting other people to see the way you create, and reflect upon your final outcomes can feel slightly uncomfortable. However, ultimately it is a mutually beneficial process that opens up new and exciting dialogues about the work and in turn pushes fledgling ideas forward.
This exchanging of ideas shouldn’t be anything unusual, but in reality it is often a reflective, critical process that is a much missed (and all the more precious) activity from art school studio days that has become increasingly hard to make time for amidst the everyday juggle between freelance work and part time jobs.
The three incredible illustrators that have so generously and enthusiastically given their time and talents to this project were chosen not only because of their technical skills, but because we felt that they, and their work shared a similarity in spirit.
They have taken our trinkets and treasures and translated them into something more than the objects themselves. It has been wonderful.
We will be sharing their beautiful illustrations made in response to our jewellery and accessories over a number of posts in the coming days. We hope you enjoy exploring their work as much as we have!
Image credits:
1. Harriet Gray 2. Gemma Milly 3. Scarlett Rebecca
