Hello! I’m Beth, an illustrator currently based in Norfolk. My practice is informed by and grounded within the employment of language. Nothing impresses, interests or preoccupies me half as much as ridiculous utterances and textual charm. Utilising these wonderful pockets of expression that language has to offer our imaginations fuels my intent as an illustrator. My work is softly clunked, permanently buoyant and I do my very best to always include some glorious bum cheeks. I graduated a year ago and ever since have been making a try at putting one foot in front of the other. Off we go!

Instagram: @bethashleyillustration

Where would you like your work to take you?

Up, up and away. My place of interest perhaps leans towards editorial avenues, but who knows, I’m open to it all. I think rather than pinning down juicy commissions* the most important thing to me is to be investing in this thing. Permanently, and with varying levels of energy, evolving my practice. An MA rests somewhere on the horizon but I’m trying to absorb the value of this time, rather than bounding forwards with giant flimsy strides. It's all emergent and not about the destination.  

*juicy commissions are completely welcomed however. 

Which part of your creative process do you enjoy most?

The golden moments for me sit somewhere in the early middle. After a bit of time getting the words right and rummaging through synonyms, everything engulfs and clunks into place. Encased in a plan and certain of its potential. Which it might not and never usually lives up to, but that doesn’t really matter. My work is centered around the employment of textual charm, ridiculous utterance and pure indulgent word play. I try to seek and permeate as much of those sentiments as I can muster into my compositional structures. It evokes a rich experience of how I understand things. These small valuable things. Nothing else really matches those moments of delving into them. Just like take off. 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Responding to language and its significance is the energy source behind my illustration work. Everything takes a paragraph, a whole jumbled dictionary. I have a massive compulsion to underline, note down and cling onto linguistic moments that do nothing but impress me. Collecting fragments of language is so ingrained that I pluck them from all over the shop. Random they may be, welcome they are and sourced from just about everywhere. It’s all about treatment and inspection, centered on the import placed upon a linguistic occurrence because you deemed it worthy of attention. Fresh, fruity and imbued with glowing significance.

What piece of music would you say compliments your work the most?

Sometime in first year I read Baby’s in Black, the graphic novel by Arne Bellstorf, and pretty promptly became obsessed with The Beatles. I’m fascinated by them. Not sure I can pin down a single compliment, but Rubber Soul is a solid favourite album. I had a Yellow Submarine poster up on my wall throughout uni. I’ve never looked to it directly, but perhaps unconsciously become influenced by it within my work.  

Can you list a couple other creatives/friends/people you look to for inspiration?

There are so many creators whose work is utterly bonkers and baffling! Jackson Joyce has been an art hero for a while now. Completely besotted by his paintings. Anyone who uses shape with weight and assurance permanently impresses me. Ursula K. Le Guin and Stephen Fry are my language giants. My Nanny Ashley, Hazel, is the leading artist in my life so she’s tip top of the pile. Towards the end of university I co-formed a collective to showcase the work of our year group. The platform is called ‘Look, no hands’. We’ve since simmered down, but I really recommend checking each and everyone one of that crew out.