Elly Mackay

Elly Mackay is a Canadian based artist and educator who creates scenes from moments in stories or plays often based around the theme of childhood. Mackay first started as a teenager creating tunnel books which she sold at her local gallery this led her to take an Art and Design course at college and then an illustration, print making and electronic art at university. While studying Mackay started freelance illustration.

To help create her works she explores her own childhood, experiences as a mother, vintage book illustrations, set designs and the surroundings were she lives. Her works today are a return to the style of layering. Mackay starts with thumbnails and concept drawings and a bit of writing about the atmosphere she wants to create. She uses a strong plastic paper as it bends easy, crease, takes ink and the strength allows it to stand easily.



Once some of the layers have been created she starts installing them to a theatre 'above' which is open on all 6 sides including the bottom. This allows her to play with the lighting from all angles to find the right mood for a scene to then take a number of photographs.   

Mackay has now published her very first children's story book, If You Hold A Seed, and is due to publish four more over the next year.

Her works remind me of Gillian Lee Smiths, both have a fairytale look and feel to them and this is because they both play with light but in different ways, Mackay uses physical light but Smith uses mixed media to create light and dark.

http://www.ellymackay.com/

Sue Bulmer

Sue Bulmer  is a Nottingham based artist who focus the theme of home, family and love and illustrates them into simple yet detailed black and white images. The idea of the birds, trees and bird houses stems from her living on a farm when she was young and would sketch her parents chickens and her love of nature, the natural landscape and the natural world and its changing colours and textures of the seasons. She is also greatly inspired by her 200 year old cottage and the comfort and sentimentallity of home and famliy. Originally Bulmer studied pharmacy at Nottingham Trent Uni and stayed in pharmacy for 15 years, but couldn't get away from her creative roots and in 2005 she took a foundation course in art & design which helped develop her technique and creative skills.

Bulmer uses ink pen to draw her design then scans them into a PC and digitally prints them. Bulmers work includes prints on ceramic tiles, tea towels, greeting cards and in frames.

I would love to see these on tote bags and as t-shirt designs, as they are simple and have a peaceful feel to them and would sell for quite a but of money. I have always loved painting and drawing in black medium but sometimes can make a pieces a little boring, but Bulmer cleverly adds just enough detail to make the piece interesting and appealing to look at.