Amelia’s Magazine | Supermarket Sarah at Selfridges

Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft has put together a stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI. With music provided by the wondrous 6 Day Riot, find capsule I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, buy as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, check cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 Bethnal Green heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…


Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft has put together a stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI. With music provided by the wondrous 6 Day Riot, treatment I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, about it as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, pills cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 Bethnal Green heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…


Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft has together this stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI, doctor with a little help from 6 Day Riot. I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, link as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, information pills cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…

Amelia’s Magazine hearts Sally big time. She’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable and she cares about the world around us.
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft has together this stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI, order with a little help from 6 Day Riot. I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, cialis 40mg as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…

There’s a reason why I heart Sally big time. She’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable and she cares about the world around us. You can follow Sally on twitter here, and keep up with her on her Vimeo channel here.
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft put together this stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI, sildenafil with a little help from 6 Day Riot. I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, buy as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…

There’s a reason why I heart Sally big time. She’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable and she cares about the world around us. You can follow Sally on twitter here, and keep up with her on her Vimeo channel here.
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft put together this stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI with a little help from 6 Day Riot. I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, seek as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, case cakes by Lily Vanilli, health sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…

There’s a reason why I heart Sally big time. She’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable and she cares about the world around us. You can follow Sally on twitter here, and keep up with her on her Vimeo channel here.
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law
Sally Mumby-Croft at the ACOFI launch with Jonno and Matt. Illustration by Naomi Law.

Former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Sally Mumby-Croft put together this stunning movie reminder of the launch party for ACOFI with a little help from 6 Day Riot. I hope you enjoy a tour of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, approved as seen at the Bunker Cafe and Scout Hut at 123 Bethnal Green Road on Friday 28th January 2011. It features Susie Bubble, cakes by Lily Vanilli, sneak peaks inside the book and lots of sketching by the illustrators who helped out on the day.

YouTube Preview Image

I asked Sally a few questions about how she put the movie together:

What where you looking for when you filmed this?
When filming I’m often looking for the quiet moments in between moments of action, whether this be an illustrator lost in concentration, the movement of a pen, the simple action of making tea or a DJ pressing play. I wanted to capture the moments which were unique to an Amelia’s Magazine book launch.

What was your favourite moment of the party?
Apart from assisting Amelia and Matt Bramford with the set up in the morning and watching 123 heave under the number of guests who turned up for the book launch, my favourite moment of the party was when Amelia and Harriet (of Tatty Devine) cut the fantastic cake made by Lily Vanilli and we had a chance to taste the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen!

Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.
Sally Mumby-Croft. Photography by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Who else have you made short videos for?
Recently I’ve been really lucky to work with the photographer and filmmaker Ben Toms, over the past three months I’ve worked on videos for JW Anderson, Edun and Craig Lawrence.



Outside of fashion film, I’ve worked with the fantastic team behind the upcoming documentary Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world and assisted on the editing of their Grow Heathrow short:

YouTube Preview Image

What else are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am considering the possibility of revisiting interviews conducted with Xavier Zapata – with Hackney Residents who had been displaced by the Olympic Development in Stratford for my Goldsmiths degree show piece Edgeland: or possibly starting on a brand new short…

There’s a reason why I heart Sally big time. She’s incredibly talented, knowledgeable and she cares about the world around us. You can follow Sally on twitter here, and keep up with her on her Vimeo channel here.

Gabby Young at Selfridges, no rx illustrated by Sam Parr

The ‘Supermarket Sarah’ pop-up shop opened last month in Selfridges stationery department, here I attended Friday’s opening night to check it out. Press, visit web designers and shoppers celebrated the opening with Campari cocktails whilst enjoying an energetic acoustic set from Gabby Young.

Back in December 2009 I visited Poke Design Studios at The Biscuit Factory for Supermarket Sarah’s Christmas Extravaganza, on behalf of Amelia’s. A year on and Sarah has had wide press coverage, and has celebrity followers such as; Lily Allen, Lindsay Lohan, Tinie Tempah and La Roux. ‘Supermarket’ Sarah Bagner seems, however, unphased by all the attention and continues to do what she does best; sourcing an eclectic mix of quirky vintage finds and indie crafts, and displaying her discoveries in an inspiring and creative way. Starting out in her home in Portobello, Sarah would beautifully arrange her own walls with items to buy and serve customers tea and cakes. The launch of her website expanded her work outside of her living room and has allowed her to exhibit in a variety of locations. Using the website, customers can browse through the items displayed on real walls as part of styled stories.


Illustration by Madi Illustrates

The retro-inspired Selfridges store layout holds shelves of vintage china trinkets, playful plastic jewellery and quirky gifts and accessories, all organized into the walls four sections; Super Stuff, New Designers, Vintage and Gallery where Sarah presents a designer she admires. Currently the Gallery space presents the work of Eley Kishimoto. The collection of printed accessories include; iPhone covers, textiles, limited edition screen printed books, and even a skateboard.

Sarah’s hand-picked selection of designers are given the opportunity to have items displayed in the Supermarket-style ‘gallery’. Carefully thought out curation and styling mean each piece compliments each other, contributing to the personal nature of the ‘Supermarket Sarah’ shopping experience. It was great to see the interactivity at play between customer and product; this interactivity is also achieved on the Supermarket Sarah online platform.


Illustration by Danni Bradford

My favourite pieces included; cross stitch badges from Ma Magasin, Mell Elliot’s Lady Gaga paper doll and Strawberry Creme Nouveau‘s rubber moulded biscuit brooches. John Booth’s eccentric bag charms, Nick White fake tattoos, Katy Leigh‘s painted egg cups, and YCN‘s ‘Light up your mood’ light switch stickers, all also deserve a mention. And other great designers involved include Tatty Devine, Patternity, Donna Wilson, Lynn Hatzius, Swedish Blonde Design and Rina Donnersmarck.


All photographs by Ester Kneen

Bringing a sense of Portobello Market to London’s central shopping location. ‘Supermarket Sarah’ at Selfridges gives tourists a sense of what the London vintage and craft scene is all about. Congratulations to all involved!

Categories ,Campari, ,Danni Bradford, ,Donna Wilson, ,Eley Kishimoto, ,Fake Tattoos, ,gabby young, ,John booth, ,Katy Leigh, ,Lady Gaga, ,Lynn Hatzius, ,Ma Magasin, ,Madi Illustrates, ,Mel Elliot, ,Nick White, ,Patternity, ,Portobello, ,Rina Donnersmarck, ,Sam Parr, ,Sarah Bagner, ,Selfridges, ,shopping, ,Strawberry Creme Nouveau, ,Supermarket Sarah, ,Swedish Blonde Design, ,Tatty Devine, ,vintage, ,YCN

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Amelia’s Magazine | Beautiful freaks: The Last Tuesday Society

topshop riot by kellie black
UKuncut Topshop-police amelia gregory
Topshop, this with your welcoming entrance you are spoiling us…

If you are on twitter you will probably have noticed the mutterings of the #UKuncut hashtag – from small beginnings it has grown to become the standard bearer of the cuts demonstrations. And to think it all started only a few weeks back, generic when I got a frantic phone call from one of my friends on the first UK Uncut Vodafone demo. “We’ve got a trending hashtag” he exclaimed somewhat maniacally. “but we’ve misspelled Vodaphone, viagra you’ve got to help us!!” I assured him that a quick glance at twitter confirmed that he didn’t need my twittering powers one iota. And frankly I think it’s Vodafone who’ve got their spelling wrong. Now, thousands of people follow the @UKuncut twitter feed and the #UKuncut hashtag stream is used to communicate between anti-cuts protests up and down the country. Makes you dead proud of your mates it does.

UKUncut by Avril Kelly
UKUncut by Avril Kelly.

I didn’t manage to get along to that first demo due to my head being buried in the creation of my new book, but I have been avidly following the progress of the cuts protests. And when I heard about the next major target for UK Uncut I was most excited: the Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus. Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be able to guess that I am not exactly a big fan of Topshop – I know too many small designers who have been ripped off, they have an atrocious human rights record, and I find the association with Kate Moss frankly tedious. Suffice to say I won’t be covering any Topshop collections in Amelia’s Magazine in the near future.

UK uncut sinister pics
Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

Instead, I hope to be joining more protests. Why? Well, a while ago the papers exposed Sir Philip Green‘s cunning tax avoidance trick that enables him to siphon vast profits out of the country and safely into the hands of his Monaco dwelling wife. There was a surge of interest and then the news disappeared. But the cunning folks at UK Uncut have decided to resurrect the gripe. Why? For the simple reason that this country is in the grip of savage cuts to almost everything imaginable. And yet the very rich are able to take our money out of the country: it is the very reverse of the ethos behind the resurgence of local currencies triumphed by Transition Towns. If you use the Brixton Pound in Brixton it enables local money to stay in a local area, enriching the lives of everyone who partakes in the local economy. If you use your pounds in Topshop they leak straight out of the UK, benefiting none of us at all.

Pay your Taxes Ross McEwan
Illustration by Ross McEwan.

Why is it that the richer people get the more greedy they become? Surely once you’ve earnt your first billion there’s little reason to keep chasing more? But no, the super rich, chums of our millionaire Con-Dem cabinet (Philip Green has the audacity to advise on austerity measures) together avoid £25 billion in tax by removing it from the country. One argument says that if the UK was to make it less amenable for large businesses to run their services here they would simply take them elsewhere. I fail to see the logic in this: Philip Green runs a British company, Topshop. He isn’t about to pack up and ship it over to Dubai never to be seen again, is he?

So it was that on a cold Saturday morning I jumped out of bed and sped into the centre of town. I missed the first noisy influx into the store by a few minutes and the main entrance was already blocked by security. However, although I very rarely get sucked into Topshop these days, I know well that there are several entrances so I zipped straight in via the side door.

UK_UncutTopshop2_byAlisonDay
UK Uncut Topshop Protest by Alison Day.

Inside about thirty protestors were already staging a sit in, chanting as bemused shoppers gazed on, uncertain what to do. They were a mix bunch from different movements, including climate activists and peeved students. “Philip’s Green’s taxation could pay for our education” was but one of many clever chants I heard.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory

Within moments I was hustled straight back out the main entrance due to my very large camera, but I just went right back around and came back in with my iphone camera instead. Eventually I heard these magical words over the tanoy system: There has been an incident: please exit the store immediately. And so it was that we were able to close down the main branch of Topshop for well over an hour on a busy Saturday in the run up to Christmas. The sour faces of thwarted shoppers peered down at us as the streets got busier, but most of them seemed fairly content to visit Urban Outfitters next door instead. A gaggle of protestors then spread up and down Oxford Street, shutting Dorothy Perkins and BHS (both also part of Philip Green’s Arcadia empire) and revisiting Vodafone. In fact, just the threat of our arrival was enough to close most stores before we even got to them.

UK Uncut sinister pictures
Outside BHS. Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

As I was twittering through the protest I received a reply from a small fashion brand that has a concession in Topshop – But what about the independent labels that are losing business? – she said. I do think that if you get into bed with a corporate brand you can expect to experience the pitfalls as well as the bonuses, but our quibbles are obviously not with the independent designers who stock Topshop (and at any rate in this case she definitely supported us) or the workers in the store, who may well have lost income if we had blocked the entrances more effectively and they had been told to go home.

Abi Daker - Topshop protest 2010
One Woman Topshop protest 2010 by Abigail Daker.

Of course it is very hard to protest without some unwanted fallout, which is why I so love this inspiring one woman protest: whilst we were causing mayhem at Oxford Circus Bryony went along to her local Wandsworth Topshop equipped only with flyers and chocolate, and on the purchase of a Breton top politely explained that she would not be able to pay the VAT because she didn’t trust Philip Green to give it the HMRC. She handed out information to the other customers and chocolates to the confused employees as they tried to accommodate her request by calling head office. What a clever way to raise awareness in a totally calm and collected manner, but the real success has been in the telling of the story – which has been bouncing around on the #UKuncut hashtag, attracting glowing comments from others who may well be inspired to do the same.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory outside

For naturally this story is far from over: the students are still revolting on the streets and UK Uncut have announced yet another day of action: this time I urge you to join them and protest against the greedy fat cat billionaires who are currently free to move the money we spend on their products out of this country and away from where it might be put to good use. On Saturday 18th December Topshop and Vodafone will be targeted in high streets across the UK. Find out all the details here.

UKuncut Topshop-police amelia gregory
Topshop, order with your welcoming entrance you are spoiling us…

If you are on twitter you will probably have noticed the mutterings of the #UKuncut hashtag – from small beginnings it has grown to become the standard bearer of the cuts demonstrations. And to think it all started only a few weeks back, when I got a frantic phone call from one of my friends on the first UK Uncut Vodafone demo. “We’ve got a trending hashtag” he exclaimed somewhat maniacally. “but we’ve misspelled Vodaphone, you’ve got to help us!!” I assured him that a quick glance at twitter confirmed that he didn’t need my twittering powers one iota. And frankly I think it’s Vodafone who’ve got their spelling wrong. Now, thousands of people follow the @UKuncut twitter feed and the #UKuncut hashtag stream is used to communicate between anti-cuts protests up and down the country. Makes you dead proud of your mates it does.

UKUncut by Avril Kelly
UKUncut by Avril Kelly.

I didn’t manage to get along to that first demo due to my head being buried in the creation of my new book, but I have been avidly following the progress of the cuts protests. And when I heard about the next major target for UK Uncut I was most excited: the Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus. Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be able to guess that I am not exactly a big fan of Topshop – I know too many small designers who have been ripped off, they have an atrocious human rights record, and I find the association with Kate Moss frankly tedious. Suffice to say I won’t be covering any Topshop collections in Amelia’s Magazine in the near future.

UK uncut sinister pics
Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

Instead, I hope to be joining more protests. Why? Well, a while ago the papers exposed Sir Philip Green‘s cunning tax avoidance trick that enables him to siphon vast profits out of the country and safely into the hands of his Monaco dwelling wife. There was a surge of interest and then the news disappeared. But the cunning folks at UK Uncut have decided to resurrect the gripe. Why? For the simple reason that this country is in the grip of savage cuts to almost everything imaginable. And yet the very rich are able to take our money out of the country: it is the very reverse of the ethos behind the resurgence of local currencies triumphed by Transition Towns. If you use the Brixton Pound in Brixton it enables local money to stay in a local area, enriching the lives of everyone who partakes in the local economy. If you use your pounds in Topshop they leak straight out of the UK, benefiting none of us at all.

Pay your Taxes Ross McEwan
Illustration by Ross McEwan.

Why is it that the richer people get the more greedy they become? Surely once you’ve earnt your first billion there’s little reason to keep chasing more? But no, the super rich, chums of our millionaire Con-Dem cabinet (Philip Green has the audacity to advise on austerity measures) together avoid £25 billion in tax by removing it from the country. One argument says that if the UK was to make it less amenable for large businesses to run their services here they would simply take them elsewhere. I fail to see the logic in this: Philip Green runs a British company, Topshop. He isn’t about to pack up and ship it over to Dubai never to be seen again, is he?

topshop riot by kellie black
Topshop protest by Kellie Black.

So it was that on a cold Saturday morning I jumped out of bed and sped into the centre of town. I missed the first noisy influx into the store by a few minutes and the main entrance was already blocked by security. However, although I very rarely get sucked into Topshop these days, I know well that there are several entrances so I zipped straight in via the side door.

UK_UncutTopshop2_byAlisonDay
UK Uncut Topshop Protest by Alison Day.

Inside about thirty protestors were already staging a sit in, chanting as bemused shoppers gazed on, uncertain what to do. They were a mix bunch from different movements, including climate activists and peeved students. “Philip’s Green’s taxation could pay for our education” was but one of many clever chants I heard.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory

Within moments I was hustled straight back out the main entrance due to my very large camera, but I just went right back around and came back in with my iphone camera instead. Eventually I heard these magical words over the tanoy system: There has been an incident: please exit the store immediately. And so it was that we were able to close down the main branch of Topshop for well over an hour on a busy Saturday in the run up to Christmas. The sour faces of thwarted shoppers peered down at us as the streets got busier, but most of them seemed fairly content to visit Urban Outfitters next door instead. A gaggle of protestors then spread up and down Oxford Street, shutting Dorothy Perkins and BHS (both also part of Philip Green’s Arcadia empire) and revisiting Vodafone. In fact, just the threat of our arrival was enough to close most stores before we even got to them.

UK Uncut sinister pictures
Outside BHS. Photograph by Sinister Pictures.

As I was twittering through the protest I received a reply from a small fashion brand that has a concession in Topshop – But what about the independent labels that are losing business? – she said. I do think that if you get into bed with a corporate brand you can expect to experience the pitfalls as well as the bonuses, but our quibbles are obviously not with the independent designers who stock Topshop (and at any rate in this case she definitely supported us) or the workers in the store, who may well have lost income if we had blocked the entrances more effectively and they had been told to go home.

Abi Daker - Topshop protest 2010
One Woman Topshop protest 2010 by Abigail Daker.

Of course it is very hard to protest without some unwanted fallout, which is why I so love this inspiring one woman protest: whilst we were causing mayhem at Oxford Circus Bryony went along to her local Wandsworth Topshop equipped only with flyers and chocolate, and on the purchase of a Breton top politely explained that she would not be able to pay the VAT because she didn’t trust Philip Green to give it the HMRC. She handed out information to the other customers and chocolates to the confused employees as they tried to accommodate her request by calling head office. What a clever way to raise awareness in a totally calm and collected manner, but the real success has been in the telling of the story – which has been bouncing around on the #UKuncut hashtag, attracting glowing comments from others who may well be inspired to do the same.

UKuncut Topshop-amelia gregory outside

For naturally this story is far from over: the students are still revolting on the streets and UK Uncut have announced yet another day of action: this time I urge you to join them and protest against the greedy fat cat billionaires who are currently free to move the money we spend on their products out of this country and away from where it might be put to good use. On Saturday 18th December Topshop and Vodafone will be targeted in high streets across the UK. Find out all the details here.


Royal Birds by Lynn Hatzius. All images courtesy of Viktor Wynd Fine Art Inc.

There is no way to really describe what goes on at The Last Tuesday Society, help it simply has to be seen. In a word: it is spectacular. It beggars belief. You end up just LOOKING, overwhelmed by all this weird and wonderful stuff, no idea why you like it – only that you do.

I actually went to The Last Tuesday Society to see ‘Beasts Royal’, the art exhibition running until 8th January at the adjacent Victor Wynd Fine Art gallery – and I’ll get to that in a minute. But this place … ! When later that night I told a friend how amazing it was, she just looked horrified – because there’s a lot of taxidermy. Dead, stuffed animals feature heavily. But this is why this place needs to be seen, because there is something incredible and spell-binding about it. I don’t know, maybe I’m the odd one for not finding the silent, staring animals horrifying. After all, I was raised by people who thought nothing of letting their five-year-old help scraping meat off the elk bones after the annual hunt. (‘That’s right darling, toss it in the mince bucket.’)


Bowerbird by Natasha Chambers

So what IS all this wonderful stuff then? Well, there are butterflies. And lots of prints and pictures. Animal skeletons, and some old human skulls which look real. It’s a little bit like the Sir John Soane’s museum in Holborn, but it’s more random than that. There is a pack of playing cards with naked transsexuals, a golliwog orchestra, rusty keys, seashells, toys and two-headed cuddly bears. There are books too: ‘Dial “O” for Orgy’, ‘The Virgin Soldiers’ and something called ‘The Cunt Colouring Book’. I reached out for the latter to see if it’s what it sounded like … oh my. Ladies, you might need a hand mirror to get the shading right.


The Fool by EC Woodard

Back upstairs in the gallery, the taxidermy theme runs strongly through the ‘Beasts Royal’ exhibition too. This isn’t usually the case, says ‘majordomo’ Patrick Knill, as the show changes several times a year. The art, mostly one-off pieces curated by Alice Herrick, is themed around animals and nature. The works are shown in the midst of a jungle of animals – there’s a parrot, a fox, some sort of small camel, a lion, a spotted creature I think may be a hyena, and a full-sized polar bear raised on two legs. There are some amazing little cabinets on display too, including a dressed-up frog reading Dickens, and a priceless setting of eight squirrels playing cards.


Fox Doorknocker by Jen Franklin

‘What you see in the gallery, we exhibit the things we do because we like it,’ says Knill. ‘We’re not a gallery for hire. We will put on artists that we like.’ While it’s not the case at the moment, the idea is for the gallery to look different from the rest of the space. This would have been the case with previous exhibitions, such as the one with photographer Lina Scheynius.

So what do people say when they come into the shop, I ask. ‘Well, sometimes people stay for 15 seconds and then they leave again,’ laughs Patrick. ‘Some people have a fear of certain animals, so if you are scared of butterflies you won’t last long.’ He points out that most of the taxidermy is antique, and in cases where it isn’t, the animals were culled for reasons such as pest-control.


By Andy Harper

The shop and gallery on Mare Street, randomly located between a closed-down pub and a loan shop in spitting distance of the strip joints on Hackney Road, are actually the latest additions to the many activities of The Last Tuesday Society. The group is probably better known for its club nights and hosted lectures, but by this point I’m too overwhelmed to remember to ask Patrick about this. Instead I crouch down to look at all the strange and wonderful things for sale in this ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. An exorcism doll believed to contain souls from previous sessions, mechanical wind-up toys, an elegant box of yes, you read right, these are ‘chocolate anuses modelled from life’. There’s lots of jewellery – ice cream cones, claws, spiders, and … are those teeth?! I lean further into the cabinet, digging for treasure. All the while I’m being watched by a giant bat, a dog with wings, and all the great beasts of the savanna.


By Lynn Hatzius

Visit The Last Tuesday Society and the Victor Wynd Fine Art gallery on 11 Mare Street, London E8. See the website for opening hours. ‘Beasts Royal’ runs until 28th January.

Categories ,Andy Harper, ,EC Woodard, ,hackney, ,Jen Franklin, ,Lina Scheynius, ,london, ,Lynn Hatzius, ,Natasha Chambers, ,Patrick Knill, ,Sir John Soane’s museum, ,Taxidermy, ,The Last Tuesday Society, ,Victor Wynd Fine Art Inc

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Amelia’s Magazine | Art of discovery: An interview with illustrator Lynn Hatzius

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, visit another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, and oh how I used to poo poo this show, but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
‘The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville’ Illustration by Abigail Daker.

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, capsule another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, ambulance and oh how I used to poo poo this show, seek but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, buy information pills another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, pilule and oh how I used to poo poo this show, site but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, generic another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, viagra approved and oh how I used to poo poo this show, viagra approved but somehow, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a bit of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, though, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.
Wagner by Karina Yarv
Wagner by Karina Yarv.

Another year, viagra dosage another X Factor out of the way. I went through a period of not watching any telly at all, and oh how I used to poo poo this show, but then, in 2009 I got sucked in. It was the only break I used to allow myself as I was creating my first book Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration – a bit of enjoyably vacuous pop culture on a plate. And it was then that I discovered the joy of X Factor watched with my twitter stream open. Trying to think of the bitchiest tweets as fast as possible has now become a something of a national sport, and I thoroughly recommend you do both at the same time once the whole bloody thing rolls around again next year.

X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J'Aton Couture by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Dannii Minogue wearing J’Aton Couture by Krister Selin

As for the final outcome? I couldn’t stand Cher Lloyd’s sneery face but thought her final effort was at least IN TUNE, whilst even on the same note the One Direction cuties struggled (harmonies, what are they?) I loved Rebecca Ferguson’s voice until it started to grate on my nerves, as did the fact that she could not move, even singing the danciest of songs. I quite enjoyed some of Matt Cardle’s songs, but he was clearly not on form during the last few weeks. All in all, as could be predicted, I’ve heard better singers at small indie gigs.

My fave live performance by Matt:
YouTube Preview Image

What really grabs the audience is of course the whole spectacle – the cliched dramatisations of the contestant’s back stories, the ridiculously over the top stage effects and the outrageously expensive outfits and stupendous styling choices of the judges and contestants. Here, then, is a chance to revel in the sheer glory of the X Factor experience, as seen through illustrators’ eyes.

Abi Daker Cher Lloyd
The Lovechild of Jordan, Minnie Mouse and Jimmy Saville. Illustration by Abigail Daker.

Gareth A Hopkins Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd by Gareth A Hopkins.

jenny robins - amelias magazine -  x factor
Illustration by Jenny Robins.

Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv
Katie Waissel by Karina Yarv

Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore
Cher Lloyd by Antaya Lendore

GarethAHopkins Wagbo
Wagbo (a character from Harry Hill’s TV Burp that was supposedly the love child of Wagner and Tesco Mary) by Gareth A Hopkins

X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin
X-Factor_Rebecca Ferguson wearing Lisa Marie Fernandez by Krister Selin

xfactor wagner by elliott quince
Wagner by Elliott Quince.

Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore
Cheryl Cole by Antaya Lendore.

High-Vis

An octopus with a cake hat, capsule holding a cigar, viagra 40mg a clarinet, rx a bicycle and a picnic basket while looking at you with a ‘so what’ expression. Next image – two birds with boys’ heads flying with an umbrella amongst the clouds. Then – a sailor with jumping jack doll-joints, holding hands with a mermaid. You get the picture? Welcome to the world of Lynn Hatzius.

With degrees in illustration and printmaking under her belt, London-based Lynn works as a freelance artist for publishers, record labels, magazines and newspapers. I first stumbled upon Lynn’s fascinating human-slash-animal figures at The Last Tuesday Society, where she is taking part in the ‘Beasts Royal’ art exhibition until 28th January (read our review of this wonderful place here). Later, looking through the gallery on Lynn’s website, I quickly found myself having one ‘wow’ experience after another. The work is quirky without being cutesy, and beautiful with a dark undercurrent. Looking at Lynn’s work means making a string of discoveries, with the seemingly neverending flow of the most randomly put-together imagery. Someone get this lady a solo show, please?


Royal Lady

You frequently mix human and animal forms in your work. Where does this come from?
With my collages, the significance lies with the process of discovery. It is almost as if these creatures pre-exist, simply waiting to come alive through my act of selecting, shifting and finally fixing a composition down. In extracting elements from different sources that catch my attention, humans take on new and surprising characters and animals are given human traits and expressions, sometimes humorous, other times maybe a little disturbing.

Could you tell us a little about your work process – how do you build up an illustration?
Working with illustration is quite different to working on my personal collage pieces. An illustration brief will give me a conceptual framework, meaning the piece is not left to chance. This is why I usually use the digital medium when working on a commissioned illustration, as this makes changes much easier. I will scan in material from my vast collection of printed papers, books, maps, magazines and old photographs, or search the internet for related imagery. I cut and paste elements in a similar way to working with a scalpel or scissors, but with the advantage of being able to reverse an action and alter an illustration to fit certain requirements.


Adem

Your portfolio has illustrations, collages and prints – which is your preferred medium?
Collage and printmaking both open up the possibility of chance encounters and the happy accidents I so enjoy. I am fascinated by the thought of taking a given structure, shaking it up and letting the pieces take on a new life and reveal hidden meaning. The recycling and mixing of materials in the collage process is similar to the way I work in print. I will mix different print processes, use found scraps to print from and let the magic moment of the ink transferring to paper surprise me with an often unexpected result. Printmaking lets me reuse elements and produce multiples, whereas a collage will always be an original, which I can often be rather precious about.


Self-portrait

Your work is full of clever little details. Where do you draw inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from the material I use – books, manuals, magazines and found printed papers. The juxtaposition of disparate elements, and the joining of entirely different subject matters, seems to hold the key to a neverending number of new images. I work in a very playful and spontaneous way on my collages, it is like solving a puzzle. The separate pieces get shifted until a certain combination startles me, and a new figure is revealed.

Sometimes your work feels a bit sinister (in a good way) – casually so with the bolted-together body parts, but with the monster pieces it looks more deliberate. Is it?
I guess I am attracted to the unusual, the uncanny, to combinations that might seem strange at first. This wanting to be surprised or startled is part of my working process. With projects such as the ‘Monsters’ playing cards it is quite different. The work needs to follow certain guidelines and a preconceived idea, which narrows down the possible scope of an image. While this way of working sometimes feels a bit contrived, I enjoy having to limit myself to certain restrictions and channel an image towards a purpose. If it is a commissioned piece, working with a good art director can push my work towards new approaches I wouldn’t naturally choose.


Monsters playing cards

Why did you become an artist? What do you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out?
I don’t think being creative is a choice. I always felt it chose me and I did my best to make it happen. I would say you need to be honest and true to yourself and don’t ask too many questions, just do, make, create and if you’re focused and want it badly, I believe things work out.

Your work has been in The Guardian, and you have several well-known magazines and publishing houses on your client list. How did you build up this network?
Having studied illustration, rather than fine art, meant my mind was set on finding a way of applying my work to a commercial use. After I left the course I eagerly visited some publishers to present my portfolio. My focus on book cover design has taken several years to establish. While it is important to send regular mail-outs to remind clients of your work, building a network through friends has helped me significantly along the way. Over the years I found that allowing time for my personal work alongside illustration projects has given me a good balance, mainly in that I panic less about not finding jobs all the time. My work as a collage artist has grown more important to me since doing an MA in printmaking. I view this side of my career separately to the illustration work in the sense that it is less pressurised through deadlines and restrictions.


Book cover: Shalimar the Clown (Salman Rushdie, Vintage Books). All images courtesy of Lynn Hatzius.

You are part of the Monsters illustration collective. Tell us a little about this please.
I joined the Monsters shortly after finishing my studies. We try to work a little like an agency. We send mail-outs together, keep a joint website and a group portfolio. The idea is that we represent each other and share costs of promotion material. We try to meet once a month and keep each other up to date on our personal progress. The advantage of being part of a collective is that you share a network of contacts and feed off each others’ experiences.

What do you do when you are not making art?
I rummage through charity shops and enjoy going to flee markets, always on the hunt for used cheap books and other ephemera, old frames and unusual bits and pieces. I love the outdoors and coming home to cook some delicious food. Taking care of the plants on my tiny balcony or checking on my fish gives me regular welcoming breaks when I work from my studio at home. And of course travelling, which I can fit nicely around work as a freelancer.

See more of Lynn Hatzius’ work on her website, or look at her ‘Oh so special’ invites venture here. You can also follow her on her blog.

Categories ,Beasts Royal, ,collages, ,illustration, ,Lynn Hatzius, ,Monsters Illustration, ,printmaking, ,The Guardian, ,The Last Tuesday Society

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