This weeks feature is with Lizzie, a UK based illustrator, who works with mixed media collage, and drawing, which she collates digitally. Her favourite themes to work on are the environment, animals and sustainability.
She graduated from Kingston University studying Illustration Animation, and has been making work since - through commissions and workshops.
Lizzie is also the co-founder and co-editor of Seed Magazine - a Magazine for kids who care about the environment.
Your prints are so bold and beautiful, and there seems to be a running theme of florals? Does this stem from your love of nature and the environment? What inspires your prints?
It certainly does! I’m hugely inspired by nature and the environment, and want to use my illustration as a tool to help spread awareness of what’s happening to our planet. I believe that comes from the small things though - relating it to the little things around us in our lives.
do you have a favorite flower?
Probably a daffodil! It’s like a small trumpet announcing the arrival of Spring, and good things to come :)
Can you tell us about how you developed your visual style, and how it has evolved over time?
I’ve always loved collage and photomontage. This developed alongside my drawing and I began combining mixed media.
So you are an advocate for sustainability and looking after the environment? Have you always had an interest in these (hugely important) topics? And how do you incorporate this passion into your artwork?
I’ve always loved animals - throughout primary and secondary school I would set up animal advocate groups, and it was once I got to Uni I became more aware of the climate crisis and realised I wanted to do something. I want my work to remind people of how beautiful nature is, so they feel the urge to protect it.
I want my work to remind people of how beautiful nature is, so they feel the urge to protect it.
I am a huge admirer of your work and the ethos behind it all ! Do you ever have to turn down work that doesn’t fall under your values?
Thank you so much! I haven’t as yet - but it’s certainly something I would consider if I was approached for a job that felt like it was ‘greenwashing’. It’s so important to be aware of how companies try and jump on the ‘green’ bandwagon, but are they really implementing important changes ? Most of the time - sadly not!
So, Seed Magazeen!!! I LOVE it! Can you tell us about the magazine and how it came about?
I co-founded Seed Magazeen with Jack Snelling in August 2019. It came off the back of all the amazing school climate strikes happening that year - we were so impressed and proud of how many children stood up for something so important, but saddened that adults were letting them down. We felt it was strange there wasn’t a magazine for children about the environment, so just decided to set one up ourselves!
Very scary! The usual feelings of worrying if anyone would care or if our writing and illustration targeted the 4-7 year age group. We launched Seed with a series of workshops, and the children loved it! This gave us the boost we need to keep going with future issues
We launched Seed with a series of workshops, and the children loved it! This gave us the boost we need to keep going with future issues
Social media can be a great place for promoting awareness to climate change and sustainability. Do you think that social media is positively helping with working towards a better, more sustainable future?
I think it is helping, as a lot of news doesn’t reach the mainstream media. Social media helps spread information. On the other end though, being bombarded with SO much information can be unhelpful with climate anxiety, so I think with social media in general, don’t let it overwhelm you
I think with social media in general, don’t let it overwhelm you
Who are your biggest inspirations?
There’s so many! George Monbiot and Isabella Tree - both are big advocates for rewilding, something I feel very passionate about. In terms of artists; Fredun Shapur, Edward Bawden. More contemporary illustrators; Nicholas Stevenson and Hatty Staniforth - for their playfulness in a very serious world
Lastly, what would you like to achieve in the next 3 years?
So many things (haha!) but most of all to have helped widen the conversation about our environment - through my illustration,, in workshops, talks, events, etc. And to have a dog :)
