Glen Millington

"I'm a graphic designer and digital artist but feel to be a better designer I need to have experience or an understanding of illustration and photography techniques as they are, I believe, intrinsically linked.

"Digital art can be undervalued and misunderstood; some people feel that as it is made using a computer that it's made by the computer. The work I produce often has hand drawn elements which are scanned in, then manipulated or I use a drawing tablet – a replacement for a mouse, which is the nearest thing available to actually drawing directly on to a computer. I see a computer as simply another medium that still requires the knowledge and experience that traditional illustration, design, art and photography need. Digital work is also often thought of as cheap as any number can be printed easily, so I limit each piece of work to 50 prints."
The triptych, 'Glamorising War and Violence' was originally intended as illustrations for t-shirts but stands alone as prints.

'Hip hop culture' was created for the background of a poster for a music festival; this is a reworking of the original illustration. 'Bent keyboard' is an illustration that was created for a digital tutorial explaining the process of 'circuit bending' or modifying electronic musical instruments.


www.pictographik.co.uk
pictographik@googlemail.com

Dale Simpson

I have always had a passion for drawing, which led me to a degree in illustration in 2006. I use a wide range of media to create my images, pen and ink, printmaking painting and collage. The main influence for my work is the forever evolving culture that we live in and the way it is expressed in media and art. I have produced work for Derby Social Services and I was recently commissioned to do illustrations for the front covers of the first two Tripod magazines produced by Fox graphics. I am a keen artist as well as an illustrator and have had artwork exhibited in various exhibitions.

www.dalesimpsonillustrator.co.uk
ardaghstudio21@yahoo.co.uk

Nicki Bennett

The origin of my work comes from a love of drawing life around me, capturing fleeting moments of the passer-by going about their daily lives and routines. My work evolves through a series of stages transforming the rough sketches into distinctive collagraph prints with rich velvety tones contrasting with fine drypoint lines. To satisfy my own curiosity I constantly seek for information and inspiration by researching subjects and gathering ephemera. I endeavour to create of something where the viewer becomes involved and curious. The plate from which the images are printed from is re-used and re-worked in a final voyage of experimentation until each image is finally exhausted.

Charlotte Salomon’s ‘Life or Theatre?’ in which the text and pictures are read like a diary and ‘The Diary of Frida Kahlo’ both play an active role in influencing my work particularly the narrative and sequential elements.

For my series of Healthy Eating illustrations, from which the ones on show are part of, I created a storyboard about the journey of one person struggling with the psychological aspects of food and diet. The central character, a girl who opts for an idyllic countryside life, falls into the comfort zone of junk foods, online shopping and the consequential health problem. Through a stomach operation preventing weight gain and with wired teeth, the change for a better lifestyle begins. She grows her own organic produce, exercises and uses eating as an enjoyable social experience.

Prizes and Awards
2006 Tony Wilkinson Award,Thoresby Open
2006 Daler and Rowney Award, Patchings Open
2005 Solo Exhibition Prize, Nottingham Annual Open
2005 St Cuthberts Award, Patchings Open
2004 East Midlands Contemporary Art Award, Thoresby Open
Solo Exhibitions
2006/7 New Collagraphs, Nottingham Castle, South Hall Gallery
2006 The Earth Makes Food, Makes You, Soul, Derby
November 1st - 30 2008 New Work, Derby Cathedral Centre, Iron Gate, Derby
www.nickidennett.co.uk info@nickidennett.co.uk 01332 590163 07944028880

Caroline Pratt

As a Leeds based printmaker and illustrator I have in the past worked with screen print and various intaglio processes to create designs for different projects, but my current work uses hand carved lino blocks combined with cut and collaged vintage papers and the drawn line.

Influenced by my interest in 1960s illustration and 1950s domestic textile design, these prints explore visual narrative through images inspired by the English countryside - in particular birdlife - and by combining quirky characters with stylised motifs I create conversation prints with a sense of fun - exploring the interaction between different motifs with a delicate sense of colour.

Kate Smith

‘Just Curly’
‘I wish to make someone smile for a moment!’

Award winning freelance Illustrator/Designer, with over 10 years experience working for Orchard Toys, a children’s toy manufacturing company. There I illustrated and designed jigsaws, games, activities and craft packs for well known high street names such as Early Learning Centre, Boots, Mothercare and many others!

My greatest achievement while at Orchard Toys was receiving a Practical Pre-School Gold Award, for a game concept of mine: ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ After chatting to a friend, who commented that my illustrations were worthy of a frame, I’m pleased to present ‘Just Curly’, my very first framed print – how exciting!

Bethan Matthews

Studied at Design and Illustration at Lincoln College of Art and Cambridge College of Art and Technology from 1986 to 1990.


She specialises in children’s illustrations and works mainly with educational publishers. Bethan uses pen and ink with watercolour, gouache and coloured pencil. The illustrations exhibited are from a personal project entitled ‘Dora the Dancer’.

She has illustrated artwork for authors such as Jacqueline Wilson, Judy Bloom and Terence Dicks. Bethan’s work is published by Macmillan Press. Bethan Matthews is represented by the Slyvie Poggio Artist Agency.

Juliet May

Our Fantasy Life.

This work is unashamedly feminine. Its decorative embellishments and folk art type characters are used as ambiguous representatives of sexual desire, the need to escape or ownership. The pattern is not regular or meticulous but is instinctive, often joyful and is a natural response to the challenges of blank paper.

Juliet May is a painter, Co-Director of Touring Art Projects, an experienced art educator and community based artist.