The Face Behind the Flyer #0923
This year we are introducing a new tradition, working with members of The Little Makers Market family, to design custom flyers to shout about the events. This benefits us with beautiful marketing but also, helps us celebrate the incredible talent within our community.
Artist flyers have quickly become one of my favourite parts of running The Little Makers Markets. It’s such an honour every month to be able to work with such talented individuals to create new marketing materials to share digitally & locally! Being able to see their processes unfold, and learning more about them as people, as well as creative, is truly inspiring.
Putting this blog together was so much fun! I felt like I was in a trance-like state. Emily’s enchanting storytelling describing her work and processes was like a nostalgic bedtime novel. This beautiful mythological design is the second flyer created for us by Emily. With dashes of cheeky (in more ways than one) character, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Read more about Emily and her creative process below
What was your inspiration behind the design?
Early one summer morning I was fiddling with my stand at Clare Priory Craft Fair, the night before I'd been worried that the monks would come down for dinner, get offended by my illustration of a naked lady and I'd be kicked off the premises. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't hidden it in my cash tin, and unlocked it again the next day because that was the moment that I met Jasmine. We bonded over bottoms, who doesn't? And a friendship was born. In honor of that magic moment I wanted to fill the September flyer with nudity, and as it's a month famous for 'back to school' I thought I'd better make it educational as well. Zeus, Artemis, Hermes, Aphrodite, and Apollo, an excellent ancient team to stir up excitement and bring people along on 2nd September.
Approximately how long did it take you?
The design took me a few days to complete, but as I work in watercolour I like to do other things while I'm waiting for the paint to dry. A genuine problem I've had to learn to get around over the years. The idea took me longer, most of my work is based on narrative so I don't usually sit down to start before the story is complete in my head.
What’s your usual source of inspiration?
Inspiration comes from people, the stories they make in their lives and all the strange things that make them individuals. A couple of weekends ago I visited Charleston, the famous farmhouse of the Bloomsbury group where the walls and furniture are covered with paintings and the garden is full of the flowers they filled their paintings with, then the week after I went to The Red House, home of Benjamin Britten the composer. He entertained the Queen Mother in his drawing room, but I was most interested in his biscuit tin. It was right there on the shelf next to the monopoly box and Stienway piano. This weekend I'm off to Kettles Yard to nose my way into another house that isn't mine. People are very funny, all just as normal as each other, and that's very inspiring.
How long have you been making?
I've been working for myself since 2016, but I think I'm the same as all makers... making all my life. Right now my work is heading in a new direction and I'm really looking forward to creating more textile products, filled with all the concepts I've been investigating over the last couple of years.
How did you do it?
This time I've gone for a mixture of watercolour painting, mixed with pencil drawing, a bit of texture marks and layer transparency on photoshop, and cutting and sticking of collage letters.
Describe your work?
My work is always full of things to talk about. I love the idea of conversational print, whether that's a print for fashion, or a flyer design, I live for creating things that make meaning wherever they go.
What’s your goal for 2023?
Excellent question! I have a few dreams on my list that I'd like to tick off. I can't say what they are, otherwise they won't follow through but I would really love to see my stationery collection in more shops, and one big name in particular. And a collaboration with a gallery/museum would be just lovely.
If you enjoyed reading about Emily and her work, why not check out her shop here or via Instagram at @emilybeatricemay