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4SERIES 11/1 GINA RILEY – GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION GRADUATE

Submitted by taieseid on 27 November 2016 - 12:07am

 

Welcome to the first edition of our recent graduate series. In a series of special posts each month we ask 4 graduates from various arts & creative degrees about their work and life post degree. Today, Gina Riley, Graphic Design and Illustration Graduate.

 

Tell us about yourself, your medium and the main focus of your practise?

I’m a recent Graphic Design & Illustration graduate from Liverpool John Moores and lately I relocated back to Bradford, West Yorkshire. I prefer to describe myself as an experimental illustrator, I think trial and error is at the forefront of my practice and is pretty engaging for most people. Some say it’s confrontational but I really like that aspect of my work and evoking a strong response. I primarily work in mixed media, drawing tonnes, photographing everything and collect things on a daily basis. At the moment I have a real interest in popular culture, identity and mortality. Tonnes of things inform my work, from the current media, film, horror and literature to medical practices alongside a pretty keen interest in taxidermy. 

 

 

What have you been doing since graduation - where could we have seen your work, what projects you've been working on and how you're finding life as a grad?

Mainly trying to balance adult life. I’ve picked up some freelance work, I’m still running my online shop and I have a regular job that pays the bills. I’m taking time to figure out my next step and I’ve realised that’s totally okay. I’m actively looking into doing an MA but it’s something I’m not rushing myself into. I have work up in a few places, you can find some at; The Arts Club and Frederiks in Liverpool, and Takk in Manchester.

 

I think it’s really important to keep the ball rolling. Not only is it cathartic on a personal level but I think I’ve discovered it’s the only way to make my work move forward. I’ve been working on a portrait series around popular culture that follows a similar process to some of my previous work but the focus is on people that inspire me and feel relevant right now- just to get me painting really. It’s also examining identity and the ways in which we digest visual content and the media, playing and distorting the types of images consumers are accustomed to.

 

 

What's next, what've you got in the pipeline, what new things are you working on?

Maintaining and updating my online shop is a pretty exciting notion, I’m releasing more zines and self publishing soon. The last I called ’Scabby Gal’ addressed dermatilomania and mental health, I find being involved with that kind of community is refreshing and a great way to get your stuff out there alongside addressing a tonne of subjects in a creative way.

 

I want to take on another literary based project, illustrating The Passion of New Eve by Angela Carter would be a dream- it’s my favourite dystopian novel and a big task to take on but I feel it’s the kind of subject matter that will challenge me, much like when I illustrated Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse. I guess I like pushing boundaries.

 

I’m looking into relocating again, maybe testing the water in an entirely different city. I’d love to be involved in art residencies and taking part in some upcoming exhibitions but it’s only been four months since leaving full time education and a really hectic lifestyle. Being a graduate can be hard but I like to look at it as an exciting time of my life, who knows what will happen next? All I do know is I’ll make and take opportunities as and when I can and giving up has never been on the agenda. You’ll be seeing more of me in no time.

 

 

FOR MORE OF GINA’S WORK CHECK OUT ginariley.com