MEGAN ALEXANDER

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Megan Alexander is a talented Scottish designer and illustrator, with a background in textile and interior design. Working mainly with ink and watercolours allows her to capture fabric texture, as well as movement and create full of character and emotion illustrations. These mediums off er her an opportunity to be more fl uid and instinctive in her process, resulting in unexpected and intriguing artworks.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your work. Are you self-taught or did you go to uni? Where are you currently based?

I’m an Artist and Illustrator living in the beautiful Scottish Highlands with my husband and young family. I’m a textiles and surface design graduate from Grays School of Art in Aberdeen. In the years since graduating, I’ve worked in fashion retail, qualified and worked as a primary school teacher and continued to do private illustration commissions while raising my children. This past year, despite the pandemic, I’ve been at my most creative! My work has evolved a lot, I’ve worked hard and pushed myself in my technique and style, and I feel I'm finding my voice as a fashion artist.

Absolutely, I’ve been using a lot of watercolour, inks and gouache recently, a combination that I think is working for me just now. Developing my technique and skill set in these mediums is a main focus in my work at the moment. When warming up, I love to use inks and watercolour as I find it forces me to abandon

What inspires you and do you have a muse?

I'm inspired by so much! My mum is an artist and she has been an enormous influence on me in terms of pursuing my ambitions as an artist. Each week I’m inspired by the dynamic work of Janet and Matthew at Drawing Cabaret Couture. Their vision for creating theatrical concepts for live drawing classes is unreal. Becoming a patron of DCC has transformed my work over the past year and has provided an outlet for both self expression and self development in my practice as an artist. I love exploring the lines of the human form, facial expressions and appreciating the drapery and movement of clothing, and how each of these elements play a part for creating a piece of art. I’ve always been drawn by the lure and excitement of the fashion world and growing up I’d buy Vogue or Harper’s Bazarre with my pocket money! Designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Dior fuelled my enthusiasm for fashion as an art when I was young, and the Theatrical approach to fashion which they pioneered continues to inspire me today. This year I’ve spent some time reflecting on the influences that Art History has made into the world of fashion and into my own work, namely, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and Elsa Schiaparelli.

I work a lot in my sketchbook developing initial ideas, line work and technique. I used sketchbooks at Art School but it was something that I'd fallen away from doing. Since the pandemic, my sketchbook has become an important and useful part of my practice again. With a painting, I usually start with an initial sketch then build it up in layers starting with a light wash. Each layer adds depth and value, using inks and paints to determine details and highlights. I use a range of paintbrushes, currently favouring a tiny Daler Rowney brush I bought recently which I use for fine lines and detail. I also love to work with thick nibbed pens when using inks as I just love the free flow that appears...it’s a great way to warm up!

What is the piece of work you are most proud of?

A piece that has recently helped me find my voice as an artist and one I feel particularly proud of is a piece I recently submitted, and subsequently was selected for an exhibition, ‘The Hand That Paints The Village’. The painting was inspired by an 80 year old Czech woman, who has spent the last 30 years painting artwork on the exterior walls in her village, providing a beautiful setting for her community. I had enjoyed researching this piece and in turn I felt very inspired while working on it. I was totally immersed in the painting process and I felt that the piece demonstrated development of my drawing technique and style.

What is a piece of advice which you believe helped you establish yourself in the industry?

My parents demonstrated the benefi ts of commitment to what you want to achieve. Growing up, I could see my mum working at her craft as a painter and illustrator. She worked hard and pushed herself to make her ambitions possible while raising a family. I strive to do the same thing. It can be scary to put your work out into the world, especially with social media acting as such a powerful platform for both positive and negative feedback. However, I would say practice your craft, and then practice some more! Believe in what you’re putting out into the world and others will believe in you too!