Angus Vasili is a renowned artist known for his architectural and abstract-infused silkscreen prints where he weaves together screen-printing, photography and hand-finished texture. He describes his work as “loose and intuitive” which results in a raw and dynamic contemporary aesthetic. As the viewer, you are invited to be empowered to create your own definition and experience of the art which is often inspired by urban decay; particularly within posters and billboards. The juxtaposition of finding a more traditional beauty from a non-traditional starting point of urban decay is the driving force behind Vasili’s art.

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What makes you happy about art: ‘Pushing and exploring the boundaries of the print process brings great joy allowing my practice to be continually evolving."

Anna Marrow is an image maker, illustrator and print maker who is often inspired by Victorian and brutalist architecture. Birds also feature heavily in her works. Her main concerns are detail, specific drawing, surprising colour, composition, and believable story telling. Anna works with household paints, biros, fine liners, pencil crayons and screen print. Most of her prints begin as biro and ink drawings which are then developed into collages and later become screen prints. She believes that drawing by hand is ever-important, particularly within our fast-paced, digital age. 

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Fun fact: ‘I never draw at a desk; I always draw on the floor like I have done since I was a kid.’ 

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Assia Bennani is a Moroccan contemporary painter who celebrates diversity through her semi-figurative paintings and sees her art as a place where cultures, traditions and innovations can find each other. Assia creates visual bridges between different realities, cultures and time frames. She uses mostly acrylic paint but also enjoys other medium such as ink, gouache and oil paint. 

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What makes you happy about art: ‘Art provides an incredible space for personal growth. It teaches us to understand ourselves, to challenge our beliefs and outgrow them, and then when we are lucky, to connect with others on a deeper level.’

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Check out Assia's other piece here

Cassandra Yap’s photomontage half-tone style explores the juxtaposition of beauty and dark subjects. Her unapologetically bold artworks are simultaneously dark and humorous. Her work is often inspired by pin-ups and vintage erotica but with a modern twist. 

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What makes you happy about art: 'I love how art awakens our curiosity and liberates us from the humdrum of everyday life.'

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Check out Cassandra's other piece here

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Drawn to colour and form, artist Cherry McAlister originally trained as an architect before turning her creative eye to art. Her works are abstract, collaged paintings which portray the haziness of childhood memories which resurface as you navigate your way through motherhood yourself. Cherry’s work reflects ‘the softening of her sense of self, dissolving the imprint of inherited emotions.

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Fun fact: 'My child attends a forest school, and our daily journeys allow us to observe the barely noticeable transitions from season to season that many of us take for granted. We look together for colour combinations, collecting them and feeding them back into my work.'

Claire Halifax is a multi-disciplinary artist who is influenced by her everyday environment and focuses on creating artworks which encapsulate cityscapes, landscapes, botanicals and animals. Within each piece of work, design, pattern and colour play an important part. These striking colour additions add depth and decoration to create a unique overall effect. 

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Proudest moment: ‘As a long-time fan, having my artwork on the cover of Elle Decoration was a proud and full circle moment.’

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Check out Clare's other piece here

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Craig Kennan is a photographer and printmaker specialising in cyanotypes. Craig creates a depth and richness in colour in the cyanotype process as well as including gestural brush strokes and mark-making. His work sits between painting, photography and printmaking. Despite having other creative outlets, he has become synonymous with this unpredictable but striking medium.

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Proudest moment: 'My proudest moment as an artist would probably be the realisation that I could do what I love full time and survive! '

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Check out Craig's other piece here

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David Newton is an illustrator and printmaker who builds his images by hand- with no computers! He cuts and draws with pens and pencils and then montages and tapes the different elements to tracing paper before exposing this directly to a screen to screen-print. His prints celebrate colour and shape; the more clashing colours the merrier. David enjoys getting his hands dirty in the studio and celebrates screen printing as an art form and making beautiful mistakes. His inspiration comes from observational drawings of the real world which then transpire into imaginative and creative artworks.

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Fun fact: ‘I love Bread, beams of light, brollies, and birds with big beaks....’ 

Born and raised in Peru but based in London since 2010, Diego has been working with words for more than 20 years as a journalist, advertising copywriter, short stories writer and printmaker. His prints are comedy driven because, as an Arsenal supporter, he has a dry sense of humour. Diego only makes editions of 19 of each of his print work. He doesn’t know why. 

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Fun fact: ‘I only do editions of 19 prints. I laugh hard when I’m in pain.’

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Emma is a contemporary hand embroidery artist with a particular focus on landscape art. Her creative process draws inspiration from her day job as a news reporter. The rhythmic and meditative nature of embroidery serves as a cathartic release, allowing her to process the intensity and challenges she encounters while reporting. In turn, the places she experiences during her work become a wellspring of ideas and inspiration for her embroidery pieces.
What makes you happy about art: ‘Embroidery! It’s a slow, meditative process and I can sew for hours fixated on a single colour or section, then step back and see places and memories emerging from thread.’

Ewan Taylor aka RedBellyBoy is a filmmaker and artist whose work incorporates eye-catching colours and bold  lettering as part of an overall intricate design. Ewan draws inspiration from pop culture, film, graphic design, music and tries to include as much of this, along with his humour, within his artwork. Last year, his work was exhibited as part of the RA Summer show and this year he joins us!

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Fun fact: When I was 10 i lived in Brazil for a year and got bitten on the face by a monkey - twice! 

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Fran Giffard produces ornithology-inspired artwork; working directly onto her personal Moleskine diaries using watercolour, ink, gouache and graphite pencil. She aims to capture the wonder of exotic and more commonplace birds which results in a vivid collection of work with an intriguing personal slant. Fran has long been captivated by the intricate beauty of natural illustrations.

Fun fact: ‘I am a Blue Peter Badge Winner for a drawing of birds I did when I was nine.’

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Check out Fran's other piece here