Visual Poetry with Beau Wylie Illustration
S: A bubble blowing elephant, fruit loops and lions hugging zebras – where does your inspiration come from?
B: For me, there isn’t a place or book that’s a wellspring of ideas, so I keep a sketchbook on me all the time and make messy drawings. Sometimes an idea pops up in front of me, complete, simple, charming, but most of the time its just tiny fragments like a phrase, or a gesture I just sketch it quickly and revisit it later. I try to be as opportunistic as I can, I take what I have around me and smoosh it together, its great to have a plan but its even better to be surprised and excited, so when a work isn’t going to plan I try not to see it as a mistake, I run with it and often I end up with something totally new and much better. If everything went to plan all the time id be terribly disappointed.
B: On weekends you’ll find me at Paddington Markets in Sydney, or in my studio drawing. I don’t have a traditional “work” week, but when I do relax I love to read, ride my bike or play netball.
S: Your most watched movie is (and why):
B: Has to be “The Princess Bride”. I had it on VHS when I was a little person and watched it till the tape was almost completely worn out. It is just the most charming and hilarious thing ever.
B: Whenever I’m at a market selling my work, everyone is absolutely lovely to me so its hard to pick a favourite. When children get excited about my work, and want everything, that’s hard to top but also when an artist whose work blows me away comes and buys a piece, there are no words, I couldn’t be happier.
S: What is your ultimate breakfast?
B: Smoked salmon, corn fritters, avocado and poached eggs!
S: Favourite holiday/vacation destination?
B: I love the snow and cold, I think I was mistakenly born in the wrong climate. I get excited when jumper weather comes along. I love the chilly, icy air when I’m trudging through the thick fresh snow. When I’m snowboarding down a mountain I like to stop halfway, somewhere isolated, sit on my bum and drift away: the views, the cold, the overwhelming whiteness and the paradox that I feel so welcome and comfortable, in a place that will kill me if I stay too long. I love it.
S: What is the best meal you have had in Melbourne?
B: Years and year ago I had a mushroom pie at a place called “THE VEGIE BAR”. I still think about it all-the-time. I’ve been back there every time I’m in Melbourne in fact and asked after it but it must have been a one-off special, because they look at me like I’m mad. I describe it, “It had juicy thick peppery sauce, plump whole mushrooms, carrots, celery and mash on the side?”, they get impatient so I order something else. Maybe I am a bit pie mad and made the whole thing up, I have pie dreams fairly often, I really like pies.
S: Advice for aspiring illustrators?
B:
