This month’s cover artist Eleanor Youdell shares her journey as an artist, her tips for being creative, and the concept behind her cover art.
Tell us a little about yourself…
I’m Eleanor, a Mancunian who's lived in Nottingham for the last 25 years, so hopefully that qualifies me to be in LeftLion! I’m married to a local, have two kids, and work for addiction recovery charity Double Impact. I feel very much in the ‘messy middle’ of life, with lots of demands on my time, so carving out a creative path for myself in the midst of this is challenging, but (sort of) keeps me sane!
What is the story behind the cover?
The cover illustration is a celebration of the magic of the Christmas market in Nottingham. I love quirky details in pictures, and the replica scene inside the snowglobe, which could continue on into infinity, is a nod to Christmas stretching far back into the past and future. Most of my work is 3D and plays with layers and depth, so I’ve done my best to create a layered effect in the cover.
What inspires you as an artist?
More recently, I’ve taken time to reconnect with what truly inspires me and what I most want to create. I’m naturally drawn to small-scale, highly detailed work – objects that can be held, explored, and really appreciated up close. I love things that have been unexpectedly transformed into art, and I aim to capture that same feeling using paper – to create tiny sculptures and scenes.
I want each piece to delight and surprise, inviting people to lean in, look closer, and discover that sense of wonder for a few moments. I'm working on turning some of these into craft kits, so people can discover this magic for themselves.
Tell us about some things you’ve worked on in the past…
My creative path has been very stop-and-start; probably the best thing about it is that I've never given up on it! My first love is children’s book illustrations, and over the years I’ve written and illustrated a few of these, although not been published. I re-wrote my favourite of these as a novel and I'd like to think one day I’ll find a way to get it out there.
I worked for several years with a wonderful local artist, Carol Crowe, developing community arts programmes which made art workshops and cultural venues in Nottingham more accessible and welcoming for people in recovery and other diverse groups, which was a fantastic experience. I've studied fine art at Nottingham Uni as an adult learner, and also taught myself digital art techniques which led to an Etsy shop celebrating sober living, called The Sober Frootcake.
Do you have any tricks for getting started and staying inspired as a creative?
I would say to anyone who is embarking on, or taking up a creative path again – don’t wait until you think you’re ready! - my biggest takeaway from a fantastic online course I took last year.
Don’t get too bogged down trying to identify your particular 'style' – just start doing it and this will develop over time. It’s finally dawned on me (hopefully not too late) that I don’t have time to sit back and wait to be discovered, or attain the level of skill that I believe makes me worthy of trying.
There are lots of visible and accessible paths now open for creatives, but you still need to be brave and push yourself out there in small ways.
If you could sit down and chat with any artist in your field, who would it be and what would you talk about?
There are some really incredible artists making 3D work whom I follow on Instagram. I would probably most like to sit down with Alley McGlynn, as it was one of her tunnel books which inspired me to try creating my own, and I was hooked! I’d ask her for some tips on preventing my fingers from going numb when cutting out intricate details, and also some paper engineering tips to take my illustrations to the next level.
Is there anything else you would like to tell LeftLion readers?
I’ve become much more aware of the rich array of makers’ markets and outlets which continue to spring up here in Nottingham and across the county – one of my aims for next year is to be a stallholder myself, and I’m committed to shopping independently this Christmas! Also, I wish everyone a magical and peaceful Christmas.
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