From mythical creatures to animal transformations, artist Shelli Graham’s pencil crayon drawings certainly catch the viewer’s eye and capture their imagination.
The 27-year-old has been inspired to create images one would expect to see inside classic children’s books with images of spider princesses, flying cats and dancing rabbits amongst her elegantly created pieces.
And her artwork will now be adorning the walls of the opening exhibition at a new art gallery in Harborne.
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“It is exciting to be involved in the opening of a new art gallery in the area where I live and work,” says Shelli, who is based in the suburb.
The Home Is Where The Art Is exhibition is part of the new Harborne Art Gallery, located inside Frametec on Greenfield Road. It provokes viewers into considering what and where they think their home is.
From this week, Shelli’s drawings will be featured alongside digital artwork by local artist Jan Bowman and silkscreen prints by Emma Hardicker, also local to the area.
This is not the first time Shelli has received recognition for her fantasy and mythology-inspired work.
She has just been awarded the prestigious Premium Art Brand Award for Young Artists at the Society of Women Artists’ 152nd annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.
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“It’s nice to get some recognition for my work and to have someone say that they think my work is worthy of an award,” she says.
Her winning piece, Yurwaraj the Transmutant King, features a character of her own creation, Yurwaraj, a majestic creature who can transform himself into any animal with strips.
He is the lead character in a book she is currently writing.
Since graduating from the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design at Birmingham City University in 2008, the artist has been busy with a number of important commissions, exhibitions and curating new exhibitions at Artwork Cafe in Edgbaston.
Sadler’s Ales of Stourbridge has commissioned Shelli to design the artwork for its speciality ales, brewed and sold monthly at its Windsor Castle Inn in Stourbridge.
Shelli is producing 12 bar clip designs this year for the company and it has chosen to work with her again next year.
She says: “It’s great to walk into a pub and see your artwork above the bar.”
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Brighton-based Indepenpress Publishing has also commissioned Shelli to illustrate three children’s books, one of which is currently being printed.
“Children’s book illustration is an area I like specialising in so this is a great opportunity,” she adds.
Shelli also curates the exhibition gallery at the Artwork Cafe in Edgbaston where artists can display their work to the public on a five-week rotational basis.
Visitors to the cafe can enjoy a cup of tea and some cake whilst browsing illustrations by current exhibitor Sarah Ray, a local illustrator.
The exhibitions have been so successful that Shelli has booked artists through to the end of 2014.
“I know so many artists that are keen to display their work that it’s been easy to fill the space,” she says.
Born in Bartley Green, Shelli studied Fine Arts at Birmingham City University and was awarded a prize of £500 by accountancy firm PKF for her final degree show. She created a spoof TV advertisement for a fictional breakfast cereal inspired by the work of Andy Warhol.
Today though, she has swapped diital media for pencil and ink.
“When I left university I couldn’t afford the equipment I needed to produce good digital artwork. Whilst I was saving up I rediscovered my love of drawing and now prefer to use pencils, pens and ink,” she said.
Shelli is now focusing on her extensive commission work and curating, as well as her personal drawing and writing.
She is currently preparing work ready for submission to the Society of Wildlife Artists’ annual exhibition, held every November at the Mall Galleries in London.