It started in an energetic studio in Loughborough. Thirteen undergraduate illustrators worked into the night in the warm embracing halls of the Edward Barnsley Building. They became Lufalo, a collection of talented illustrators whose friendship and camaraderie was built upon a great love for illustration.
William Bonner, Hayley Chan, Holly Chillcott, Chris Gilleard, Rachel Guiver, Emma Haines, Evangelia Haliassou, Zoë Kelland, Emily Lambert, Sasha Langford, Joseph Marston, Nisha Mistry and Gabhriela Swann are the 13 members that make up collective Lufalo. All 13 styles are distinctive, ticking many boxes within contemporary visual culture and still presenting a united front, as well as covering a whole range of bases from illustration to model making.
Lufalo collective member Nisha Mistry picked out a handful of the artsy folk from this collective to give you the skinny on their arty prowess:
“Gabhriela Swann uses dark, mysterious tones that sit well with her moody narratives. Her recent interpretation of the television phenomena demonstrates this fantastically. Her atmospheric style deviates massively from the pixel king that is Chris Gilleard. Creating humorous and somewhat adorable characters, his take on pop-culture attracts clients by the masses. Hayley Chan‘s love for the natural world couldn’t be clearer in her work. Her neutral colours make out spectacular landscapes, and her recent book inspired by David Attenborough’s Africa depicts wild animals in a way that makes your jaw drop. Sasha Langford’s illustrations tend to be moving; across a screen, as well as emotionally. She uses paint and pencil markings to capture the most raw, heart-warming stories that make you want to dig out your paint brushes. Paper genius Eva Haliassou manages to make the most ordinary creative medium come to life. Slicing, cutting and layering, Eva’s intricate paper characters are beautiful, yet still manage to express the mood and sentiment of her narrative. Zoe Kelland reigns as Lufalo’s ethical illustrator. Expression is the key to Zoe’s style; it is everywhere you look; from her mark making to her principles, which worked harmoniously in her Plan UK campaign, so much so they captured the judge’s eyes at the YCN Awards. The other members manage to dive deeper into modern illustration, through model making, collage and an acid coloured palette.”
Lufalo have created a whole hoard of work as a team, using their own interpretation of themes and topics, and are set to take over exhibitions all over the country, armed with just their trusty prints and zines at their sides.
To see more work by Lufalo collective visit lufalo.com.