Interview: Dawn Gardner.

Recent graduate Dawn Gardner's work is a beautiful mix of typography and collage. Her method of using old subject matter to create modern illustrations results in graphics that are striking and fun. She was nice enough to answer some of our questions.   

How would you define your work/style? 

Layered visual musings to fuel further interpretations and imaginations. I love collecting imagery from vintage books and magazines and collaging the dissimilar to create new reinvented narratives.

What has been your biggest work achievement to date? 

Achieving a First for my BA in Graphic Design! Appearing in Digital Arts and Design Week was also a big moment for me too.

Who would you most like to collaborate with? 

There are so many talented artists and designers that I would love to collaborate with. Ciara Phelan and Simon Cook have a lovely quirkiness to their collage based illustration, but then I'd equally love to move with one of the greats like Wim Crouwel. 

Who or what inspires your work? 

I get inspired by everything around me - cliche I know! Any image, pattern, location, colour can trigger the seed of an idea or emotive experience that can lead onto other explorations.

What has been your biggest disappointment? 

My finances of late!

Favourite place in the world? 

Home.

Last meal on Death Row. What would you have? 

Traditional pie and mash with lots of liquor, it's my comfort food and always makes me feel better. 

What is the greatest invention of all time? 

The Telephone. 

What do you dislike most about popular culture? 

The invasion.

What one piece of advice would you give your 15 year old self? 

I would also give this advice to my current 22 year old self too - No matter what happens, don't worry / panic / stress because everything always turns out ok in the end. 

All images courtesy of Dawn Gardner
Website http://dawngardnerdesign.com/