Written by Eva Barnsley.
Meet Elly, the lovely creative behind Cactei!
Who are you?
Who are you?
I'm a 21-year-old Brisbane based gal who decided that after graduating university she couldn't see herself ever doing anything but being an artist, and thus is now stuck trying to 'make it'.
Where is home?
Home for me currently is Brisbane! But I'm hoping to pack up and head overseas next year. Find myself I guess?
What's your favourite song at the moment?
Since it came out a week or two ago I've been listening to the debut Pale Waves album quite a bit. Came In Close is a catchy one.
What's your favourite movie?
Submarine by Richard Ayoade or Kill Your Darlings by John Krokidas.
Three important things in your life...
Ice cream, pencils, music.
Tell us about your involvement with Rookie Magazine, how did it start?
I'm super fortunate to be a Rookie contributor, and it has been one of the most important and constant elements of my growth as an artist the past couple of years. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a contributor back in 2015, either thanks to my email application, or an editor finding me on Instagram 6 months later. Since then I've been able to work on some amazing collaborative projects and had the creative freedom to generate and pitch my own ideas every month for three years.
Your drawing style is very original and recognisable! How did you develop a personal style?
I always find it funny that some people find my drawing style recognisable, because when I was younger this was one of my biggest insecurities, as I felt I wasn't a serious artist because I didn't have a distinct style across my work. I think this was mainly because I never restricted myself to one medium, and across the large variety I experimented in, my work could look really different. It wasn't until recently that I started to feel more comfortable and proud of my work across multiple mediums as I've come to decide it's more of an advantage than a flaw. Now, across my portrait paintings, apparel designs, Rookie contributions, fineliner drawings, coloured illustrations and digital creations, I think I'm confidently cemented but not confined in each. I think what was most important in getting to this place was to not cling to the idea that I HAD to have a personal style, and instead it constructed itself over years of practice, experimentation and growth.
What began your artistic journey? Did you plan for art to take you where you are today?
I've been drawing since I was young, and I remember it as being pretty much the only hobby that has maintained my interest and stuck with me my entire life. Among answers of being a vet or a teacher, I remember the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" also returning the answer of "an artist!". This stayed with me, from childhood where it started out as a future fantasy, drifting into an unattainable and risky option in my teenage high-school years, and finally merging into my ultimate goal now as an adult (I use that term loosely).
What is your favourite kind of work to create? What do you have the most fun with?
I don't really have a favourite type of work to make, as I get sick of pretty much anything if I do it for too long. I think this is probably the main reason I work across so many mediums, as each new endeavor gives me a break from the last until I'm ready to loop back around. However, I had heaps of fun playing with acrylic paint recently creating less realistic paintings, as in the past it's been a medium I tended to avoid. But of course, I'm sick of that now.
What role has social media played in your career/lifestyle?
Social media has been a HUGE if not the most important part of my career as an artist so far. I started an Instagram account for my art back in 2013, and I mark that as the start of me pursuing art as a career. The number of collaborations and opportunities I've had thanks to Instagram are countless, and I attribute my impact as an artist starting so young to this entirely. Although it can be incredibly frustrating and is no where near as effective for artists now as it once was, I truly don't know how I could operate as successfully in any other way.Big shout out to Elly for doing this interview with us. See more of her work on her Instagram, @cactei or more of her personal life, @ellymalone x
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