Name: Faye West

Age: 27

Occupation: Illustrator

Inspiration: Female musicians

Faye describes herself as ‘a bit of a feminist’. Her subjects are almost always female, one of course being the meat-wearing singer-songwriter, Lady Gaga – ‘Whether they are Pop stars of Rock icons, it’s the whole package of costume, voice and personality that inspires me’. Indeed, it is not the feminine stereotype which Faye captures, but a feminine identity which claims strength, individuality and empowerment through the use of seemingly uncontrolled brush strokes and vibrant colours.

Faye mixes tradition with the now, creating a contemporary aesthetic - ‘I have always used watercolour and pencils – because of this traditional medium I drew in a classical way, trying to maintain a kind of realism. I think my work still has modernity because its subject is normally garish and brash’.

Asked what drew her into the world of illustration, Faye revealed ‘I would have gone through with a Fine Art degree, but Fashion Illustration tempted me because I had hoped it would mean I could concentrate on the figurative form. I'm happier calling myself an Illustrator as opposed to an Artist, which just seems way out of my league. But also Illustration is simple, it's just narrative - which is what I prefer’. It is a question I have often asked – what is the difference between art and illustration, and I think Faye has hit the nail on the head. Whereas art captures a snapshot in time, allowing the viewer to interpret any idea they see fit, illustration, as Faye says, tells a narrative, enabling the viewer to truly understand the preferred meaning of the illustration.

In ten years time Faye ‘would like to have worked on more print design, portraits, a solo exhibition, and a family’.

You can visit Faye’s work at fayewest.com