Jo Kelly
Illustration 2024
Though the subjects of her work change, there is often a key element: nature. This is a passion that has developed over the years and has seeped into her work.
Character design has always been something that has been consistent throughout her art career. When she was young, she would draw people and portraits (usually her favourite cartoon or doll at the time). With her growing love of reading, world-building and fantasy, this has developed into drawing fantasy characters.
One of her future goals is to create her own imaginative and expansive world which she could develop and illustrate, eventually making it into a concept art book to share with others.
Although she enjoys character design, Jo wanted to create illustrations that made a difference on a bigger scale too. Throughout her Final Major Project, she has developed her brand Bug Patrol to do just that. Bug Patrol is a brand whose aim is to spread awareness about insects and their importance in our planet's ecosystems. All too often insects are demonised, killed and disregarded, when they’re in fact so valuable to us and life on earth. Bug Patrol sells merchandise in the form of clothing, bags and art prints for now, with the aim to be eco-conscious in the process. Once established, Bug Patrol aims to be able to donate 1% of profits to varying charities that aid nature and wildlife. This way her customers can feel good about purchasing anything from Bug Patrol, knowing it will be helping nature too. Inspired by her employment as a screen printer, she creates the illustrations with screen printing in mind.
In the illustrative work for Bug Patrol, she focuses on insects and wildflowers found in the UK, with an emphasis on line work over her usual extensive colour palettes and tones. Once established, Bug Patrol aims to provide workshops to bring a community of nature lovers together.
Over the years that Jo has studied at The Northern School of Art, she’s had many opportunities to use her creative skills, both internal within her studies and external opportunities. Internal examples include working for Atomhawk on a live character design brief, and also Channel 5’s Challenge Anneka, which included working with her team to create a mural for the charity Sprouts. External examples include working for Thirteen Supply Co as a screen printer, but also pitching ideas and feedback on new collections, exhibiting work at Nowt Special on two occasions, creating a gig poster for Independent Sunderland and creating album and single covers for the band Moonwax.
Now graduated, Jo intends to throw her creative energy into Bug Patrol, with the aim of bringing together a community of illustration and nature lovers.