One of her Christmas postcards "Festive Furries" // Christmas linx
Crowned Crane
Elephant (for her and Jamie Mill's) Endangered Animals collaboration
Wolf Mask
We are very lucky to host the stunning work of Sandra Dieckmann for our latest artist feature. The wonderful illustrations that Sandra creates have all the hallmarks of a first class illustrator and a force to be reckoned with. Her animals are not just superbly crafted and observed but the style and aplomb with which she gifts us these images is undeniable. Her work conjures up the deep stirrings of childhood stories and half remembered fairy tales giving an earthy deep rooted feeling of forests and mystery. Her work screams at as to look with its combination of aching beauty and elegant composition. Her work is strong and subtle and this allows her to introduce humour and light-hearted fun whilst preserving beauty and artistry. A real treat, and an illustrator's illustrator read about her here!
Who are you:
Born in Oldenburg , Germany 1983. Sandra moved to London in 2002 in search of new adventures and further education. She grew up in Germany in a tiny village surrounded by nature and believes that her
versatile approach to creating images stems from her childhood.“My head is full of stories and creatures and conversations. I can’t be any other way. Sometimes I think it is the way I was allowed to be free without fear so early on that ignited this dreaminess. I explored the woods, spent loads of time reading, drawing,
and just making things. I think I just never stopped.”
After studying Fashion Design in 2006 she realised her passion for Illustration and Graphic design and after more than six years in art education eventually graduated first class honours from her degree in Graphic Information Design at the University of Westminster in London.
Sandra enjoys observing the world, creating creatures and anything else that involves creative play. Using a variety of media she is exited to work in different ways to achieve her creative vision. Her skills have been applied to a wide array of projects, which can be seen reflected in this online portfolio.Sandra also published a children’s book in 2009 entitled ‘The Bumble Bear & The Grizzly Bee’. In 2010 she devised two illustration projects Haus Stories and If I Was You, which are both currently open for submissions.
Sandra currently lives and works in East London and is very content with her friends and her cat Little Crumb by her side!
What do you do:
I make images. In other words I'm an illustrator. I guess I am an illustrator because people have to classify people. I'd still make images if there was no such term.All I'm saying is that it's how I am, a part of me the way I progress information. I don't want to be in a 'band' (it's a comparison) .I'm not a brand. I'm not designed. I don't draw to be someone. I'm that person already. I see myself as a story teller, an entertainer and an artist in the general sense. I'm also a human being, a thinker, a friend, a moaner, an animal lover, part of nature, mad, sad. Aren't we all and can we not all create?
How did you start:
Growing up in a tiny village surrounded by nature has definitely influenced the way I'm. My approach to creating images stems from my childhood. My head is full of stories and creatures and conversations. I can’t be any other way. Sometimes I think it is the way I was allowed to be free without fear so early on that
ignited this dreaminess. I explored the woods, spent loads of time reading, drawing, and just making things. I think I just never stopped.
When I studied Fashion it didn't feel right and I then tried myself in Graphic Design. I soon realized that I wanted to make images and use my hands and not programm or work on layouts all day. I don't mind doing it a bit but I need to let the pictures flow out of my head into my images. It's like breathing. I just need to and I have been doing it as long as I can think back.
Regarding my family my father has always been very artistic. He is a free spirit and loves building, painting, making things. He always tells me the story of me being only 4 or so and him trying to teach me to draw a train in perspective. I couldn't and stubbornly carried on for hours until I cried. My fathers dad left his family very early when he was little. He is a known artist but I have never met him.
A Personal statement about you or your work:
I love drawing and observing animals. I'm not a poet. I'm not an animal activist. I'm not an overly spiritual person and it's not a cute thing.The eyes of an animal and the way they move, observation of all living things somehow hold so much truth about worldly balance and the sensitivities we ignore too often these days. I don't trust people who don't love animals very easily. There is a lot to say about this. Look at them and the natural world and see again. All the answers are there!
Be free, stay free and suck up the shades of your life!
Regarding my family my father has always been very artistic. He is a free spirit and loves building, painting, making things. He always tells me the story of me being only 4 or so and him trying to teach me to draw a train in perspective. I couldn't and stubbornly carried on for hours until I cried. My fathers dad left his family very early when he was little. He is a known artist but I have never met him.
A Personal statement about you or your work:
I love drawing and observing animals. I'm not a poet. I'm not an animal activist. I'm not an overly spiritual person and it's not a cute thing.The eyes of an animal and the way they move, observation of all living things somehow hold so much truth about worldly balance and the sensitivities we ignore too often these days. I don't trust people who don't love animals very easily. There is a lot to say about this. Look at them and the natural world and see again. All the answers are there!
Be free, stay free and suck up the shades of your life!
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