My Creative Hero: Aubrey Beardsley

Clara graduated from Montana State with a graphic design degree before making her way to Boise. An illustration and art whiz, Clara calmly collects the details of her clients’ needs and comes  back with a result that hits the nail on the head every time. From print to user experience and everything in between, she draws on her natural talent and passion for visual arts to produce beautiful, effective work. When she’s not creating impactful results for our clients, she is spending time with her adorable rescue dog, Ollie, a regular (and quite fashionable) visitor to our office.

LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero? 

Clara> Author and Illustrator, Aubrey Beardsley.

LBB> How long has he been important to you and what are your first memories of meeting him or coming across his work?

Clara> I had come across his work multiple times throughout my life, but he truly became important to me in my senior year of college. I wrote my art history thesis about his illustrations for Oscar Wilde’s Salome. While doing my text and image analysis, I truly fell in love with his work and his story. I’ve always loved the overall aesthetic of the decadence movement and Japanese woodcut prints, both of which heavily influenced his illustrations. The way he created such beautiful yet unsettling pieces enthralled me and made me want to delve deeper into his history. 

LBB> If it’s someone you personally know, how did you get to know him and how has your relationship evolved over the years? If you don’t know this person, how did you go about finding to learn more about him and his work?

Clara> During and after writing my thesis, I keep finding myself drawn back to his art. I love to read articles about him, I’ve bought and read many books about him, and plan on getting at least one tattoo of his work soon (the only reason it hasn’t happened yet is because I can’t seem to choose a favourite). Each new piece of his that I see becomes my new favourite for their own reasons. 

LBB> Why is he such an inspiration to you? 

Clara> Beardsley led a very short life - he died at the age of 25 (classic tuberculosis moment) having only produced art for seven years. The fact that he was able to have such a large impact on the art world in such a small amount of time is nothing less than extraordinary. He consistently went against the late 1800’s social expectations and refused to make work that placated popular sensibilities. His illustrations often depict material that makes the viewer uncomfortable, such as the erotic, the grotesque, and the morbid - yet they are also stunning due to his use of detailed black linework and intentional white space. His ties to the LGBTQ+ community adds to my admiration for him as well. During a time when being anything but straight was incredibly taboo (and illegal!), he embraced the community. There are debates if he was gay or not, but I’m not sure it matters in the end. The fact that he was able to go against the grain intrinsically and produce art that was incredibly influential to future movements is so f*cking cool to me. 

LBB> How does he influence you in your approach to your creative work? 

Clara> Besides loving simple black and white graphics, I think he influenced my mindset around how I approach ideation. Instead of going immediately to what’s popular and typical (which still happens in a time crunch) I like to challenge myself to do the opposite of what is expected. This sometimes goes well, sometimes not so much, but it is a fun exercise. I see more of his influence in my own personal work. I like to draw when I can and for most of what I make, I aim to unsettle. I love creating weird little creatures and freaky little dudes. Art is so much more fun when it makes the viewer feel something new, be that revulsion, confusion, or my personal favourite, fascination! 

LBB> What piece or pieces of his work do you keep coming back to and why?

Clara> His illustrations for Salome will always hold a special place in my heart, but I personally love 'The Climax' the most. It depicts Salome hovering while holding John the Baptist's head in her hands while his blood trickles into a pool where a flower blooms. Outside of that image, I am drawn to his illustrations of women living their lives. They are all simultaneously erotic and freeing. They were created during a time when women were fighting for more rights, and his ability to portray the feminine form as powerful and commanding is pretty dang neat to me.