Photos: Joe Sarah and Marco Di Stefano
An illustration is a visual editorial – it’s just as nuanced. Everything that goes into it is a call you make: every color, every line weight and every angle. Started during study years with Archaeological illustration, later on continued improvement in Amsterdam, Brit McInerney transforms her everyday life into the artwork while combining illustration art, graphics, writing, fashion and music. “Everything is art. Fashion is art. Music is the Art. I know I sound clichéd, but it’s absolutely what I believe.” – shares she and shows her last works on her website Ohbones.com. Alternative in mindset. Alternative in dreams. Alternative in the way her story begins.
Dear Brit, you are a great traveler, explorer and artist. What sets London apart from other cities you used to live? Is it your place to be or you are dreaming about moving somewhere else?
London is a strange one; it knocks you around, kicks you when you’re down and then picks you back up and throws opportunities at you. That’s what I love about it; there is no other city in Europe with such opportunities, inspiring people, and artistic adventures. I love other cities, and I’ve lived in a few, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam and I’ve worked in India, Bulgaria and Turkey and I crave the constant movement, but London has me for now…
Your project “OhBones” is a creative consultancy to provide illustration & design services. Tell me more about your background in visual arts, especially in illustration.
I never studied, and I never really thought about it, with studying Archaeology and travelling, I didn’t have time, but when I graduated I promised myself that I would let myself do other things I loved. When I was studying archaeology, I encountered Archaeological illustration, and I felt so inspired, so free and I wanted to encounter that in my mind every day so I moved to Amsterdam and began drawing. It really transformed my life, I never for a second even dreamed I would be doing what I am, with so much support from people who like OhBones.
Your clients include KICKERS UK, GAP and DR MARTENS. Was it your dream to work with famous brands or you rather enjoy doing arts independently?
I began by doing my own art, and illustration irrespective of what other people wanted, just as an expression, but I think that working for such amazing brands is really just a byproduct of my work. It was a happy addition to my work and I am so happy brands want to work with me when my art at times can be rather un-commercial. I am also currently working with some more fashion brands on designs, which is something I am super excited about. Now I’m also writing music under the OhBones name, the first song on the album was released this month, and I think I’m especially excited about this because it really matches my illustrative art. Everything is art. Fashion is art. Music is Art. Anyone who’s close to me knows my whole life is an art project and I’m super excited when people want to collaborate and become a part of it.
Photo from Brit McInerney archives.
How did you manage to preserve the original elements and modernize at the same time? Who are some of your favorite illustrators?
I wish I had time to observe more art, and other artists because there are some incredible ones out there. I actually have a love for old Flemish portraits and also for surrealist art, which very much contradict each other, but I enjoy the delicate curiosity of Flemish old painting and the clever, mind boggling nature of surrealism of the 1920’s. As for modern art… everyone I collaborate with are my absolute favorites and everyday I’m astounded by their abilities.
What are you working on now that the online store became so successful? How do you spend your free time?
I wish I had some free time! At the moment I’m working on some fun projects, including a music video for the song that was released. But in terms of illustration I’m currently running a project called ‘Illustrate your Heartbreak’ where people have been emailing me their heartbreak stories from around the world and I have been creating art from their pain. It isn’t that I want to accentuate people’s pain, but I want to transform it, I want it to be worth something else than just what they’re feeling inside. I have released the first two on my Instagram and my website. I’m so happy so many people wanted to be involved!
What are your plans for the future?
I try not to think too much about the future, I really like the liberation of living in the now, though we are human and it’s not human nature to live in the present. I usually just do art day-to-day and see how it builds into something… my next release after the heartbreak project is an illustrated poetry booklet which I’ve collaborated with @pplinphotobooth which I was very excited about, because I’ve admired his work for a while. That’s about heartbreak too… I think I have a theme.
