Billie is an artist and graphic designer living and working in Edmonton, Alberta. She took a year of Fine Arts before transferring to the Visual Communications program at Grant MacEwan College, specializing in illustration. She currently works as a media designer and spends most of her days in the ever-changing world of digital advertising. Going back to her roots of painting and drawing allows her to use illustration as a way of expressing the stories in her head.
How long have you been Fluevogin’ for?
A few years ago myself, husband and our two lifelong best friends were enjoying a weekend in Vancouver when we happened upon the Fluevog store. We spent some time drooling at the window and then went inside and fell in love with the unique and scrulptural creations within. Admittedly I’m not much of a fashionista but the Vogs were creative and gorgeous and half of us left with new shoes and wide grins.
On entering the contest and her winning design, “Hidden Treasure”:
I’m going to get a bit serious here, the beautiful best friends I mentioned above died tragically last year. They were the biggest supporters of my art, and artists themselves, and so for months I felt like maybe there was no point in painting anymore; who would “get” me; who could I share my paintings with? My husband (who obsessively searches the Fluevog site quite regularly) found the link to this contest and with large, pleading eyes said “please”. I sighed, well maybe if the shoe itself is inspiring to me, because I can’t put my heart into something right now otherwise. I thought it was unlikely that I would try painting so soon after our loss but the Attic Bianca actually was quite inspiring! As soon as I saw it and read the brief I knew exactly the concept I wanted to portray. I loved this idea of a hidden treasure where a modern day Fluevogian heroine (complete with Fluevog tattoo) happens upon the scene of the stunning shoe being finished by traditional fairy tale type creatures. The stitching in particular was so exquisite to me that I definitely wanted to showcase that. Our modern day heroine immediately knows that these shoes are destined to be hers as the colours in the shoes are the same colours in her hair. I loved this vintage meets modern, magical realism kind of feeling the shoe inspired. The painting is acrylic, with some minor touch-ups in Photoshop (the Fluevog logo on the shoe and her arm). I also put a tiny homage to my late best friends in there—a heart engraved in the wood of the attics pillar with C+M.
Apart from art and design, what do you like to do for fun?
Art, design, illustration and advertising truly are my number one interests, but spending time in nature is also very meaningful to me. I love hiking, the ocean, rivers, mountains. Since I live in the city and don’t get to see those things often I enjoy watching a good horror movie before bed to stir up some creative nightmares for future artistic inspiration.
What are your dreams?
If I’m really, really dreaming I’d imagine a cozy house surrounded by trees, set up Barbapoppa style where my beyond incredible son and his future family could have their own space too. A kick ass music studio for my husband. A large, bright area for painting, with a huge window view of a dense forest. Maybe the distant sound of a running river. And since I’m dreaming I’ll throw in a few white giraffes gently roaming on the property too.
Billie’s portfolio can be viewed on her website!