PROFILE: ANNE NICHOLSON // GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Anne Nicholson is a celebration of originality. Creative from a young age, her artistic endeavours have spawned an impressive body of work. The willowy, ashen beauty from Wollongong belies her 24 years as she speaks of her fervour for graphic design.

By day, Anne works as a graphic designer and stylist at a small design studio in Wollongong. She escapes the daily grind by immersing herself in eccentric DIY projects such as zine making and, what she dubs, “functional art”; think canvas totes, bookmarks, greeting cards and envelopes, key rings and stationary. Most recently, she has added photography to her repertoire.

Similar to her personality, her creative aesthetic is colourful and light, with a hint of sarcasm. She explores her penchant for art via illustrator, photoshop, cheap acrylics, felt-tip pens, lino stamps, off-cuts of paper and fabric, watercolours and stencils. “My love for each is varied but just as strong as the next.”

After graduating with a diploma in graphic design, she collaborated on her first zine which was brilliantly entitled ‘My Feet Were Dirty but Now They Are Clean’. Experimenting with a montage of colours, it was jam-packed with clever thoughts and delightful drawings.

‘Mr. Over Achiever’ was her first independent zine, so it comes as no surprise that it is one dear to her heart. She goes on to reveal that the inspiration for the comic zine was a fellow zinester who was always trying to trump her. Well, she sure showed him!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for her numerous fresh zines in the works including a brief comic about an unnamed, peculiar delivery driver and an innovative sketch-fest of her closest friends.

As a proudly independent publisher, she appreciates the importance of local zine fairs in getting to know who and what is out there. Describing zine-ing as rewarding, she revels in its creatively diverse nature; “whatever you are into, you can find a niche for it”.

Anne is hard at work building herself a career in the graphic design Industry. But what is her advice to fellow up-and-coming artists? “Use social networking to its complete advantage” by means of blogging, networking or becoming a contributor.

Check out all her great work on http://www.wemakezines.ning.com/profile/AnneNicholson

Contact her on  annemakesthings@hotmail.com