These days, it’s always a pleasure when I stumble across a Melbourne artist that for some reason or another, I haven’t seen much of before.

Over the years I’ve interviewed and written about (and just generally appreciated) hundreds of artists on this site, whether they’re painters, illustrators, comic book artists or those who are truly immersed in the Melbourne street art scene – so whenever I discover someone new, even if they’re not “new” per se, I tend to get a little excited. For a while there, it really did feel like the ranks of people painting on walls and doing cool shit wasn’t being replenished with “new blood” as often as they used to  – but 2016 feels different. I’ve started discovering more “new to me” artists this year who are getting up and doing rad shit than in the past two or three years, and it’s got me all excited to be writing about them again.

Marguerite Tierney is one of these artists, and I have no idea how it is that I hadn’t spotted her work before, but I’m sure as hell glad I have now. Her characters are weird. The good weird. The kind of weird that crosses between cute with a dash of unsettling surreal. They’re loose, expressionistic, and full of a kind of pensiveness thats hard to describe.

Often, and I’m guilty of this more than anyone, characters on walls and amongst sketchbooks are often pretty basic when it comes to the kinds of expressions that they portray – unless you go the traditional manga cutesy look or for near-realism, it can be difficult. Marguerite manages it, however, by often using swirls and patterns that are reminiscent of one liner images and not being afraid to keep things straightforward. One aspect of this is could be that she’s not afraid to leave her sketch marks and un-filled spaces in amongst her finished pieces, something that I particularly always love seeing in more illustrative works – shit doesn’t always have to be refined and cleaned to the nth degree to be amazingly effective as an illustration.

Anyways, as you can probably tell, I really enjoyed doing this little interview, and getting a chance to see more of Marguerites work – so read on for a bit more about her, and her artistic career thus far  – enjoy!

What started you out on this artistic path of yours, and how long have you been creating for? Was it always something you thought you’d end up doing?

It’s funny. I’ve always doodled. Teachers in primary school took this as ‘Marguerite is a distracted being. Marguerite needs to concentrate more etc’. I never saw it as any type of connection to being an artist. I also thought I was a distracted being and needed to concentrate more.

I came to Melbourne in 2005 and got a job working on the door at Revolver Upstairs. I could not stop drawing patrons and security guards on shift. I was told often by my loving managers to focus more. After a while I saw the connection to my scribbly distractions and art. Took some time! I started studying art properly at 26 through CAE and VCA. I’ve been practicing professionally for six years now.

We’ve seen a lot of your illustrations are quick portraits of random people – where are some of your favourite places to throw out some sketches of these people? Why do you enjoy drawing people when you’re out and about so much, or just people in general?

Revolver was a definite inspiration. Patrons in particular. They suited and built on the style I already had. They were rather raw and wired. People lost inhibitions and their emotions sat on the surface of their skin. This propelled me. Trams and trains also do it for me. People’s boundaries are gone there too. On their face anyway. You catch a moment on someones face that is real and loose, it looks more human. I suppose I draw it then and there because the subject and that moment might leave before I capture it. Also I’m figity. Drawing is a good outlet for this.

Where did your particular style emerge from? We saw that you do have some formal art training, how much of that comes into play with the work that you do now? What was it that you took away from doing art at university that you feel keeps playing a central part in your work?

I’m not sure exactly where my style emerged from. I’ve always drawn figures with one eye drastically larger than the other. I think this comes from parts of the inner and external self we share with one another. I’ve always being attracted to the art of Camille Rose Garcia, Jo Sorren and Maurice Sendak. I think there is some influence there in my own works.

Studying visual and fine art was the best thing I could have done. It introduced me to new materials and practices like printmaking, which in turn influenced the illustrations I was making. Most importantly it got me into a studio with other artists which was very motivating. Furthermore it got me into the habit of practicing everyday – for hours. I still do this. I need to sleep more.

What is it about illustration that really makes you passionate? What are some of the trends you see in current illustrators, that you also enjoy either dabbling in, or would want to try to integrate into your work?

There is something so satisfying about illustrating. The result is almost immediate. I love Lister’s work. He is so bold and loose. Lister inspired me to illustrate on surfaces other than paper and canvas. I love how he often works the cracks and discolouration of a wall into his street art. I’ve being working on finding complimenting walls more.

So, you have been doing a few walls here and there, what lead you to wanting to do this, and get more into working out on the street?

Besides Lister, I had a studio a year back with Junky Projects at Good Thing Studio. There were some rad artists there. Shida, Kach, Presto and Junky himself. Junky gave me my first outside wall around the side of the warehouse we all practiced in. I was stoked! But it took me forever to paint two dudes and a cow. Junky gave me some tips, (aerosol cans and poscas for one) but I still use a brush as well.

I suppose I like the culture surrounding street art and graffiti. I love seeing where someone chose to throw one up and the art of that in itself. I like the messages sometimes worked in there. Basically, I think it makes the city look interesting. More vibe. It’s cute.

Do you have a day job at all? and if so, does it impact the way that you create art? Tell us about the finer points of juggling being a creative, for you, and the mundane things in “real life”

I’m doing a teachers placement at the moment and work with children facilitating the odd workshop here and there – I’m lucky. I find working with children really inspirational for my work . They also suit what I like to draw, big eyes and raw emotions. But making art is what I primarily do/want to do and that’s always first.

Being a creative in this world is hard. It’s a constant pull in two directions. For anyone I think. Lots of highs and lows and there is always this self questioning of what you’re actually doing. On the canvas and with your life. Art is always in a semi permanent type of state so you begin to feel that way yourself. However I don’t think being a creative around the clock works personally. The more I’m out in the world doing mundane post-office, time to grow up type stuff, the more I’m inspired to draw.

I can’t wait to get back to the drawing board and make something messy.

What has been one of the more interesting or inspirational shows or events that you have been to over the past year or so, art wise – and why? did anything from this inspire yourself to produce any work?

Ian Strange’s show ‘Suburban’ blew my mind! I don’t know if it was his stark work on actual houses that he did or the photography of his work on houses that got me. It was nicely lit. And it was really haunting work. It freaked me out actually. I couldn’t get images of middle class suburban homes, that had been assaulted in a kind of way out of my mind. It was cool. Strange inspired me to be bolder and got me into thinking of collaborating with others on a larger scale.

You’re working on a children’s book project – is this a passion project, and do you have anything concrete done for it as yet? What is the general gist of the book, and how have you found the process of working on a narrative endeavour as opposed to just producing pieces of art?

I’m developing an educational pictorial book tittle ‘Mackenzie’s Way’ at present that deals themes of children who sit on the autism spectrum and positive social change. It’s a work in progress. Mackenzie is a child who sees the world a little differently (through the eyes of a cardboard television to be more specific). Everyone she meets, she dazzles and adds a little light to their day. I’m halfway through illustrating the book and have the story line down. I’m yet to add the dialogue. But I like working backwards. I’ve applied for some funding and have auspicious arts in support. So that’s nice.

I like working with a narrative, there are restrictions to a certain degree of what you can and can’t draw but you can also let lose in that restricted world. I started to look at the process like a television show. Who are the extras? Is there a dog in the background? Why is their a dog in the background? Does it even matter that there is a dog in the background? I started to consider continuity and the costumes that contribute to a scene. It’s being a really fun process actually. It takes a lot of discipline however. I like to draw quickly and get it out of my system.This project requires more patience and attention to detail – which I’m not accustomed to.

Other cool shit that you’ve accomplished in the past – tell us a bit about some of the things that Marguerite Tierney proud of in her artistic journey?

I was pretty proud of my first Solo exhibition at Maitland Regional Art Gallery ( MRAG ) in NSW. It went for three months and the gallery let me design the background colours of the walls in the gallery plus paint my figures on the surfaces. I had a lot of help from the staff who were all artists and it felt really supportive. I also made and painted some larger than life character cut outs for the Let Them Eat Cake festival in 2015. I caught people posing with my characters and making out with them for selfies. That was cute.

Living, working and doing art in Melbourne – how has the city insinuated itself into your artwork, and, given the choice, what other cities in the world would you like to create work in, and why?

Melbourne is just great for art. The cityscape and street art has worked it’s way in for sure. I also love drawing y’all on trams. I made a series of Melbournians on trams a few months back. One guy feel asleep, so I had time with him :)

If I was to make art anywhere else? Beach. I need more beach . Byron bay Or Bali. Just to see what happens. I think art can often become a product of the environment it’s in, and the ocean is just great.

you can check out more of Marguerite Tierneys work on her Facebook page or follow her on instagram.