MADE BY ILZE

Ilze's story from Cape Town to Bristol

made by ilze

Early life in Cape Town, SA
I’ve loved making art since I can remember. As a little girl I used to make my own books from stapled sheets of paper, just so I could illustrate them. As a teenager I was lucky enough to attend an art school that encouraged us to push our creative boundaries, where I learned to paint and screenprint.

The middle bit
After some time travelling Europe I returned to Cape Town to undertake a Graphic Design degree before returning to the UK where I ran a graphic design business for many years. An urge for change led me to a Masters degree, and work in the sustainable building and energy field. This distracted me for a while, but I learned that creativity owned me, not vice versa, so the creative pursuits continued.

Life in Bristol today
I finally decided to go full circle, officially starting Made by Ilze in the summer of 2015.

Due to my life of two halves, geographically speaking, my work is strongly influenced by my South African roots. I love bold colour and daring combinations and my heritage is often woven into my work. I like to draw and paint, which I then digitally alter and colour up and either turn into repeat patterns for fabric, or use as art prints.

I strongly believe in working as ethically and environmentally light as possible. All my products are printed and made in Britain by small companies, which supports employing people locally, and reduces my ecological footprint.

If you would like to find out more, or see what I get up to, feel free to follow me on any of the social media buttons below, or contact me with queries or commission requests.

Have a happy day!

ilze

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