Meet Hali Igwelaezoh , the designer behind the "energy" t-shirt
I first came across Hali Igwelaezoh and her incredible artwork when I was searching instagram for illustrators to feature in Issue 1 of Voracious (Hali very kindly allowed me to republish 2 of her pieces in there.) It’s safe to say, I immediately fell in love with her style.
The colour palette she uses is most often tonal, but the feelings depicted are glorious technicolour. There’s a feeling of movement and motion in every one of her lines, and the feeling of a bigger story bubbling just beyond the surface of every image.
And it was this that inspired the brief for the energy t-shirt. Look, there are a few things in this life that I’m not too bad at, but giving good briefs is not one of them (it’s something I’m getting better at with Voracious, thankfully, but still.) So often I’m just like you do you!!!!!! anything!!!!! everything!!!! as the extent of my direction, and literally the entirety of the brief I gave Hali was: energy. Luckily for me, Hali came back with the most beautiful design which was everything I’d ever wanted, and we got to work printing it before it launched at the WOW Global Marketplace at the Southbank Centre last month:
So, without further ado, let me introduce you to the artist behind the t-shirt:
1. Tell me about who you are & what you do!
My name is Halimah and I am an illustrator
2. How did you get started with what you do now?
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, but I’ve always just found a lot of peace and self-expression in creating, so decided to post some random drawings on the internet (they were drawings of a scene from an evening day-dream that I had and needed to get it down on paper) and it went on from there and now I’m forever grateful for all the people I’ve met through art and all the opportunities I’ve been presented with.
3. What are you enthusiastic about at work?
Ugh so much: I love the process of creating and when it all comes together, especially because I almost never know what the exact finished product will be, I sort of just put on some music and let it guide me most of the time.
I’d say I’m also enthusiastic about being able to hear lots of different people’s visions for a concept they have when they want me to create something for them; as well as being able to do my own thing, I love the creative collaboration process with other people.
From all the things though, I love being able to zone out and let go, even if it’s just for a few minutes
4. What are you enthusiastic about at play?
Again, so much: I think play time is so important ESPECIALLY as an adult just trying to navigate life in general. It’s so vital to be able to have moments of freedom, pure joy, and lack of inhibitions – generally just time where you don’t have to take yourself so seriously and that’s the best bit about play for me
5. What are you enthusiastic about in life?
Connection. Connection with myself, with other people, communities, connection through reading books, poetry, spiritual connection, with nature – just being in touch with something (or someone), I feel like that’s one thing that makes life so special
6. If you went on mastermind, what would your topic be?
Buffy the Vampire Trivia
7. Who/what inspires you?
This is such a hard question, I feel like I get a lot of inspiration from lots of things and lots of people, just anything I’m consciously learning or noticing. These days I try to get inspiration from whatever is around me that makes me feel something. Anything.
Thank you, Hali, for answering these questions, and lending your incredible talent to the t-shirt! T-shirts are available to pre-order here. You can follow Hali on instagram @haliigwe, or buy some of her art here.