Angela Mckay’s illustrations are a burst of summery goodness. Using primarily gouache and watercolor, all her work is drawn and painted by hand before being digitally printed, making for an unpolished effect.
Originally from the bright shores of Australia and the humid tropics of Thailand, Mckay now works in Ohkii Studio, based in Brooklyn, New York. “I started Ohkii Studio a couple of years ago when I first moved to New York,” she explained in and interview with la collectionneuse. “I wanted Ohkii Studio to be a purely creative outlet, something completely separate from my commercial freelance work… A place where I was the client and I could create whatever I liked and allow myself to grow in whichever direction I wanted.”
Her website states that she draws her inspiration from many places including the natural world, overseas travel adventures, folk tales, and old murder mystery novels. “I do love the natural world and being surrounded by nature,” she admitted. “I grew up in the bush in the south west of Australia so I feel most at home when I’m surrounded by lots of trees and the beach. I love to travel and I enjoy keeping a visual journal of what I can capture on my trips. I take a sketchbook with me and try to sketch as much as I can. As for the murder mystery novels… this came from my grandma so I guess there is something nostalgic about these old stories for me.”
Check out some of her original illustrations in the gallery below.