Carrie May

— London, England

Carrie May is an illustrator and designer living and working in London. She graduated from The Royal College of Art in 2007. Carrie May is a ‘rustic magpie’ who creates collages, draws and makes hand-drawn type. She loves the colours of old boats and is inspired by old books and travelling. Her illustrations are distinctive and characterful, often evoking a nostalgic charm and otherworldliness. Carrie’s work can be recognised by its particular colour palette, and can often be seen on book jackets, publications, in newspapers and magazines. Some of her illustrations have been recently used for large promotional campaigns.

Favourite things?
Old books, boat colours, postcards, teacups, dip pens, poppies, roadtrips, flea markets, rustic charm, walks & picnics, birds, sunshine, photographs, picking vegetables, polka dots, florals, stripes, coffee, perfect eggs, oil paint, letterpress, clock faces, new sketchbooks, dogs, stamps, tea and time well spent.

A perfect day?   
My perfect day would almost certainly begin with breakfast outside with good coffee and sunshine. Then perhaps a walk or a roadtrip, some exploring and maybe discovering a hidden gem by chance. An afternoon swim and some playing in my sketchbook outside before an evening of making food with music and perfect company.

Favourite City?
I would say at this point my favourite city for it's elegance, charm and beauty would be Florence, though I would love to visit Seville and the more I read and hear about it the more I look forward to visiting.