London born illustrator Michelle Merlini moved to Swindon when she was just four years old, scrapping a potential career in special effects and make-up design to become a successful illustrator. Making her name with a series of pet portraits, the highlight of her career so far is the stunning window memorial in Swindon’s Burkhardt Hall, home to esa’s stylish serviced apartments. Here she tells us about the experience, her plans, and the best things to do in Swindon.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I wanted to be a psychologist until a career advice test said I should be a make-up artist instead. It sounded right up my street and so I graduated in 2003 with an HND in Special Effects make-up design for film and TV. I never really pursued the profession and instead spent the next decade working in various jobs, with world travel and having two children sandwiched in between.

In 2011, back-packing around Central and South America with my son inspired me to write for children, and I came home and wrote my first children’s story ‘Raggled Right’. Drawing and painting on and off all my life I was determined to learn how to do it well. And so, as a 36-year-old-single-mum with a new baby, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit student life! I graduated last summer from Oxford Brookes University, Swindon College campus, with a lot of grey hair and a BA Honours degree in Illustration.

Since graduating, I’ve started up a portrait painting business. It came about purely by accident when I drew a quick pastel sketch of my daughter from a holiday photo and posted it on my Instagram page. I began to get more and more commissions for portraits of people and pets from photos. I had found a style that I really liked and enjoyed combining traditional art sketch with digital painting.

How did you get involved with Burkhardt Hall?

Early last year, the Burkhardt Hall developers asked Swindon College art students to come up with designs to replace the original window which had been donated to Swindon College and currently hangs in its library. They would choose the one they felt best represented the history of the building.

I’d visited the former Swindon Technical College (now Burkhardt Hall) over 20 years ago when I was a pupil at Commonweal School in Old Town. I’d gone there with my art class; I don’t recall what we painted, but the building left a lasting impression on me and I never forgot its grand, ornate structure with high ceilings, large colonial style windows and the elegant staircases through the double entrance doors.

What inspired you about the piece?

The developers were looking for a design to represent Swindon’s people and its heritage, as well as incorporating the building’s Flemish baroque architecture; but most poignantly, to commemorate the 45 college students who sadly lost their lives in WWI. The commission provoked something in me, both sentimentally and creatively.

What does your work aim to say?

The window needed to convey a sentimental yet positive message. Before I’d put pencil to paper, something came to mind which had been with me since a recent Uni project – a phrase, ‘Time holds a special place for everyone’. The words resonated with me more than ever and I believed their significance was perfect for Burkhardt Hall and the memories held within its walls. The phrase would welcome and rise to every individual that has ever or will ever enter the doors of Burkhardt Hall, recognising that everyone is following their own journey in time, making their own unique footprint in history.

My design opened out onto a bright field of poppies to commemorate all lives sacrificed during the war. The 3 poppies at the front of the window share 45 petals, shaped liked paint brushes, to remember the 45 creative students of the former college who lost their lives. The window frame mimics the original stone door frame at the main entrance of the building, while the distant hill gazes onto Hackpen Whitehorse – the closest ancient Whitehorse carving to Burkhardt hall, just 7.5 miles away. I only discovered the hill a few years ago when a best friend of mine told me it was her favourite Swindon location and when I went to see it for myself I fell in love with the place and its views across Swindon’s landscape.

Who are your biggest influences?

I genuinely appreciate all art whatever its style, be it classic, traditional, modern, abstract, tattoo designs, album/DVD covers, sculpture, textile printing, graffiti, computer game graphics or greetings cards! If I must finger point, my first thoughts go to Trompe l’oeil style art, Banksy, Gaudi and Jonny Duddle.

Trompe L’oeil mixes realism art with the 3-dimensional to create an optical illusion. This longstanding style of art hugely inspired one of my last uni projects titled ‘Hidden Worlds’ which led me to create a series of characters I now adore called ‘The Netherlings’. Banksy has clear and bold social messages conveyed through street art. Antonio Gaudi’s architecture references mother nature’s ingenuity, while Jonny Duddle’s illustrations are incredible and his children’s stories are brilliant!

What do you like about Swindon?

Swindon has a lot to offer everyone; beautiful parks, open spaces, a great variety of restaurants, pubs and late-night bars, especially in Old Town and in the town centre. There’s plenty of leisure facilities and activities such as cinemas, trampoline and skate parks, cycle paths all around town, numerous swimming pools, fitness gyms and classes, libraries, baby & toddler groups, museums, shopping complexes such as the Designer Outlet Village.

Industry has been a key part of Swindon’s heritage since Isambard Kingdom Brunel founded the Great Western Railway here nearly 200 years ago, and the town centre became a large complex of railway workshops offering thousands of jobs for decades. He even built a residential zone now known as ‘the Railway Village’ to house the workers, and these houses in the town’s centre remain occupied today. The town continues to thrive and expand since many large businesses settle here and therefore employment opportunity has always been a big advantage to Swindon’s people, also attracting workers from across the country and globe.

Swindon is surrounded by many attractive villages and historic landmarks such as www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury – a Neolithic henge and stone circles; the Ridgeway – an ancient Roman carriageway, Barbury Castle and several ancient white horse hills, not to mention the easy access to other towns and cities along the M4 motorway.

Any favourite places to go in Swindon?

Personal favourite spots are Queens Park, Old Town, Canal Walk for its street art, the Old Canal, and Hackpen Hill on the road from Swindon to Avebury (which is my favourite route to drive – especially for trying to get a young child to sleep!).

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

As an established illustrator and artist, making a comfortable living from a variety of projects and commissions, and as a successful author and illustrator of international best-selling children’s books – starting with Raggled Right!

What project are you working on now?

I’m currently building my own website to promote my work and attract commissions which I hope will help support me while I finish and publish my children’s book and move on to other projects.

What’s your favourite place to see art?

Barcelona is a living art gallery. There is so much to see thanks to Gaudi’s impressive buildings and parks and his creative influence is shared throughout the city. There are numerous art galleries and museums, including Museum Picasso and Joan Miró museum, home to many original works of art. Everywhere you turn, there are sculptures, murals and art installations; the Catalan culture embraces visual expression and I’ve seen this grow more each time I’ve visited.

Where do you find ideas for your work?

Ideas usually find me! Urban streets are my biggest source of inspiration because visually there is so much going on; people, buildings, posters, shop window displays, vehicles, flora and fauna…. All those shapes, colours, patterns, textures, sounds and activity feed the imagination.

What’s the first artwork you ever sold?

I don’t recall the first artwork I sold for money, but I do remember in infant school, my classmates would ask me to draw a horse for them in return for pencil rubbers or whatever they had to barter! I think this stands for first paid commissions.

What work of art do you wish you owned?

An illustrated and published first copy of Raggled Right!

What international art destination do you most want to visit?

I’ve always wanted to go to Italy, not only is it my family-name’s roots, but I’m desperate to see first-hand the Italian Renaissance art treasures and the works of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo.

What under-appreciated artist, gallery, or work do you think people should know about?

My former classmates at Swindon College! They are all massively talented, wonderful artists and individuals embarking on their own creative career path. They never faltered in supporting and inspiring me and deserve the very best of success. I’ve linked them to my Instagram page so be sure to check out their work.

What are your hobbies?

I love spending time with my children, family and friends; travelling and seeing different places, whether for the day, a weekend trip or a holiday. I enjoy nights out with friends and music festivals where I can dance the night away! I don’t get a lot of time to myself, but when I do, my favourite pastime is drawing and generally doing anything creative.

What are your likes?

Morning lay-ins, sweet cherry tomatoes, grilled haloumi cheese, good health, driving, walking, cycling, mountains, coffee, wine, amaretto, music, dancing, Spanish guitar, the sound of drums, soft lighting, reading ‘Dozy Mare’ (by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross) for the thousandth time to Georgia, sunshine, rainbows, parks, lakes, honesty, kindness, free choice and expression.

Favourite place in the UK?

There are so many amazing places in the UK, everywhere has its own charm and interest. Bath and Bristol are my favourite closest cities in the southwest; I also love Portobello Road in London for its vibrant market life. However, I think as long as I live in the UK, my favourite place will always be Swindon!

Finally, what’s the best thing about Swindon?

Swindon will always feel like home as I’ve grown up here and seen the town grow around me. I have a lot of close family and friends here. The town is large but not a metropolis. It’s an easy-going place to live and has a somewhat village kind of culture about it in which everyone knows everyone (not always a good thing).