Bristol Beacon
Winner of Transform Awards Europe 2022
“Rosa is astonishing. Her clarity of thought and vibrant, playful creativity produce extraordinary results. She is a true artist, and working with her has been unforgettable and inspiring.”
– Nick Eagleton from Saboteur Studio
Brief
I was honoured to be selected to lead this transformative project for the largest cultural music venue in Bristol, with the support of Saboteur Studio and Rising Arts Agency. The visual rebrand was the final step in shedding the building’s ties to slave trader Edward Colston. Put simply, the mission was to set music free
Concept
My goal was to craft a design that was expressive, personal, inclusive, and unfiltered. It was important to me that the concept be created by hand to convey genuine care and human touch.
I centred the design around the idea of an expanding source of light, a metaphor for the venue's influence and reach in the city. This light could be made louder or quieter, dynamically adjusting to suit the message and mood.
The mural is intended to draw the viewer in and up the stairs, and provides different meanings/connections depending on the view point.
Most of all, I wanted the visual identity to be welcoming and joyful – a bright departure from its previous ties.
Exploration
Sight & Sound Magazine (British Film Institute)
This spot illustration is about how people seem to have lost the ability to feel uncomfortable watching scary films (like Silence of the Lambs), and so mask that by laughing inappropriately throughout.
I used the example of Hannibal Lector as a comedian.
I had two days from receiving the brief to executing the final idea. See my sketches and development below.
See my process:
Sketches: I presented two ideas, one with Hannibal in his mask as a clown, and one with him as a comedian
Idea 1:
Idea 2:
Final options: The editor selected the “killer comedy” idea. I added a halftone effect to add texture, and lengthened the illustration to their requested dimensions. I presented them four options to choose from.
And the third option was the final illustration!
Monkey Business
“Truly original” – Bristol24/7
"Monkey Business" is my exhibition inspired by the diverse expressions of biological sex and sexual behavior in the animal kingdom.
Drawing from ‘Bitch’ by Lucy Cooke and and ‘Queer Ducks’ by Eliot Schrefer, this exhibition is about celebrating queerness and expanding my own understanding of who I am in the world.
Through my research I've discovered examples like lesbian lizards, non-monogamous songbirds, sex-changing clownfish, and promiscuous monkeys—there's so much queer behavior being uncovered!
At the same time, I want to challenge the idea of “finding” our place in the world by looking to nature.
Animals don’t exist to teach us how to live—our morality isn’t a monkey’s business; it’s ours to figure out.
Events:
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Music: Homosapien Love Songs by Pal and friends
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Art: Animal Life Drawing with Bristol Life Drawing
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Talk: Jasmine Isa Qureshi ‘Queering Ecology: Why Penguins aren’t gay’
Painting catalogue available here
What Road Signs Teach Us
Zine
Road signs have become a bit of a fascination for me. In fact, I remember when i was a teen I once gifted an ‘Australian road sign’ book to my friend who was like...thanks?! and clearly had no interest in the subject. But for me it’s something about the simplicity and functionalty of the design that I love, and how every country has its own unique visual language.
This zine looks at the unlikely connection between UK road signage and some lessons I learnt by falling in love.
More recently in America, I created my second road sign zine “What they really mean” to look at the hidden interpretations of American signs and rules. You can nudge me at rosa@rtiiika.com to upload photos of that project.
Bike Portraits for Cycling Events
Clients: Rapha, Bespoked
As featured in:
Bike Gear Data Base, The Radavist
“The sketches really stood out as quirky in an industry that can sometimes take itself too seriously.”
– Bike Gear Data BaseWhy bicycle portraits?
I enjoy the space between cycling and art.
My quick and playful caricatures add a really joyful, engaging and shareable aspect to a organised ride, race or cycling show.
Made by hand, in real-time. This is a live experience that cyclists feel invested in and excited by.
The portraits are theirs to keep and frame!
How much does it cost?
Every event is bespoke – my packages start from £500
Looking for one-off Bike Portraits? Check out my shop.
Photography by Miriam Strong & Colin Tuff
