Stories from the Studio: Ayla Marika

Ayla Marika is a visual artist and illustrator who works from her light filled studio near Collector. She specialises in hand-drawn illustration using ink pen, graphite, charcoal, as well as painting and collage. With a style that draws inspiration from the classical old masters, surrealism and vintage psychedelia, Ayla’s work packs a punch.

Subject matter I’m attracted to include the subconscious mind and esoteric spirituality, food, plant medicine, Scandinavian design and the natural environment. Artists I am influenced by and pull inspiration from include M.C. Escher, Ralph Steadman, Dalí, Hokusai, Van Gogh, Chris Ware, Brian Blomerth, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, and musicians Thom Yorke and Björk. In particular, I’m drawn to psychedelic and ‘outsider’ art because of its purity of inner expression and ignorance of the art establishment, and I am a sucker for excellent music album art and music posters.