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I’m Amii James, an illustrator from Devon, UK.

I feel that my journey to who I am now as an illustrator really began in June 2020. I created and posted this artwork (albeit to my 200 Instagram followers), commentating on the phrase “All Lives Matter”, often being used in response to the Black Lives Matter Movement.

This post quickly blew up, as did the size of my audience, growing by over 10,000 followers in 1 week! In selling this work as in the form of prints and t-shirts, I was able to raise nearly $600 dollars for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The success of this work is a fantastic example of why I love my practice. How incredible to know that a few simple lines can stir so many emotions, so much outrage, so much debate and conversation - and raise money for an incredible cause in the process.

This leads me nicely onto something I was asked recently regarding my satirical art - “Are you ever afraid of sharing your political stance with the world? ” - put simply, no! I am able to use my platform to stand up for what’s right, and that’s an incredibly privileged position to be in. There’s a right way and a wrong way to use your privilege, and I believe that it’s important to use it the right way.

Alongside my satirical illustration, you will find plenty of nonsense. It makes me laugh when I’m asked where my inspiration comes from with these, and what my artistic process is. If I’m being completely honest, the only real “artistic process” is making sure it is as simplified as possible. In terms of idea generation, I simply draw any nugget of oddity that crosses my mind.

There are certainly two directions in which my art usually heads, but whether serious or ridiculous, I always include an aspect of humour. I feel that this is a way in which I put a bit of me into everything that I do, and helps my audience feel that they know me. Humour is a fantastic tool in making content that resonates with the viewers, and a surefire way to keep things fresh and upbeat.

If you’d like to know more, I have spoken about myself and my work in interviews, such as this one with Bored Panda, or this live IGTV with @lemonadegandldn!