New Marcus Oakley baby blanket

ROAM introduces

MARCUS OAKLEY

Here at roam we’re always thinking and talking about journeys no matter how short or long or straight or twisty….

To quote an old adage we like….” it’s not just the road one walks, but the also the walking”

We’d like to think our baby blankets are a splendid and  not too shabby way of celebrating the start of the big journey – a starters medal of sorts and the perfect present to start big dreams under

We got to know marcus a few years ago after reading and looking at his book “an idea of something” and collaborating on various projects after that. We really love his thoughts and ideas and the journey he’s creating day by day…

He’s kindly created “Happy Giraffes” for the ROAM personalised baby blanket collection and answered a few question about this and that and what makes him tick…

We hope you like “Happy Giraffes” and our first ROAM introduction with Marcus Oakley.

it’s all very good fun!

 

Q:  WHO ARE YOU ?

A:  Marcus Oakley

artist / illustrator / self taught musican / day dreamer / tea drinker

Q:  HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ESTABLISHED ?

A:  I have been working in the creative industries since 1996 when I graduated from camberwell college of art

Q:  WHAT GOT YOU STARTED ?

A:  For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to create and be creative

Q:  WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO ?

A: I enjoy the simplicity of drawing and connecting one line with another, thick lines, thin lines, abstract and pictorial they all have there own mood and melody.

Q:  CONSTANT INSPIRATION ? WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM? FAVOURITE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION?

A: I’m inspired by many many things but for more than 10 years I would say that the decade of the 1970’s has inspired certain parts of my work, I was born in the 1970s but its not a child hood nostalgia of that time I have. I’m interested in all the cultural activity I was just to young to know about.  The decade was so rich and varied in Music, Film, Art, Fashion, Architecture,Furniture and Graphic Design.

Q:  TELL US ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS….IDEA TO PRODUCT

A:  thinking/tea/draw

Q:  WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU HAVE YOUR BEST IDEAS ?

A:  Various places: at home in london / outside camping / cycling / swimming in the sea / walking through woods and walking up and down hills and mountains.

Q: FAVOURITE PIECE OF WORK / PROJECT

A: I don’t have one particular project, I enjoy the relationship when new projects come along.

Q:  OLDEST MEMORY ?

A:  I can remember at the age of two dancing to  ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’ by The Brother Hood of Man.

Q:  FAVOURITE JOURNEY?

A:  Currently its a circular 40 mile bike ride from my home in brixton out to the north downs in kent, stopping of for some tea and cake before returning home.

Q:  JOURNEY YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL , BUT HAVE NOT YET UNDERTAKEN?

A:  The North Sea Cycle Route.

its a 6,000km route which goes through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England.

Q:  FAVOURITE TRAVEL MEMORIES

A:  here are a few…

As a child eating my dads greasy burnt breakfasts from holidays in cavavan parks.

On a chilly day strolling around new york with a coffee and do-nut.

walking on up and down the donkey trails of corfu.

Cross Country sking with a hippie wearing a davy crockett hat in maine.

hiking though epic rain forests of Vancouver Island.

Laying in a tent drinking tea and hearing the rain

Q:  FAVOURITE DESTINATION / JOURNEY / VOYAGE

A:  The last few years myself and my girlfriend have spent our summers camping and cycling around the south of england.

Its interesting how different, varied, strange, odd and magical each county is.

Q:  FAVOURITE TRAVEL FOOD?

A:  Japanese

The last time I was in tokyo I ate in eel restaurant, the chef cooked every part of the eel including the head and internal organs

all of these parts had a different taste and texture & they where all delicious.

Q:  FAVOURITE WAY TO STAY WARM?

A:  hot chocolate with whisky

Q:  FIGURATIVE vs ABSTRACT…

A:  They are symbiotic, you can’t have one without the other.

Q:  CARS OR BICYCLES ?

A:  bicycles!

Q:  NORTH / SOUTH / EAST / OR WEST ?

A:  I’m originally from norfolk so it has to be east.

Q:  TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE CYCLING TRIP – WE KNOW YOU BICYCLE A BIT…

A:  Last summer I took a trip over to the isle of Wight, its fantastic for cycling with smooth twisty roads that go up and down, through the countryside and along the coast.

As its a small island so its never too far for a pit stop of tea and cake and a dip in the sea.

Q:  FANTASY BAND LINE-UP ?

A:  not sure how it would sound?

but the pentangle with the beach boys would be radical

Q:  FAVOURITE DECADE ?

A:  1970’s

Q:  PAC-MAN OR SPACE INVADERS ? ( YOU COULD ANSWER “ASTEROIDS”…)

A:  I never really played arcade games that much so I might go for connect four or battle ship.

Q:  TOWN OR COUNTRY?

A:  both!