Ali Bryson is a 22 year old artist and illustrator.

Originally from Bristol, Ali studied illustration at the University of Gloucestershire, and this month will be holding their very first exhibition, under the artist name Offpeach.

“I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember,” said Ali.

“I loved drawing when I was a child and would draw on my hands and on the front of my workbooks in high school, much to the dismay of my teachers.”

Despite their clear talent for it, Ali says a lot of hard work went into honing the craft.

They continued: “It has always been a constant in my life, so I naturally followed it in my education.

“I don’t think I had an inherent talent for it, more that I spent so long learning and practising, much like any skill. I still have a lot to learn too!”

In 2013 Ali began studying Art and Design at City of Bristol College, where it became clear that illustration was the career path for them.

“During the course, I found myself becoming more and more interested in graphic design, which led me to get my extended diploma in Graphic Design in 2016.

“In the end, while what I learned through that course was valuable and interesting, it made me realise how much I love illustration.”

Ali graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2019, and their upcoming exhibition at the Gloucester Guildhall was set up thanks to help from their lecturers.

They continued: “I actually heard about the opportunity through my university course private Facebook page!

“Our teachers and fellow/alumni students often post useful resources, competitions, events, and similar opportunities throughout the year. This is my first ever exhibition, but I’m very excited for it and hope to have more in the future!”

The exhibition, entitled ‘Rosy Cheeks’, will feature pieces of work which display Ali’s unique style.

Ali says that their influences come from a variety of sources, including South Korean artist Uijung Kim and Japanese company Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty.

“The style I use now is fairly new to me,” they added. “Growing up I always wanted to draw realistically, especially as I got older and the artists I followed online also utilised that kind of style.

“But during my first year of university, I really wanted to embrace my current interests. In terms of ideas and content, I just draw things that make me happy – simple things like fruit or animals to pieces inspired by song lyrics or fanart of video games.”

Rosy Cheeks will be at Gloucester Guildhall from Tuesday 4th to Thursday 27th February.