A BLACKBURN illustrator who is showcasing her talent on the other side of the world is preparing to bring her work back home, where it all began.

Having exhibited in London, Newcastle and New York, Hayley Welch, who is living in Perth, Australia, plans to get involved in Blackburn is Open, the town’s latest arts initiative.

The 28-year-old began drawing illustrations for national newspapers, including The Independent on Sunday, during her final years of university.

She has since become best known for her successful children’s pop-up book ‘This Way Up’ that has sold worldwide.

Hayley, a former St Wilfrid’s High pupil, who is originally from Oswaldtwistle, said: “I am planning on coming home this year and I want to get some art work back home.

“I think it’s really cool what’s happening back home with Blackburn is Open. I think creativity is a great way to get people connecting,”

Since graduating in 2010, Hayley won the prestigious David Cook Drawing Award in the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, and the Hedland Art Award for under 25s, in the same year.

Next month, the former Blackburn College student’s biggest project starts in America.

“I am travelling from San Francisco to New York, collecting found objects along the way, creating new pieces of art from what I find, then showcasing in a final exhibition in the USA,” she said.

Hayley has established herself as one of the newest creatives in the Western Australian art scene, and some of her work is selling at Perth’s Linton and Kay art gallery, ranging from $1800 to $3150.

“It has taken me a while to get to that price range, and it now means I can work full time as an artist. People like and buy my work that combines the fun and the darker stuff,” she said.

Hayley graduated from Blackpool College of Arts in 2008 with a first class degree in Scientific and Natural History. she lives with her boyfriend, Andy, and works full-time, freelance.

She describes her displays as having a technical approach, mixed with nostalgia and humour, yet her playful aura is juxtaposed with darker undertones of the unknown and abyss.

“The characters that I draw are from my imagination.

“I first started off drawing and painting on wood because you get some great textures and the character’s eyes worked out really well.

“It’s important that the eyes tell a story in an illustration. I have wide eyes and so does my mum, Rosemary, and sister, Lydia. we use a lot of expression through them.”

Since moving to Perth in 2009, the artist has exhibited internationally and in Burnley, Manchester and Chester.

Hayley said: “My latest body of work has been themed around the idea of self-doubt and listening to one’s inner ‘voices’ and emotions, something that has intrigued me for a long time,” said Hayley.

“The little characters within the paintings, symbolise the ‘voices’ inside my head – sometimes positive and at other times negative. And, whilst I work, I kind of figure out what these voices mean, whether I should listen to them or not.”