Blacksheep Studios Inc. is an illustration and concept design studio that launched a few short months ago. Its founders, owners and passionate devotees are two illustrators, Hilary and Tyler Jenkins. Their shared specialty is narrative illustration, inspired by their long interest in illustrated stories for both children and adults.
Hilary Jenkins was born on Canada’s West Coast. With her childhood spent on one of the more obscure Gulf islands, where self-generated electricity was the rule, Hilary’s enthusiasm for art blossomed without distraction. Keen observation and diligent practice lead eventually to the successful completion of a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication at the Alberta College of Art and Design. In a fitting synthesis of her educational experience and the happy memories of childhood, Hilary creates imagery that is whimsical, lyrical and gentle.
Tyler Jenkins was not born on the coast but was lucky enough that Hilary came to Calgary for her degree, since it was at ACAD that they met. Tyler’s education is spotted with many programs and universities; a telling indication of an interest in everything and an enthusiasm for anything. Ironically, it was with his first passion, illustration that he found a way to dabble in every subject. Having completed a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication, Tyler saddles a penetrating interest in reality with the firm advocacy of the fantastic; remaining a steady ally to the believably packaged but wildly imaginative picture.
Though illustration encourages a lone-wolf career, the marital tie sounded an enticing call to a joint effort. In addition to the obvious benefits of pooled resources, the notion offered a compound aesthetic advantage. The first component of this is the commonality of artistic vision, despite the individuality of both style and approach, is a shared ethos, or mentality behind each illustration. Whether Tyler digitally impresses layers of transparent color over rough, gestural pencil work or Hilary carefully renders a piece using either coloured pencils or oils, the focus on conveying the underlying story remains ever-constant. While the specifics are particular to each, this shared emphasis provides a nestling coherence.
The second component is one of reciprocal critique. Though working independently, each may act as a sounding board and “quality control” for the other. The shared artistic emphasis and overriding passion offers a common understanding of the goals each is striving to achieve in their own work, and allows a sympathetic critical eye.
Blacksheep Studios offers the allied strengths of two illustrators. With work tempered on the hot forge of communal reflection, the final piece stands the sturdier.
