Young Earl Grey Live Event Drawing

Although the digital realm is where most of her artwork takes place, Rhea loves to utilise strong, bold lines in her Live Event Drawing, contrasting with the milky colours of her favourite Copic Markers. Her sketches can take just a few moments to materialise – from there, it’s all about splashes of colour and shading to really bring to life a unique, one of a kind artwork. With a loose, energetic style and an eye for retro fashion from the 80s and 90s, Australian artist Rhea Isaacs creates illustrations that are full of fun, with just a hint of attitude. Working under the moniker YoungEarlGrey, she is not shy about using bubbly pink love hearts, loud 80s colour schemes, high belts or zany stripes. Though she grew up and trained in Australia, Rhea moved to Paris in 2015 to merge with the European illustration scene. It’s been a big success, and her work has found a market among both edgy and established names in fashion, music and publishing. Music and entertainment in the 1980s are some of her biggest influences – from Back to the Future to Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen. She is an avid retro sneaker collector, has a wardrobe full of vintage fashions, and even owns an original jacket from Planet Hollywood Sydney, which was only in business for a few years. The American artist Keith Haring is one of Rhea’s biggest artistic inspirations because of the way his work bridged commercial and fine art. Reading his diaries has given her the encouragement to take her career in new directions, and that sense of pure optimism is reflected in her work.