Maisy Summer is an Illustrator and Animator working closely with clients big and small to help them communicate their stories personally and thoughtfully often around themes of heritage, community, food and culture. Maisy has worked widely within branding, publishing, animation, and editorial, as well as designing large-scale murals and narrative wallpapers.
With a playful approach to her practice, Maisy creates layers of delightful textures, bold colour combinations and joyful compositions. Within Maisy’s toolkit is a mix of techniques and materials which she adapts to each project. This can be handcrafted techniques such as paper cutting and drawing with scissors, bold mark-making with pastels, paints and pencils, to carefully intertwining digital drawing programs such as Adobe Fresco. All of which Maisy is more than happy to document the process to enrich client projects, workshops, to playful personal projects such as ‘Drawing Diaries’. Clients include: Google Arts and Culture, Adobe, Kew Gardens, Bookshop Day, Kings College London, Whitworth Art Gallery and Hatworks Hat Museum.
Maisy's projects have been shortlisted in the V&A Illustration Awards, AOI World Illustration Awards & STACK Magazine Awards, as well as received features in It’s Nice That, Creative Boom & Creative Review. Alongside freelancing Maisy currently guest lectures (FHEA) across the UK. She also is the founder of international creative hub Small Fry, which hosts creative events, projects, talks & workshops across the UK and beyond. This space allows the sharing of personal insights and expertise, brand collaborations, as well as curating and designing talks and workshops with creatives locally and internationally.
SELECTED CLIENTS | Google Arts and Culture, Adobe, Kew Gardens, Build Hollywood, London Graphic Centre, Bookshop Day, EDIT Brand, Hatworks Hat Museum, Bury Art Museum, Hoppy Beverage Co, Hodder and Stoughton (Hachette), Isle of Man Post Office, Winsor and Newton, Derwent, British Council, AOI, Sunday Times, Elephant Academy, Paperchase, Hallmark, Kings College London, York University, Intern Mag, Oh Mag, Flow Magazine, Manchester School of Art, Greater Manchester Arts, Women in Print, University of Manchester, The Whitworth Art Gallery
LECTURER AND EDUCATOR | FHEA Fellow of Higher Education Academy
Guest Lecturer | 2023 - Present
Lecturer | Illustration with Animation Manchester School of Art | 2022 - 2023
Associate Lecturer | Illustration with Animation MSoA | 2021-2022
Teaching Assistant | Illustration with Animation MSoA | 2018-2021
CONFERENCE TALK | Communication Not Just Decoration UCLAN 2023
ADOBE | Creative Connection Online | Adobe Creative Breakfast Talk
SMALL FRY
Founder of Small Fry, 2018
Creative Events, Projects, Talks & Workshops
Events in partnership with the AOI
Lastest workshops and courses with Elephant Academy
Freelance Illustration Masterclass + Portfolio Reviews
Purchase tickets to upcoming talks, events and workshops
@smallfrycollective @smallfryco_ www.smallfrycollective.com
SMALL FRY PRESS
Now Then Manchester 'The Seasoning of Small Fry'
Elephant Magazine ‘Art in Motion’
Creative Boom 'Maisy Summer on how the collective empowers emerging creatives'
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester
Somerset House, AOI Awards, London
Benzie Building, Vertical Gallery, Manchester
Business Design Centre, New Designers, London
STOCKISTS
Duplikat Press
Magma
M.A.D.E Cirencester
Bury Art Shop
GK Gallery
GET IN TOUCH | hello@maisysummer.com Instagram | Twitter | Linked in | Mailing List
AGENT | Represented by Breed London | Breed Introduction Interview
TESTIMONIALS
“I had the great pleasure of working with Maisy Summer on a set of gorgeous illustrations that bring to life global heritage sites - from the Trevi Fountain to the Forbidden City in China. She worked independently and with great insight and creativity, thoughtfully incorporated our feedback, and delivered the project on time. We're confident that we'll work together again in the future” Leonie Shinn-Morris - Head of Editorial Google Arts and Culture
“Maisy's contribution to our project was integral to our work and through her generous sharing of her expertise, she added a further dimension of creativity and reciprocity to our project. The images she co-created with teachers and young people for the Manifesto are both incredibly beautiful and capture visions and ideas of a better future world which continue to inspire all those who engage with the project” Dr Elizabeth Rushton - Kings College London Academic Chair for Climate, Lecturer in Geography Education, Managing Editor of Routes
“A massive thank you for your work on the BERA research commission. You have created a vision of education to aspire to and really brought the ideas of young people and teachers to life! The manifesto looks awesome and it was a joy to work with you throughout - you really understood the research process, worked to agreed timescales and gave us opportunities to respond to your visuals. Huge appreciation for your work and way of working - hope to work with you again soon!” Dr Lynda Dunlop Senior Lecturer in Science Education at York University
PRESS
Its Nice That How can illustration be used as a tool to educate and inspire?
Studio Noel The Art of Storytelling: Discussing Illustration and Animation with Maisy Summer
It's Nice That Maisy Summer’s food-based illustrations are full of childlike joy
Creative Review Maisy Summer’s charming paper-cut illustrations are full of character
Creative Boom Maisy Summer's charming illustrations for a new cookbook that showcases 'creative meals on a budget'
Creative Boom The best festive cards for Christmas 2023 by independent artists and designers
The Bookseller The Bookseller Association reveals initial plans for 2023 Bookshop Day
Architectural Digest The March Five: Creators Worthy of a Revolution
Elephant Magazine Art in Motion: Learn to Animate with Our Brand New Online Course
Open Spaces Mural Documentary
Cap and Dove Maisy Summer in her Studio
Living Etc New Designers 2018: Meet The Designers Of Tomorrow
MMU Drawing Nightlife: Meet Award-Winning Illustrator Maisy Lewin-Sanderson
New Designers Show Guide Highlights
SHORTLIST & AWARDS
Shortlisted V&A Awards Advertising and Commerical 2024
Shortlisted V&A Awards Non Fiction 2024
Longlisted AOI's World Illustration Awards Science and Technology 2022
Longlisted AOI's World Illustration Awards Advertising 2021
Shortlisted Best Use of Illustration Stack Magazine Awards 2019
Shortlisted AOI's World Illustration Awards Alternative Publishing & Site Specific Category 2019
Winner of UG Cass Art Sketchbook Prize at MSOA 2018
Winner of Hallmark Studio Award New Designers Week 2 2018