In the bustling Bristol art scene, Dave Bain stands out with his vibrant illustrations and communitycentric murals. But what sets this Bristol-based artist apart is not just his colourful palette or whimsical characters—it’s his genuine love for the creative process and his dedication to fostering communities. We sat down with Bain to uncover the journey of his creativity, his approach to collaborative projects, and the philosophies that keep him inspired and grounded.

Your art is instantly recognisable, how did you come to find your distinct style?

‘Style’ is a funny word for me because I think it’s something I don’t dwell on or seek out consciously. I’ve a deep love of illustration, printmaking and artworks that play with space, so that all feeds into my way of thinking. I remember discovering mid-century illustrator Jim Flora and being blown away by his playful approach to character illustration and the abstract manner he illustrated jazz and blues music. Discoveries like this feed into my sketchbook explorations. I make sure I carve out time to draw, on my own terms, pushing around ideas, inspirations and compositions. Learning how to screen print was another turning point on my creative journey. Working with that printing method forced me to really consider colour interactions and the joys of developing a limited colour palette.

You’ve worked on some amazing community-led projects. What’s your creative process when working to a brief?

Whoever I work with, I’ll always try to unpick what the project’s purpose is and who the audience will be. With community-centred projects, particularly with site-specific (mural) artwork, there’s a wonderful opportunity to work directly with the community. Whatever comes out of conversations or workshops feeds into my creative process.I’ll sketch out ideas and I’ll check these with the community so they can provide feedback. Sometimes I’m able to bring them in to help paint the final mural, which really imbues a sense of ownership. A lovely thing to witness.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?

I’d love to work more in 3D, so maybe a sculptor. I’m also considering dabbling in pottery to see how my characters could translate into clay. You’re big on community having set up the Pip illustrator meet-up for Bristol. How important do you think this is to our city? I hosted the Pip Bristol meet-up for a number of years and now oversee all the AOI meet-ups nationally. It’s all about support. I hate feeling alone and disconnected from creativity. People are fascinating and I believe every single person has creativity in them. Bristol has a rich creative culture. Being in a supportive studio, connecting with other illustrators at Pip meetups and helping support the AOI’s wider network of illustration meet-ups enriches my life. I hope I’m able to give the same level of positive support back.

Do you have any wellness practices or routines which are important for you to ensure you don’t burn out?

Getting outdoors, listening to music and being around family and friends are my go-to ways of ensuring I don’t get overwhelmed. There are lots of micro-routines or practices that help keep me grounded, like making a cup of coffee each morning, reading a book instead of looking at my phone or mixing two records together.

I’ve seen you’re involved with ‘Illo Radio’. Can you share a bit more about this initiative?

‘Illo Radio’ is a brilliant initiative from illustrator Sam Ailey. He started a series called ‘Illustrated Tapes’ where he’d invite an illustrator to curate a playlist of music and create an artwork to accompany it, which I took part in. This led onto his sister project ‘Illo Radio’ where he invites illustrators to present a radio show. My contribution is the show ‘Studio Speakers’ where I invite illustrators I admire to send me a short voice-note about what they’ve been up to, along with a few songs they’ve been enjoying on their studio speakers. It’s a little glimpse into their worlds and makes for an incredibly eclectic selection.

Do you like listening to music whilst creating?

When I’m coming up with initial ideas and sketches I often work in silence or I’ll play ambient music or an album I’m very familiar with. Once I’ve landed on artwork direction, then the music goes on and I’ll get into a flow with creating. I’m currently enjoying the sprawling jazz approach of ‘Black Classical Music’ by Yussef Dayes, the dreamy electro of ’Afterimage’ by ERP, and the beautiful fusion funk on ‘Tapestry Koto & The Occident Country’ by Toshiko Yonekawa and Kiyoshi Yamaya.

I love the insights page of your website, especially your post recommending all the podcasts you’ve listened to. Is there one that has particularly influenced you?

If I had to pick one, it’d be Ben Tallon’s ‘Creative Condition’ podcast. I love his frank approach to interviewing his guests. He really flies the flag for encouraging and shining a light on creativity in our culture. I also can’t get enough of the stories on ‘The Moth’ podcast.

And finally, what advice would you give to someone starting out?

Never stop learning and trying out new things. I’m a student for life and I love that. There are so many incredible sources of inspiration in this world and it’s a joy filtering those findings into my own way of working.

It’s been a pleasure to take a glimpse into the vibrant world of Dave Bain’s creativity. Head to The Square Club and Square Works to see two of his latest murals. I’d also recommend exploring the ‘Insights’ page of Bain’s website, where you’ll find his interviews with other artists, discussions on mental health and lots of artistic tips.