The calm in the storm; Charlie Mackesy and the impact of art during lockdown.
Words by Megan Bulmer
Art has always meant more than just the sum of its parts; just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the beauty of all art falls within how it resonates with each person. What incites feelings of anger or discomfort in one, may bring peace to another, and it is this power to influence human emotion which makes all art equally worthy.
More than ever, this capacity has been so important throughout the last few months of uncertainty, in bringing hope and calm in moments of difficulty or loss; art in all forms has been needed to soothe anxious minds and quell uneasy thoughts. In an age of intense social media use, it has been easier than ever to sit and whittle away the lockdown hours scrolling through Instagram and Facebook feeds (which often do more to create feelings of instability than to alleviate them). Yet, one benefit of this instant access to the reservoir of the online world is its ability to familiarise us with art and introduce us to new artists; alongside the frequent appearance of insignificant (and often worry-inducing) posts, are pictures and videos of beautiful and diverse artworks. One such piece of artwork that immediately caught my eye, and prompted me to follow its creator, was a drawing by Charlie Mackesy:
Charlie Mackesy illustration on Kindness
Although he has enjoyed an extremely successful and poignant career as an artist for many years now, it wasn’t until lockdown that I first noticed and fell in love with Mackesy’s work. Despite his lack of a formal education in art, Mackesy started his career as a cartoonist for The Spectator and a book illustrator for Oxford University press, before going on to have his works featured in public spaces around the world; his drawings can be found in hospitals, prisons, churches, and university colleges all around the UK. Perhaps the greatest testament to the impact of his artistry, however, is the use of his artwork in women’s safe houses around the world.
Charlie Mackesy illustration on Bravery
Mackesy released his first book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse in October 2019, which has gone on to become a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA today bestseller, bringing meaning and hope to people around the world with its elegant illustrations and their moving captions. In response to Mackesy’s work, Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) emotionally commented: ‘the world that I am required to inhabit is this one. But the world that I long to inhabit is the one that Charlie Mackesy has created.’, which poignantly captures the impact of Mackesy’s art; he has created with his drawings and his words a world so vivid and peaceful that one longs to enter it. A similarly admiring comment came from comedian Miranda Hart, who insightfully declared that ‘simply, the world needs Charlie’s work right now’, which has rang powerfully true over the last few months.
Charlie Mackesy illustration on Love
Mackesy’s drawings are simple and delicate, without going into great anatomical detail he achieves a beautiful harmony in his illustrations; the wispy lines he uses to create the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse, alongside his touching quotes about love, kindness and hope, create soft and calming images which have the power to insight peace and tranquility in anyone who takes the time to consider them. Luckily, Mackesy has an extremely active social media presence, with his instagram account (followed by 1.2 million users) frequently posting online versions of his drawings, so that his work has been able to reach and positively impact an incredible number of people during lockdown. This reach, now more than ever, has been so important in making people feel less alone; the words and characters in Mackesy’s artwork make you feel simultaneously heard, seen and comforted.
Charlie Mackesy illustration on Self-Love
Mackesy is just one of a great number of artists whose works have the power to truly impact the people who see them, and his drawings are a testament to the importance of art in all of its forms, be it online, on paper, or mounted in a frame on a gallery wall. It is moving to see an artist whose sole dedication is to the well-being and happiness of others, whose time and effort and love is poured into pieces of work which make the world a better place, and make those in it more hopeful for tomorrow. Mackesy himself writes in his instagram caption of the drawing below: ‘one of the greatest privileges I’ve ever had is seeing this drawing stuck on the walls of hospitals and schools during the pandemic’, and these words powerfully signify Mackesy’s purpose in the creation of his art; to reach out and fill the world with faith.
Charlie Mackesy illustration on one step at a time
