Illustration graduate whose work is mostly figurative. I paint, draw and construct using a flexible range of tangible media across a wide range of surfaces and contexts, allowing my practice to exist across various disciplines. The work I produce is largely self-directed, allowing me to explore a wealth of ideas and concepts which need to be realised.
I have exhibited internationally and hold a collection of original works and prints available to purchase. I am also able to work on a commission basis.
Find me on Facebook for current projects and other updates.
“While cartography can be considered an art in itself, illustrator Ed Fairburn has fused portraiture with street grids and topography in his latest works. He searches for moments to blend macroscopic terrain with human features – this pattern finding takes a special eye and careful hand. To Fairburn, a street can outline the curve of a smile and the highways can fracture across a solemn face, creating a hauntingly beautiful representation of human expression”
(Kimberly Li of Gessato.com)
“Like a sculptor carving a subject from a block of stone, or a constellation highlighted in a clump of stars, Fairburn uses meticulous ink or pencil cross-hatching to create portraits hidden amongst the topographical features”
(Christopher Jobson of ThisIsColossal.com)
“Remember when you were a kid and you’d look at a map and be like ‘that looks like a dude wearing a chef’s hat’ or some shit? Well Fairburn takes that same sort of imagination to an entirely new level”
(Eric Giroux of SneakHype.com)
“One of his most impressive projects is the series of map-based portraits, mixing the multi-coloured patterned surfaces of maps with the uniqueness of the human face”
(VisuaLoop.com)
“An ingenious use of a map as a canvas comes from artist Ed Fairburn. This exceptional visual display comes from Fairburn utilising the intricate terrain and workings of his chosen map and correlating the structures to those of his chosen subject’s features”
(Laura Hutchinson of Fashion156.com)