SHUTURP

Shuturp is the pseudonym of Queensland-based artist Ellie Hopley, literally wearing her heart on her sleeve through her similarly named clothing line and Instagram brand. She is dedicated to showcasing real life, and all the emotions that go along with it.

All-Stars is shuturp's second appearance in PASTEL.

Shuturp is your art and clothing line, pushing out high-quality, deeply relatable content that looks good both on the wall and on the body. Where did the origins of Shuturp spring from?

I started Shuturp as a place to store my drawings originally and then people started enjoying my page more than I expected. It very slowly but surely grew over the years into this business that I still can't believe I have created. The clothing side of it only really began about 2 years ago and since then it's just gotten bigger and bigger and I am getting busier and busier!

What's the most rewarding about being the brains behind a local brand?

I think the most rewarding part is seeing people wearing my clothes all over the world. It blows me away that people like the stuff I’m bringing out and it blows me away even more that my customers are worldwide. Some of the countries I am posting to I have never even heard before. It's all just crazy and I am so lucky.

What have you yet to do with shuturp that you'd like to have a crack at?

I want to create HEAPS more clothes and I'm talking shorts, pants, overalls, hats, shoes ect. I want it ALL. I want to be in stores across the world and I also want to go around to schools and talk about life and help those that are struggling with mental health.

Your style is almost certainly abstract, bordering on the absurd. You do full-colour work, but are also known for your facial line drawings. From who or where do you draw your inspiration from?

Most of my inspiration comes from everyday situations that I am in, people that I meet or see along the way and most importantly how I am feeling. The line drawings are a relaxation for me, they help me when I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious and they are never planned.

Highlighting the quirks of being human has resonated with much of your audience; how might it have resonated with you?

I think Instagram is extremely fake with "perfect" lives everywhere and fake boobies. It's boring and sets ridiculous standards for the people looking at these pages thinking that their lives aren't good enough. I want to share the ups and downs of life so that people don't feel alone, so that people can see that everybody has bad days and to show that talking about it is OKAY and actually helps.

Away from the tablet, you're also a singer and guitarist, sharing much of your vocal talent online. Do you find your music and visual art informing one another?

I have always sang since I was literally one. It's been a part of my life forever and I think it always will be, but I have recently stopped gigging due to the anxiety that comes along with it. I hope that this doesn't last forever but at the moment I am enjoying singing in my bedroom and occasionally posting a video here and there.

Might PASPals find you performing live, in the near future?

Who knows, maybe if they find a cure for anxiety.

Enjoy Shuturp’s work on Instagram at @shuturp, and live the shuturp life at shuturp.com/collections/all

To enjoy Ellie's All-Stars contribution, pick up a copy of PASTEL Magazine All-Stars at pastelthemagazine.bigcartel.com