Who are you?
I’ll try to sum myself up as best I can! You might find me most places under the name Merløreli. I’m an illustrator/ creator currently based in Newark, Nottinghamshire. My work is centered around UK wildlife species whether that be drawing, painting or making clay creatures for my Etsy store or markets I appear at. I sometimes will run fun illustration workshops, the last one I did was on Fungi! Generally, if you get talking to me about anything nature related I probably won’t stop, but hopefully my enthusiasm infects you and you go away with a new fact or take something I’ve said as interesting.
What got you started on your creative nature journey ?
It didn’t feel like there was much of an emphasis on nature where I grew up – a tiny village in the West Midlands. My parents tried to take us into green spaces as much as they could, as they got busier with work and as we became older, this became less. But, during the holidays, we would make our great escape. Dad would take most of his holiday time and book a campsite which we’d toddle along in our trailer tent. Northumberland was a highlight whenever we visited but we’d always end up travelling back to North Norfolk, where the nature obsession started. I was always collecting rocks, shells, feathers from everywhere and drawing or reading when we had down time.
I don’t remember much as a child, mainly those holidays. I remember being woken up by my parents at 5am to go see a bird migration (don’t ask me which one) and being really excited but tired, my brother (not as impressed) shouting “but, WHY?!”. I loved, and still do, the array of habitats along that coastline. I remember watching one of Britain’s rarest and most beautiful butterflies along the reed beds of the Norfolk Broads – the swallowtail – that changed everything. These exquisite insects have been declining for decades, a terrifying 52% since 1970. Going back a few years later and seeing this decline in person affected me so much and still does to this day.
I’d always been scared to move away from home but at 21, I took a leap and went off to Nottingham Uni to do illustration, I wasn’t completely alone though which made it easier for me and was lucky to get a rented house with my partner, Ryan who had been studying the previous year at Trent. The original plan was to do character design but my growing eco-anxiety was pushing me into a different direction, a more nature-focused one. At the worst point my anxiety was debilitating, I remember being in bed spiralling for weeks. Ryan took me out to Wollaton to be out in nature, when I saw a poster to have an opportunity to design a mural at Wollaton Hall for Cop 26. I got picked and spent days with Anna putting it on the side of the 508 cafe in Wollaton grounds. That seems so long ago now…..
What got you involved in UKY4N?
It was that mural that linked me up with UK Youth for Nature, through their Natural Kingdom: Wild Walls campaign as I saw it displayed on the Octopus website. What followed was nearly a year of lurking. I loved seeing UKY4N’s social media posts and I thought the team looked AMAZING, but I was too nervous to reach out, I just didn’t feel qualified enough. Eventually I plucked up the courage to send an email about volunteering and after Ryan had checked it over for me, I sent it. Ellen got in touch straight away and we had a really lovely talk over Zoom about what it is like being part of the team. I signed up that day and have never looked back.
Since signing up I’ve done as much as I can to creatively support UKY4N’s campaigns, illustrating the recipe cards for the chemical cocktail bar last year, creating banners and wildlife stickers for our Liverpool Urban Nature Day. I’m an active member of our EDI action group and am currently working on a series of butterfly illustrations to show our support for the LQBTQIA community. I’ve even had the chance to use some of those character design skills to create some halloween social media content.
Why is EDI so important to you ?
Equality, diversity and inclusion in nature is an absolutely huge part in what I do. I am someone who is both disabled and a carer for another disabled person. There are so many issues that arise in this sector and the exclusion you can feel sometimes is overwhelming. Many times I don’t disclose that I walk with a stick because of the fear of refusal. I volunteer a lot because there is less judgement when you are not paid which is insane!
Growing up in a working class family you understand how much time goes into work and less into nature (why I always wanted a nature based job). It is so important to be able to get people involved even if they don’t have access to large green spaces or gardens. Getting people to notice things like the weeds on their walk to work, or the pigeons in the city, to the spiders that come into their warm houses in the winter is a first step into a nature filled world. Everyone should be able to access the information and get their interest started in nature at any age/ stage of life. Nature is meant for everyone it doesn’t judge, I have always called it my safe space and so many others do too! This is why it needs to be accessible for all.
How has being part of UKY4N changed you?
UK Youth for Nature has given me so much confidence, everyone is so supportive and I’ve definitely made friends for life. I’ve never been very good at face-to-face interactions, attending the urban nature day last year really helped my confidence. I’d always felt a bit like an outsider growing up, I couldn’t find people like me but UKY4N is full of people just like me, huge nature nerds. I feel really at home.
I never stop talking about UKY4N or the team telling everyone who asks probably way too much but I just get too excited talking about it. I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this amazing group. I’d encourage everyone to get involved! I would love our team to grow and include more people. I wish I had joined sooner!
