On September the 19th, I was rolling around Birmingham City Centre searching for the fibreglass owls that make up The Big Hoot trail. One I found was number 35: I See A Darkness by Ben Javens.

Ben Javens grew up in a small town in Yorkshire and though he now resides in Birmingham, he still holds dear those formative years and his northern roots. Those who know Ben will no doubt tell you he can be a bit of a curmudgeon but that deep down, there is a happy soul trying to get out! Those who are familiar with his work will no doubt see the battle between happy and sad in the characters he draws and the situations they find themselves in.

Ben’s work is often very simple but always displays a strong emphasis on colour and a carefully considered composition.  He takes much of his inspiration from the books he collects about illustrators and designers from the mid 20th century and those of new artists that ‘give a nod’ to past styles and trends.  He also fills his working days with music, to let it seep into his soul and then be transformed into something visual, through his artwork.