Artist profile

Syaleen Stokes

Syaleen Stokes is a British-Malaysian artist and illustrator based in Oxford, creating whimsical, richly layered illustrations inspired by interiors, the quiet beauty of everyday life, and nature. Her mixed-media practice combines colour, pattern and storytelling to evoke nostalgia; her hand drawn style, with imperfections kept intact, conveys a sense of curiosity and experimentation. Marks, colours, and even happy accidents become part of the work, with ink, watercolour, pastel and found materials layered and reworked to create surfaces that feel playful and alive. After a childhood enriched by the storytelling of Quentin Blake, the curiosity of Little Big Planet and the warmth of Charlie and Lola, her work finds stories in familiar spaces and overlooked details, transforming the everyday into something quietly magical. Her illustrations have been featured in House & Garden, Country & Town House and Piglet in Bed, as well as regular commissions within the interiors and design world.