Nada Hayek’s vibrant illustrations lull you into a false sense of security

Nada Hayek is an illustrator and designer born and based in Vancouver. Her love for her medium was first discovered as a child when she began spending hours replicating the covers of Disney VHS tapes and images from magazines. These formative influences soon matured into graphic novels, such as those by American cartoonist and author Daniel Clowes, whose style and satirical tone Nada says “was, and still is, one of my biggest influences”.

These days, Nada has developed her own distinctive style, and the inspiration she found during those early years is still very much present in her illustration work. Bright, fun and frequently chaotic, her drawings entice with their retro colours and textures. Her subject matter walks a thin line between the childish and the mature, and she says her personal approach is defined by lots of “dry humour, satire and juxtapositions created by contrasting beauty against the gross and strange”. The latter of these is particularly important, as tension is a key aspect in Nada’s work, and can be found in the balances between lighter and darker elements, niche references and pop culture symbols, and tranquil and frenzied atmospheres. “I like to add unexpected elements in my work, exploring the boundaries between everyday life versus surrealism,” she explains.