Luckily gifted with a bizarre sense of wonder and fancy, in only three short years Leslie Dallion has developed a unique cast of characters that inhabit the whimsical world of Pie For Blackbirds. Leslie began playing around in Illustrator in April 2007 and started putting together shapes and colors to create girls and boys clothed in pocket dresses and smokestack caps complete with adorning flowers. And she did this with no formal art training. ‘There was no artistic plan of attack,’ she claims. ‘Even now I just draw and let one thing lead to another.’
Inspired by vintage children’s literature, Leslie’s illustrations are more Golden Books than Dr. Seuss. She has amassed over twenty-five rosy-cheeked friends since she first began. Either commissioned for specific designs or simply daydreaming, she is constantly coming up with ideas for new characters. The names they are given fit each one so well. From the German guitar and dance duo Hans and Heike, to the tragic twins Mona and Misha, Leslie loves donning each with a name she has always been fond of. ‘I love Eastern Europe and names from other cultures like Piroska and Magda,’ says Leslie. ‘I draw inspiration from places like Hungary and Russia and Sweden. Places that fascinate me.’ The children she draws are often depicted in peril, or at least in a sticky situation. Whether they are trapped in a skylift or simply have gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe, innocent images such as toy trains, birds, and mushrooms are always a part of the scenery, undoubtedly attributed to Leslie’s sickly sweet nature.
Animals feature prominently in Leslie’s designs, and she most often gives these creatures very human characteristics such as wearing scarfs, talking on the telephone, and exchanging valentines. ‘This comes from secretly wishing I could have a conversation with my Papillon Pip. I’d love to hold his paw, skip down the street, drink coffee, go fly a kite,’ explains Leslie. ‘Animals already make the most awesome friends, so imagine if you could really converse with them.’
In late 2007 she was asked to join the Aeolidia Web Design roster of artists ‘[Designer / Project Manager] Arianne saw my work and asked if I wanted to be one of her artists. I had a great start thanks to her.’ Since she began, Leslie has worked on many independent illustration commissions as well as used her drawings for coffee table coasters, t-shirts, concert flyers, animated videos, and fabrics. She has designed record album sleeves and stage lightboxes for her pop group. Still she has dreams of doing more. ‘I would love to design wrapping paper and stationary, and illustrate children’s books. But all in good time!’
