Describing her illustration practice in a nutshell, Rhi Moxon says; “I draw people, places, and things that bring me joy”. Her work, which blends vibrant colour, symbolic detail, and a sense of wonder is inspired by travel, nature, memory, and dreamlike narratives. Rhi’s Huck Muck series is testament to this; comprising an ever-expanding collection of travel stamp Risograph prints, based on the sights and sounds, tastes and encounters of her travels around the world.
The series was born during lockdown. After several years of intense travelling (2016–2019), Rhi suddenly found herself stuck in one place, reflecting on the magical places she’d been lucky enough to visit. She describes; “As I flipped through postcards, polaroids, photos and sketchbook scribbles, I decided I wanted to document those memories. I drew and drew, creating illustrations inspired by my travels—initially planning to screenprint them when my local studio reopened. But as the lockdowns dragged on, the country illustrations kept piling up.” However, it was around this time that Rhi’s local print centre acquired a much-coveted Risograph machine. After doing a short course and getting her head around the process, she realised it was the perfect medium to bring her illustrations to life.
The name of the series, Huck Muck, comes from an old English word meaning “something a little out of place”. Rhi comments; “It summed up how I felt being grounded again, but also captured the sense of a ‘souvenir’ from a magical adventure—exactly what I wanted the travel stamp series to represent.”
The series so far is composed of places she herself has visited; “It feels important to me that these illustrations come from direct, personal experience. That way, I can offer something respectful and heartfelt, rather than basing it purely on second-hand research.” Some of the early prints in the collection, such as Uzbekistan or Armenia, might seem niche, but for Rhi they were genuinely magical places. “It’s been a joy to spotlight some of those lesser-known travel destinations,” says the illustrator.
When Rhi was originally reminiscing of her travels and bringing them to a new creative project, she considered making travel posters for each country, but she quickly got overwhelmed trying to represent entire nations in one image. Switching to postage stamps made more sense: they focus on a particular cultural element rather than the whole. She says; “There’s also something nostalgic about stamp design, which pairs beautifully with the idea of memory—and with the fuzzy, vibrant quality of Risograph printing.” There was another bonus too; “Stamps come with this lovely collectible element. The idea that people could mix and match based on where they’ve been felt really playful and satisfying.”
Each design in the series began by looking at photos, written memories, and sketchbook studies from the place. From there, Rhi started developing a colour palette and choosing what elements to include. “One of the great things about the stamp format is that it frees me from needing to show landmarks or famous tourist spots. Instead, I focus on lesser-known aspects—like a dish, a dance style, or a unique craft. Those are the things I seek out when travelling,” says the illustrator.
Colour is vitally important to Rhi’s work. She comments; “Colour is so powerful—so atmospheric. I’ve always loved how a simple colour palette can evoke a whole memory or mood.” Thus, it is one of the first things she decides on for each stamp, and since they’re all made with a limited set of three Risograph inks, getting the colour combinations right is crucial. Her choice of background colour for each piece is sometimes influenced by flags, but more often by folk art, textiles, or the particular quality of light she remembers from that place. For example, her Ukraine print is the only one that utilises an intense fluoro pink, which is directly inspired by vintage children’s books and maps Rhi picked up in a Kyiv street market in 2016. She tells us; “I created that print before the full-scale invasion, and later used it to raise thousands in donations for people fleeing the conflict. That’s something I’m incredibly proud of.” Rhi also loves hiding little details, or “Easter Eggs” in her backgrounds, such as; icons in the franking marks that nod to key cultural symbols, and dates in the postmark numbers that reference a national day or independence anniversary.
Rhi highlights resources such as Atlas Obscura as brilliant ways for uncovering hidden gems. For example: the Romania print was inspired by the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, with its hand-carved, colourful headstones; and the Turkiye print celebrates the intricate Bird Palaces of the Ottoman Empire which are still visible if you look up while wandering around Istanbul. Other times, inspiration for the designs comes from more personal experiences: a road trip through the Caucasus in Georgia, morning runs through allotment gardens in Poland, or her growing fascination with Chinese opera.
Huck Muck is an ever-evolving series, and will continue as Rhi furthers her travels. Stamps based on her visits to Croatia, France, and Canada will be released very soon. “My goal is to create a travel stamp for every country in Europe over the next 18 months,” says Rhi. She continues; “This project continues to energise me. It lets me experiment with colour, texture, and character design while working around freelance deadlines. It’s also been lovely to get such a warm response at print fairs. People often stop to share their own travel memories or buy stamps for friends from the countries I’ve drawn. It’s a gentle reminder of how connected we all are.” She hopes to one day turn the collection into a book or zine. Rhi concludes; “I hope the prints serve as tributes to these special places, and encourage others to explore the world with curiosity and care.”
@rhimoxonillustration
www.rhimoxon.com
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