This writer has been turning your favourite memes into beautiful artistic tiles

Isabelle O’Carroll, a freelance journalist from London, is making beautiful artwork out of iconic memes.

O’Carroll creates blue tiles using a technique called Dutch Delftware to immortalise meme characters in ceramic, from Doge to Grumpy Cat.

She said: “I’m a freelance writer most of the time and mostly make ceramics for myself, so it’s really nice when people contact me to put in order, or even if they get the joke, that’s also a great compliment!”

O’Carroll is taking orders for her ceramics on Instagram, and commissions personalised tiles.

She said: “I love Dutch Delftware, a style which started in the 16th century and featured popular motifs of the time, like animals, boats or people.

“I thought it would be funny to transpose our contemporary motifs, memes such as the IKEA monkey, Balegdeh, doge or the two otters onto Delft-style tiles.

“I’m fascinated by the idea of creolisation, different cultures coming together can produce something new and exciting.”

O’Carroll said her favourite memes to paint are the IKEA monkey, and the iconic Doge dog.

She said: “I love IKEA monkey, people don’t always know who he is but he’s so fun to paint. Doge is also fun because he has such a doubting, quizzical look in his eye.”

O’Carroll said: “Delftware artists were heavily inspired by Chinese pottery, they weren’t creating fine porcelain pieces like the Chinese but they used a lot of ingenuity to get as close as possible.

“It shows that throughout history, immigration and cultural exchange ushers in innovation and exciting creativity.”

As well as the meme tiles, O’Carroll has been working on various styles and mediums of ceramics.

She said: “I love working in a medium where I can be experimental and free.

“I’m continuously trying new things; the latest thing I’m working on is a set of astronomy plates featuring constellations of stars rendered in gold.”