Jeremy Kyle is a young and upcoming local graphic designer, whose works have been featured on The Hobbit’s Twitter page and more. The 22 year old specializes in water colour and ink illustrations, and have gathered quite a following on social media platform, Instagram.  With over 4,500 followers, you could say that he almost insta-famous. This young talent is also passionate about issues beyond the local community.  From 23rd to 27th September, Jeremy will be living on $2.25 a day, in a bid to raise funds for TEAR Fund, as part of the Live Below the Line campaign.

Tell us a little about yourself

I've grown up in Auckland NZ. I'm passionate about sport (like most Kiwi guys), outreach and anything creative. I have done a degree in graphic design having studied at three universities: Whitecliffe, Yoobee (natcoll) and Unitec. In my last year I found a real fascination for watercolors and from there I became an illustrator.

I heard you’re taking part in the Live Below the Line challenge this year with TEAR Fund.

Yes, I have always been passionate about helping others. A couple years ago I actually went to India as part of an outreach to help with community development initiatives. Coming home, its easy to forget how fortunate we are in Western countries like New Zealand. I guess this is why I'm doing the live below the line challenge. I don't want to forget. I don't want to take things for granted. Living on $2.25 a day for 5 days gives myself just a small taste of what others go through their whole lives.

I have always believed in TEAR Fund, it's a charity that I've grown up knowing about and have great respect for. When I heard they were partners with groups like Nvader and seeking justice for those in sex slavery I knew I had to take part. Being Nvader is a group of Kiwis changing the world and I could be part of that? It's not an opportunity I can easily pass up.

Does your passion for such causes reflect in your work? Or do they inspire you, for your work?

During these 5 days of LBL I am planning on working on a small number of illustrations to capture a look into sex slavery.

I approach my work the same way a musical director might conduct an orchestra, throwing my media with precision and passion in a calculative but also intuative manner, applying my line work with a loose but energised hand scribbling and erasing vigorously.

When creating my illustrations, there is a strange paradox between being careful and chaotic. For me, water colour has a real emotional release and strong emotional visual aesthetic which conveys both what I am feeling as well as what’s happening inside or around the subject.

I plan to use these techniques to convey the thoughts and feelings within the hearts of the victims using watercolors and expressed line work to creating a visually striking and conceptual image to engage the viewer and force them to think more deeply about sex slavery and the pain and destruction it is causing.

How are you planning to survive the LBL week?

To survive LBL I think I'm just going to have to be ultra organised and plan my meals. TEAR Fund does have a cook book which will make it easier. It will be interesting... Although it will be hard to live without coffee.

What do you hope to get out of this campaign?

I hope to get a small taste of what others go through every day. Also, actually raising money for organisations like Nvader and raising awareness about slavery is just an awesome opportunity.

Any plans or dreams for the future?

I have many dreams and goals that I want to achieve with my life. I would love to illustrate for some big names like The All Blacks, Weta Workshop, Dior, Ferrari, and even some music artists like Stan Walker, Titanium, SixSixty and Lorde.

Currently I am starting out as a small business, establishing merchandise (t-shirts, prints, canvases, iphone covers, etc) to create a passive income and free me up to take more commissions and also do more of my own illustrations.

I would also love to teach and lecture in schools and universities to empower other creatives and have them dream a dream so large it might seem impossible. Eventually I would love to start an illustration school or a small exclusive illustration tutoring from my studio workspace.

Check out Jeremy Kyle’s works at www.facebook.com/jeremykylenz, or on instagram at @jeremykylenz. TEAR Fund is one of the 22 charities involved with the annual Live Below the Line campaign. All funds raised for TEAR Fund will go to the rescuing of those trapped in the sex trafficking industry, and the prosecuting of those responsible. To find out more, head to www.livebelowtheline.com/nz-tearfund.