Artist Spotlight: Meet Toby Triumph

Vibrant in color and spirit, Toby Triumph’s artwork can be spotted everywhere from Times Square to the London Underground and now, at your next celebration! Learn more about what motivates him (and read about a party he and his wife once threw that we wish we’d been at).

What inspires your work?

My work is inspired by all that is positive and beautiful about the world. It’s about the celebrating the big and little things while also acknowledging that life can be a struggle, and that’s ok too. It’s realistic optimism—not blind optimism. 

It’s about raising a glass to yourself and what you’ve achieved without forgetting you’ve got to pay the gas bill.

What is it about typography that draws you in (no pun intended)?

I just love that it’s speaking to people in the most direct way possible. It’s like receiving a reassuring message from an old friend. A hand on a shoulder. Even though we’ve most likely never met, it might communicate something that makes you feel better about your day. And to me, that’s priceless.

It’s crazy to me that you can think of some words in the morning, draw it up in the afternoon, and by the evening, someone across the other side of the world is seeing it. 

What is your proudest moment as an artist?

Any time I see my work out in public, it makes me feel proud. In 2020 I saw my work on a billboard in Times Square on New Years Eve. Years ago, when I’d just graduated, I watched Bob Dylan perform in front of my artwork. And for the past two years my work has been all over the London Underground on huge posters. Any time it feels like the work has a life out in public, past the point of finishing, the work is exciting to me. It sort of lives on, out of my control.

What's the most memorable party you've ever been to?

My wife and I threw a Halloween party in London a few years ago that was around the theme of musicians Dead or Alive. It ended up getting out of hand. Everyone put so much effort into the costumes I couldn’t actually tell who was who. I looked around at one point and two members of KISS were chatting to Freddie Mercury and Lisa Left Eye Lopez, Frank Zappa was pouring Jim Morrison a margarita, and Simon & Garfunkel were queuing for the bathroom. I love throwing parties, and that was a good one!

What advice would you give to an aspiring creator?

Keep showing up. Things take time to brew and marinate, and every day you’re working is a step closer to where you want to be. It’s cheesy as hell, and sounds like bad country song lyrics, but it’s the truth!

Toby Triumph is an illustrator from Yorkshire, England based in New York and London. He creates detailed hand-drawn pieces with an irreverent edge, that incorporate characters, typography and playful phrases. His work has been applied across product packaging, advertising, clothing, installations and large-scale murals.

For more information, visit www.tobytriumph.com or follow him on Instagram: @tobytriumph. And check out his Evites of course!