Tell us a little about yourself...
Well, I’m from Maryland – I grew up in the more rural/agricultural area, but went to college at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore city. I still live in the rural part of MD and work in a public library. I have a cat who I love dearly, I’m happiest when surrounded by nature, and very much enjoy coffee.
When did your love for illustration begin?
I always loved reading and drawing as a child, and I credit children’s picture books for my love of drawing/storytelling. I liked making up stories and illustrating them as well. It was always the easiest way to express my thoughts. I would spend hours reading and admiring Calvin and Hobbes, Miss Rumphius, fairy tales and folklore, and various others. It’s appropriate that the library where I would grab armfuls of books to take home is the one I work in now!
What inspires your work?
First and foremost, nature; I mentioned that I live in a very rural area, and I see many plants, animals and beautiful landscapes daily. I’ve always had a very close relationship with nature. And, of course, having consumed a lot of reading material and looking at art constantly has certainly played a large role in my life. I find inspiration in fantasy and folklore as well.
How has your art developed over the years and how do you see it developing in the future?
I’m constantly trying to experiment with new ways of making art and trying to make my work better. I look at the success of other artists and try to determine what makes them successful and how I can apply that to my illustration in my own unique way. I think that I’ve focused less on trying to be like other artists and more on finding my own voice. I hope that I can settle down and be confident with a style while still maintaining versatility in the future.
How do you go about preparing for an illustration?
There’s a lot of my staring at a blank page, starting a sketch, erasing it, getting a new piece of paper, getting up to get a snack, and then finally just going ahead and doodling a couple ideas. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get to where I want to be. If I have an idea clear in my mind, however, I’ll jump right into it.
What is your favourite drawing tool?
That’s a hard one – I like to mix it up! I've always loved drawing in pencil (you can erase and get great gradation), but I also like using brush pens (amazing line variation) and more recently I've been using a Wacom tablet to draw digitally with Photoshop.
Can you tell me about a favorite illustration that you have drawn?
It's hard to pick a favorite illustration, too! Mostly because I feel like I'm very critical of my own work and am usually happiest with my most recent pieces. But right now, I'm pretty fond of my “Witchsona” – partially because it's my newest piece, but also because it was my first somewhat successful digitally colored piece (see above)!
Can we expect any exciting new projects?
I just finished up with a project I dubbed “JanuMurray” as part of the Baltimore Fun-A-Day project. The goal of Fun-A-Day is to create a piece of work every day for the month of January, and I chose to watch a Bill Murray movie each day and create a portrait of him based on his role in the movie. It's currently showing at Gallery 788 in Baltimore and will be until March 28. I'm also compiling them into a book that will be available for purchase on my website later this month! I'm also working on a collaborative project with a friend in which I illustrate the stories she's collected working as a nanny in New York.
If anyone is interested in updates on my work, they can check out my website. There are links to follow my various social media accounts there as well! You can also learn about Gallery 788 here.
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