career + education
what did you study?
I have a BFA in Illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
do you need a creative degree?
Definitely not! When choosing a career path it can be very difficult to decide what is best for you, but there are equally successful artists that are self-taught or attended university. I do think that you should be aware and consider what types of employment you wish to have. For example, to work as an in-house designer at Target as I do, you have to have a degree in a related field in order to apply.
There is so much content online to learn from now, it is very different from when I started school years ago. For me, the major benefit of choosing art school was being exposed to so many different ways of making. It helped me find my love of ceramics and gave me access to state of the art equipment I wouldn’t have had otherwise. (Being from a town of under 1500 people can limit you in that regard.)
what is your ‘day’ job like?
I work as an illustrator and textile designer at Target on Cat & Jack, primarily for toddler and big girls’ categories. We work on a quarterly development calendar, so depending on where we are in the cycle my day will vary a lot. Most days I start by answering any overseas vendor questions that were sent during the night, doing artwork approvals, and following up on outstanding emails. I may have 1 or 2 meetings during our slow days, or a full day if we are doing art reviews or assortment meetings. Nearly every day I am drawing a bit (best part!) and during high production times I’m doing a mixture of things. This can include trend research, sketching, painting, hand lettering, digitally creating artwork, putting patterns into repeat, creating colorways, art directing freelancers, etc etc.
what materials do you use?
Digital work is typically created in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator CC with a Wacom Cintiq. My most frequently used supplies for traditional work are Holbein Acryla gouache and watercolor on Arches 300lb hot press watercolor paper, Prismacolor col-erase pencils and Uni-Posca markers on smooth bristol from a variety of brands.
Illustration
are you currently AVAILABLE FOR FREELANCE?
YES! Depending on the scope of the work I have some availability in my schedule. Please email me with the details at [email protected] and get in touch.
FREELANCE
what materials do you use?
My ceramic work is created with either cone 6 or cone 10 porcelain, and is hand built, wheel thrown or slip cast depending on the form. I use mostly Amaco Velvet Underglazes for painting my illustrations on to dried clay and then carve away with various Kemper or Xiem tools for linework and details. Each piece is coated in a final clear, food-safe glaze, either the studio mix or Amaco/Mayco.
where can I purchase your ceramic work?
Currently, I am selling my ceramic work only through my etsy shop which can be found here. Since these pieces are one of a kind, it’s much easier for me to keep track of out of stock items all in one place.
Can I commission a custom piece?
Due to the varied nature of my ceramics studio time, I will not be doing commissioned ceramics at this time.
Ceramics
what do i do if there’s a problem with my order?
Please send an email with your order number and a description of the issue to [email protected] and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
when do you ship orders?
I usually ship 2 days a week on Mondays + Thursdays, and more frequently during the holiday seasons. If you need something sooner, please email me before placing an order and we can make arrangements.
what packing materials do you use?
I currently ship flat or small items in a cellophane bag with backing board inside a white bubble mailer. Once my stock of those items has run out, I will be transitioning to my new compostable and recyclable materials.
store
who are some of your favorite artists?
In no particular order: Kevin Dart, Chris Turnham, Fran Meneses, Kali Ciesemier, Ellen Surrey, Brave the Woods, Maike Plenzke, Lydia Nichols, Furry Little Peach, Kim Sielbeck, Mary Kate McDevitt, Jessica Hische, Tad Carpenter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Degas, Kim Salt, Oana Befort, Becca Jane, Beth Cavener, Andrew Brozyna.. and so so so many more!
How do you keep track of inspiring images?
I love Pinterest for keeping track of things I like. Since I use it for work, it’s easy for me to pin things for my own use as well. I have boards for People, Animals, Food etc. and that has become an invaluable catalog for me. You can follow me here!