We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelsey McKenzie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kelsey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi there, I’m Kelsey! Currently, I work in the Arts District as a graphic designer, in downtown Los Angeles, as well as owning and operating my own small business.

It’s been quite the journey to get here despite always knowing I was creative with a deep passion for the arts. I didn’t start taking my artwork seriously until my junior year in high school. Once I graduated, I went on to study graphic design at Cal State Fullerton and achieve my BFA. Studying graphic design allowed me to learn many different skills in the creative industry, many of which have helped me start my own business selling my work. I would say The Creative Kel, my small business, happened organically with my love for illustration and my background in design. It is so fulfilling to create things with immense creative freedom as well as connect with other creators, customers, and onlookers. The Creative Kel is a collection of nature-inspired works to enjoy and spark interest in living consciously. My constant inspiration is the delicacies and strengths of the animals and plants around us. The shop is a curated collection of handmade goods including stickers, prints, magnets, cards, jewelry, home items, originals, and other curiosities. I want my art to make people stop and look at all the details and take a moment to admire animals and plants that are often ignored or even frowned upon. Overall, I want to educate, inspire, and spark curiosity. This is what fills my heart and drives me to create.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think a great way to support creators is by uplifting them with your words, buying from them, reposting their work, commenting or engaging with them, and respecting that art is a luxury. A huge issue in society today is the expectation for goods to come fast and cheap. It’s daunting creating things that require so much time and effort when so much of the world is operating quite the opposite. It can be hard to understand all that goes into a single piece of work and why an artist may charge a certain amount for what they make. Fast fashion, quick shipping, bulk buying, social media, micro-trends, and many other contributors are warping how we approach consumerism. That is why I think that putting value in artwork is so important. Handcrafted goods require effort, time, love, and dedication. This comes at a price. There is a reason why certain items are so cheap. A fantastic way to support the arts is remembering this and paying the price tag for something you truly love and appreciate. Learning to consume things slowly and meaningfully will help artists and small businesses tremendously.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the whole aspect of perfection. I spent years hiding my art from the world. Nobody was allowed to even peek at my sketchbook. There were many times that I overworked a piece or talked negatively to myself about completed ones, just imagining how they could be picked apart. I considered myself a big people pleaser, aiming for constant perfection. There were countless days where I pushed myself too hard trying to achieve perfection in all aspects of my life. It came to the point where I was sabotaging myself with this destructive behavior. The reality is, that perfection is impossible, it is unachievable. There is always something you could be better at, there is always someone better than you. That is the beautiful thing about art. Art is subjective and art is allowed to exist as it is, ugly, disturbing, beautiful, breathtaking, hideous, nasty, or angelic. Isn’t that such a wonderful thing? I held myself back for so long trying to be perfect and I would still be stuck there if I didn’t just let go and show the world my artwork for what it is. There is such a sense of freedom to express yourself through creation and the options are limitless. You can create whatever you want and not everything has to have a deeper meaning to it. Just get out there and make something! Perfectionism is toxic and from my experience, all it did was hold me back from pursuing my dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thecreativekel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativekel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecreativekel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-mckenzie-6738511b1/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecreativekel