We recently connected with Melody Votoire and have shared our conversation below.
Melody, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
My earliest memory is in Joliet, Illinois when I was five years old. My mom sat next to me drawing a butterfly, and I drew a flower. I remember putting down my pink and purple crayons and saying, “This is my favorite thing.”
When I was six, my teacher asked the class what we wanted to be when we grew up. I said I wanted to be an artist.
When I was ten, shortly after my family moved to Iowa, I became friends with a boy who was shockingly skilled in video production for his age. As he showed me the short films he made, I remember saying, “I want to do that!”
I’ve been in love with creative writing my entire life. I don’t think it’s even possible to read every poem I’ve written since I first got my hands on a spiral notebook. And don’t get me started on the endless novel ideas!
Every high school art class was my safe haven, and I fell headfirst into every medium I could get my hands on: digital art, pottery, sculpture, painting, sewing my own clothes, editing videos.
And yet, when I graduated high school, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. So, I went to college for marketing and business just to “check the box.” My dad is an excellent salesman and I figured finding crafty ways to land a deal would be the most creative thing I could professionally do in the modern world.
During college, I published my first poetry book, “Temptations of a Splintered Heart”. It gave me hope for a fulfilling career that was quickly shattered…the entire college experience was dreadful, and I didn’t feel connected to the work at all. That is, until I landed my first real job using my degree, leading the marketing department at an international company that manufactured luxury sewing machines.
Suddenly I was doing graphic design, copywriting, collaborating with artists around the world, traveling to art shows, learning niche techniques like quilting, and building creative campaigns for a global audience.
Everything clicked.
I had always assumed a “real career” would be boring…spreadsheets, meetings, corporate nothingness. But instead, it showed me that my creativity wasn’t frivolous. It wasn’t naive. It was valuable.
When I eventually left that company, I had more clarity than ever before.
Since then, my creative career has evolved drastically. I now spend my days producing commercials, working with film crews, designing posters and websites, hosting events for creatives, creating and editing short-form videos, and writing. I’ve also fallen in love with modeling and fashion design – two things I’m passionate about nurturing, especially in a place like Iowa where the arts aren’t always prioritized.
I have a YouTube channel now as well where I post short films, lifestyle videos, and fashion content, and I make art all the time in my own home. I genuinely love what I do, and it never stops amazing me how creativity expands once you give it space to grow.
So I guess the truth is, I always knew what I wanted, but I just didn’t understand it until the pieces fell into place.
The best advice I can give any creative trying to find their way professionally: you don’t need to have it all figured out. Just take one step at a time. Every baby step counts, as long as it’s pointed in the direction of what lights you up with passion.
That’s the beautiful thing about being a creative. If we decide we’re going to get there… we will!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a multidisciplinary creative – a writer, director, marketer, model, and designer – with a love for building entire worlds out of ideas that start as a vague thought. I work across multiple industries and mediums, but the heart of my work always stays the same: I want to make space for artists who never thought there was a place for them, and I want to prove that raw creativity is one of the most valuable things in the world – something we should be making space for in society.
I’m especially passionate about helping people who aren’t “creatively inclined.” Some of my favorite projects have started with someone saying, “I don’t know exactly what I want, but I have this idea…” That’s where I come in. Whether it’s a rough concept for an art piece, a blurry vision for a video, or just a vibe someone wants to bring to life, I help shape that into something real: a compelling brand story, an eye-catching billboard, an aesthetic that actually holds meaning.
The scope of my work changes drastically depending on the project, and honestly, that’s my favorite part. I’ve done creative work for flower shops, press-on nail companies, food bloggers, sewing machines, and so much more. No two projects look alike, and that’s intentional. I become a new artist for every client. One day I’m channeling retro femininity with cinematic flair, and the next I’m building a clean, modern brand that speaks through quiet luxury.
I’m not tied to one single niche or offer because I don’t think creativity should be boxed in. I do everything from social strategy to film production to visual storytelling, and I bring a designer’s eye and a poet’s heart to all of it.
What sets my work apart is how deeply personal it is. Even when I’m working on a brand that isn’t “about me,” I genuinely care about making sure it feels true. I don’t believe in soulless content. I believe in making people feel something.
What I’m most proud of is that my career looks exactly like my vision. Every project I take on adds to the bigger picture I’m building: a creative life that’s meaningful, expansive, and deeply human.
If you follow my work, you’ll see beauty, vulnerability, intention, and imagination woven into every campaign, every post, every line I write. That’s what I hope to share with the world.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Absolutely. My mission is to help build the kind of creative community I desperately needed growing up.
I was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: a city full of stunning murals, hidden art, and so much raw potential. But as a young creative, I had no idea where to find my people. I saw the art, but I couldn’t see the artists. I didn’t know how to break in or even where to start. For a long time, I dreamed about escaping, about finding a “real” creative scene somewhere else.
In the last two years or so, I have finally been able to connect with the community of creatives here, and slowly I began falling in love with a place I once felt completely disconnected from. The more I got involved, the more I realized that Cedar Rapids has everything – diversity, perspective, innovation, soul. It just needs more open doors. More accessibility to the arts. More education. More people saying, “You belong here.”
What drives me is creating visibility, connection, and opportunity for the artists who haven’t found their place yet. Whether that’s through events, collaborations, storytelling, or simply being loud about the brilliance I see in others, I want to be part of what makes this city even more vibrant.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Be loud about it. Seriously, if there’s an art festival, a new gallery, a pop-up, a live show, whatever, SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS! Bring your friends. Turn your weekend plans into a night at your local poetry slam. Make a habit of buying from local artists. Wear custom pins on your denim jacket. Rock a handmade bag. Choose the funky zine over the glossy magazine.
Support isn’t just about money (though yes, buy the art). It’s about energy. It’s about creating a culture that celebrates creativity out loud and unapologetically.
And don’t underestimate the power of a simple conversation. Ask the creatives in your life and in your city, “How can I support you?” Everyone’s got their own ecosystem. Some are on Instagram, some are on Substack or YouTube, some are selling prints at markets or sewing late into the night for a small-batch drop. If you want to get involved, just ask. Show up. Share their work.
A thriving creative ecosystem starts with community, and community starts with caring enough to be curious.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://votoire.com
- Instagram: @melodyvotoire
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@melodyvotoire
- Other: My Book: https://www.votoire.com/temptations-of-a-splintered-heart.html
