We were lucky to catch up with Angela Krieg recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My path to becoming an illustrator, as corny as it sounds, has always been the goal after my dreams of becoming a writer or an engineer fell to the wayside. Raised by an artist and a carpenter, I was always surrounded by art at home, so it was only natural to want to follow the paths of my parents and the artist’s whose work littered our home. Being raised by supportive parents was a privilege I didn’t know I had until I got to art school and I made friends with those whose parents disapproved of their creative paths and encouraged them to get a ‘practical’ degree like business.

Angela, 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?

I am an illustrator, a visual practitioner and a lover of mushrooms. My craft is split between two industries, illustrations, aka commercial work and personal work, and graphic recording – the art of capturing conversations in the room, as the conversations happen.
For illustration, my services range from graphic design work to make posters and promotional material, so creating one off images or series of painted or drawn work to capture and express stories. Industries my work has been used in include mental health, restaurants and home decor. My work is also sold at multiple shops across the east coast.

Graphic recording was a field I found by accident. After spending my first few months in Brooklyn NY, drawing everything and everyone around me, I found out there was something I could do with my skills of drawing from observation – graphic recording. Simply explained, graphic recording is the practice of visually capturing conversations live which help meetings and events have lasting impact on participants and create stronger memories of those meetings. Graphic Recording remains a niche field but is also used by Amazon, Etsy, the US Government and many non profits.

With my craft split between these two passions, I am able to help clients bridge gaps in communications with their audiences weather it be through a poster, or hand drawn illustrations that capture the voices of everyone in the room. What I am most proud of is the emotional connection my work has made with people and I hope to keep bringing my gifts to the people who need it.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative, is to see the positive impact my work has. After graduating college, I quickly learned that the work that bought me the most satisfaction was the work that supported causes I cared about. After working as a Graphic Artist at a Mental Health organization for almost 2 years, I learned that my work was able to bring out emotions from people more than other forms of imagery. In graphic recording, I have found the work I most connect to has to do with healthcare, because everyone in the room is desperately trying to find solutions to huge questions such as how to cure a rare disease or making healthcare more accessible to underserved populations. These situations guide my hand and energize me because I know the work I am doing it to help make the world a better place.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

One of the largest things society can do is to drop the stereotype of the Starving Artist. There is something ‘romantic’ about the idea of the artist who refuses to sell out and make something different. Artists who struggle to make a living also can cling to the beast of the Starving Artist. Although yes, not all artists are able to make a living from their work, many of them are able to make at least *part* of a living from their work. Not every artist has the fortitude or energy to make Art their full time job, and there is no shame in that!

Letting go the of the tragic staving artist concept will help the narrative improve so younger generations can find their voice in art without the constant feedback that ‘you’re going to starve if you want to make art’.

Contact Info:

• Website: akriegstudio@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akriegstudio/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-krieg-15002811a/
• Other: https://cara.app/akriegstudio

Image Credits
I certify that all images belong to me. Names included “Autumn Greeting Card” “Among Stars” “Sun Woman” “Toadstool” and “What is Graphic Recording”