We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashlyn & Madison Imel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashlyn & Madison below.
Hi Ashlyn & Madison, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Madison and I were always creating something as kids. Growing up we were often crafting with things found around the house and designing barbie houses, outfits, and anything else that we came up with. We both had an interest in art, but in different mediums. Madison would create elaborate invitations, thank yous, and other holiday cards using paper. I would experiment with watercolor paint, oil paint, charcoal, oil pastel, and anything else I learned in school. In high school we were in the National Art Honor Society where we would work on large scale projects and just spend extra time being artful. We both always dreamed of opening an etsy shop and sharing our art with others. We both chose to enter the field of interior architecture to pursue a career that would allow for creativity. As we were finishing up our senior year of college and applying for jobs, the pandemic hit. With firms shutting down and enacting hiring freezes, we didn’t know what to do. We had extra time and a desire to create and keep busy, so we opened an etsy shop. We initially began with whatever we were interested, but honed in on the travel niche. We both love to travel and have a desire to explore. We thought with our different art styles having a common theme through our art would unite it. We encourage others to dream of adventure and/or remember an adventure through our art. Creating art is more than just fulfilling a passion, but it is our way to encourage others. It would be safe to say that the both of us have always had a desire to pursue a creative path.
Ashlyn & Madison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Madison and I are sisters, who have grown up doing everything together. As triplets we have always had a special bond and understanding of one another. We both entered the same field of Interior architecture to pursue a creative path. Madison and I are also extremely adventurous people. We enjoy exploring and finding new hobbies with our family. We have found so much joy in all outdoor things and have found a love for travel. We have dreams for big travels, but we also enjoy the small road trips. We wanted a way to combine our love for travel and art, which is what partially led to us opening MA Prints. We originally began as Modest Acorn with our brother focusing on a variety of art pieces made from paper, watercolor, and wood. We then began to evolve and change our brand to what is now MA Prints with a focus on Travel art. We provide art that focuses on places we want to travel, have traveled, and know where people want to travel. Our number one goal as artists is to encourage and inspire others. We want others to be encouraged to travel, explore, be bold and try something new! Our hope is that people purchase our art as a reminder to take that trip or remember a trip they enjoyed. We have also had the pleasure of creating some really fun custom pieces. We are always willing to create custom art because it is so meaningful and special to that person. Madison and I also do a lot of pop up shops to put ourselves out there and meet new people. We have also created a Kansas City collection that is sold in our local store and coffee shops, Made in KC. Madison and I are proud of the art that we have created, the bold prayers we’ve prayed, and the resilience we’ve had in building our business. We have so enjoyed doing this together and learning and growing. We have had so much support from our family and friends, and we look forward to our ongoing adventure!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For us there are a lot of rewards that come from being artists. We have the privilege of seeing how our art positively impacts others. Our art provides an opening for conversations to happen. People get excited to tell us about their adventures or their travel dreams. It’s amazing to see how people open up to you when you share a common passion. We have heard countless stories of someone’s fond memories from a trip they’ve taken with a loved one. It is rewarding for us to also create that custom piece that means so much to someone. Sometimes they are gifts or surprises, and it is so humbling to see how excited the buyer is and whoever the recipient is. It’s also really rewarding to see how God continues to use us and our art to connect with others and share His love and kindness. There is a way that art acts as an encouragement and an extended kind hand. Rewards are not the same for all, but for us it’s more than just the pieces we make, or an extensive resume or portfolio; it’s how we use the opportunity to connect with others and make an impact.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The mission driving our creative journey is encouraging others to dream, inspiring people to travel, and encouraging people to live adventurously. We understand that so many people get caught up in their daily lives and believing they’ll do something adventurous someday. However, they never let that someday come. So our ultimate goal is to help people get inspired to take that leap and step out of the mundane. We want people to live with adventure being a way of life. Adventure is the way to learn, grow, and connect. By creating travel art we aim to help people choose a life of adventure and dream of exploration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://maprints.squarespace.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modestacorn/
- Other: www.etsy.com/shop/ModestAcorn