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

Hi Chloe, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was in high school when I encountered the all too common problem of picking a career. Initially I was stuck between a STEM career or a career in the arts. I knew that I loved both just in different ways. Thankfully I had supportive parents and friends who encouraged me to follow my heart but I wasn’t entirely sure what my heart was telling me. Eventually I decided on the arts because that was something I would never get bored of. I knew I would never resent sitting and drawing for a whole day. But as I started college the pandemic hit and what I thought would be an eye opening experience at school ended up being classes in my parents dining room. I felt lost and like I had made the wrong choice. Every class felt like a chore. But that’s when I realized something, I had lost my passion for learning. Early in my education I had pushed myself so far and because of that I got extremely burnt out. So I made it my goal to find ways to make learning exciting again. And that’s when I figured out how to use my artistic abilities in a way I had never imagined. I could make educational materials that were practical but fun! The moment I started making learning materials I knew that the path I chose was the right one and that being an illustrator was what I wanted to pursue professionally.

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.

My name is Chloe and my illustrative services are provided under the name Chloe Lynn Art! I specialize in kidlit and surface design illustration meaning that I am well versed in book illustration and pattern making. I also enjoy dabbling in educational illustration, similar to scientific illustration but more accessible to younger audiences. I started in the illustration field at 19 when I started getting my first freelance projects outside of school. Since then I have continued freelance work as a full-time illustrator and co-founded a small creative business called Foxwood Studios. When it comes to my clients I typically provide a wide array of design services. In the past I have worked for small businesses asking for product design all the way to collaborating with a team of 20 creatives on a project for Google Pixel. Although I have a variety of experiences in the field, I think one of the things that sets me apart as an illustrator is my love for education. Whether its a small infographic about an endangered species or a class about illustrating anatomy, I love being able to use my career as a way to encourage learning. Overall, my work encompasses the joy many of us felt as kids, when learning wasn’t a burden but something fun!

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

As a creative, the job search can be rough. Rejection is common even if you are talented because there are so many artists and all of them have their own style/niche. But thats the lesson I had to unlearn, rejection. In college I had a professor in my last months of senior year tell me something that changed my entire outlook on rejection. She said “Think of it like this. Say a company has a job opening and is looking for a squirrel in a rocket ship. But you are a chipmunk in a sailboat. You might not fit exactly what they are looking for but that doesn’t mean they won’t need a chipmunk in a sailboat later on.” All of that to say that when you don’t get a certain job, it doesn’t mean that they are rejecting you as an artist or telling you that you aren’t talented. It just means that you aren’t what they are looking for right now and that’s okay!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the best parts of being an artist for me is seeing the impact my work has on other people. As someone who has a more playful style I can create things that make people smile or laugh. There have been countless occasions where one of my illustrations makes someone smile so much that they have to have it. And that means the world to me, just seeing how some shapes and colors can evoke so much positivity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chloelynnart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.lynn_art/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-labian/