We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erika Parker Rogers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Erika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I can’t remember a time in my entire childhood when I wasn’t aspiring to become an Artist and more specifically a Children’s Book Illustrator. Sure, I also wanted to be a Horse Jockey and a Ninja but it just wasn’t my destiny. My artistic skills have always far outweighed my athleticism. My parents noticed that I had natural abilities at an early age and really fostered my talent and continued to encourage my growth. They instilled a real sense of confidence in my ability to create. I never wavered in my desire to become an artist.
Erika, 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 specialize in hand drawn, traditional pieces. My favorite medium is soft pastels, I just love the rich colors. You’ll also see color pencils & watercolors in my portfolio quite a bit too. As an artist, I create a ton of commissioned pieces each year. Mainly portraits of pets and children but I get a little bit of everything. I started taking portrait commissions at the age of 16. It was a great way to get started in the industry and build a large portfolio. My artistic style would be described as realism so it lends itself to a wide variety of projects. These days most of my time is spent on illustration projects. I most enjoy getting contracts for books focusing on animals or nature. I can just get enveloped in all the tiny details, especially bringing out all the subtle colors in fur. I primarily focus on children’s literature but I’ve illustrated for books including adult fiction, mystery, poetry, conservation and even plant taxonomy.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of the most important aspects of being an artist for me specifically is the ability to use art as a therapeutic outlet. Maybe this comes hand-in-hand with being a creative but my mind works fast, really really fast. I’m always buzzing about. Creating art allows me to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. Detailed pieces help me to get into a deep state of mental flow. My work can greatly improve my mood and relaxes me if I’m overly stressed.
The most rewarding part for any artist has to be the ability to share a little piece of yourself with others. We all pour a little bit of ourselves into our work, makers, creators, musicians, all forms of art. We are so connected to our work, it can hold us back at times. It’s crucial to believe in the value of what you create as an artist to be successful. That’s true in business overall, you have to believe in the product and as an artist, that’s you! Seeing the joy my work brings others reaffirms my value as an artist time and time again. Being able to make art for the love of making art while generating income is an absolute blessing.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I love illustrating books & projects for others but I truly aspire to write and illustrate my own books. I’ve been writing and illustrating my own stories since I was a child so it’s been one of my life’s passions really. My family & I are about to start the process of building a new home and turning our 250 acres into a family farm where we can offer agritourism activities and learning experiences to our local community. I have some great story ideas based within our woods and set on the farm floating around in this head of mine. I’m going to take my time and work on a few inspiration pieces before finalizing my stories. My goal is to put my very own book together before the end of next year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ErikaParkerRogersArt
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/erikaparkerrogersart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erikaparkerrogers