We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eva Lacy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Eva, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
“When did you start drawing?” is usually the first question an artist is asked when showing their work to a stranger.
I always respond with, “since I was 5 years old”, but I know their actual question is “How long have I been good enough to know I’m an artist?” The truth is, I really have been drawing since a very young age and my skill grew as fast as I could grab a pencil, paper and “How to Draw” books/VHS tapes.
In my adolescent years my Aunt would be a strong influence on my art growth, Bruce Blitz from TV, and in my teens, my step grandmother. I always seemed to know one person at a time to share my love of art, but living in a small town didn’t help much.
To make money quickly, I used art to land after school instructing jobs, start my own caricature & face painting business and then, began selling at events. My passion for art wasn’t quite there until my early 30s and now with so much influence from social media & meeting other creatives in a big city, I’ve spent the last decade working on it.
Eva, 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?
As the story goes, I’m a girl from a small town who wanted to find a big dream in the city. I’m a traditional painter, illustrator, and digital artist. I moved to So Cal from Not Cal in 2000 and have never looked back (except to see my loved ones).
I create art that warms my soul and hope others are drawn to it as well. The world can be full of heaviness, so I create a positive experience with my work. An EXPERIENCE is what I hope to have with each new follower, customer, & subscriber.
I offer my art on several products including stationery, fabric, books, stickers, magnets, prints, wearables and more! I sell through my online shop via Shop Launches every 3-4 weeks. I have been running a subscription for over 6 years where my subscribers (my Art Heroes) vote what they would like to see & I draw limited edition exclusive designs to put on rewards. I also offer art workshops as rewards too.
When I’m not working on my new characters, collections, and subscriptions, I sell live on free apps such as Pop Shop Live, Instagram & WhatNot. I also draw live and host virtual/in-person Workshops.
Customer service is VERY important to me. When someone invests their time into me/my work, be it watching live for fun, subscribing through my Art Hero page/Instagram subscription or shopping, I want them to feel like I see them. The are investing in my future so I can continue to do what I love. I wouldn’t be here without them!
Sometimes you can catch me at an event each month, or hosting my own event, Isle of Magic Marketplace, where small shops sell their work and you can stop by for family fun festivities!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The freedom to draw what I love and use my imagination! My heart is so full when I bring a new character into the world and others enjoy it too!
To be able to make the decision of making what I want and putting it on products I love is truly a gift!
Though some love working in buildings alongside co-workers, I absolutely love rolling out of bed into my in-home studio, avoiding traffic, having a snack anytime I like and seeing my furry co-workers (2 cats). I get peace and quiet, to work in my PJs some days (most days) and I don’t have to answer to anyone above me.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I have to be honest and I usually remind consumers the importance of knowing what they are supporting.
I don’t expect everyone to support me, the right folks find me, so I help them understand HOW to support other small shops. Not all artists are as outgoing as me and I have nothing to hide, so if I can share some of their views for them, it may help more small shops.
I remind consumers to ask about the art/merch, ask if the artist created it and make sure the consumers know the difference between copying, stealing and being original. Even with fan art there is still a way to be unique and put a twist on it.
It’s heartbreaking when artists put hours into their work and have to sell next to a vendor who literally just slaps a stolen piece of art on an object or traces someone else’s work. So I remind them to ask themselves before purchasing, “Is this unique/creative? Could someone else do what this creative has done? Does it look like a famous character just in a different outfit/pose/with font, etc? Does it look like a direct copy of something I know or is it 80% altered?”
I know not only myself, but so many that have their own original characters/designs and are spending hours to make their own, We need to be careful what we invest in and ask questions to make sure we are supporting the right shops. I personally would rather buy an item that is made by a small shop that you won’t find at a big store, so my gifts and collections are rare finds and I get to support someone’s dream!
Contact Info:
- Website: critterosityshop.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/critterosity?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Facebook: Facebook.com/critterosity
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@Critterosity/featured
- Other: Art Hero Subscription Page: https://critterosity.subbly.me/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@critterosity