We were lucky to catch up with Everett Lovrien recently and have shared our conversation below.

Everett, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Foxcry Illustration came about as nothing short of a leap of faith.

Picture your barista, their smile, their little quips and their interest in how you’re doing. You’d never know that they were an artist by looking at them, or maybe you’d suspect based on the grade of their latte art.

Two years ago I was given a choice: continue to burn myself out, helping a small business live their dream, or to choose to live my own, no matter the cost. I’d met my partner then, and he was about to move from Denver to Seattle to be with his aging parents. He gave me a choice, knowingly or unknowingly: come to Washington to live with him, who wanted to support my dreams, or continue to be independent but endlessly exhausted in an environment that didn’t suit the way that my brain worked.

I have autism, and though I’ve learned to manage it through my diagnosis in 2008, the social aspects of being a barista, presenting in a certain way, and also having work to do really wore me down. I had no energy for anything except work. It seemed that the choice was a really pivotal one to keep my lifestyle sustainable for my health, or to continue to prioritize money and comfort.

One night to talk things over, he and I took a walk in Denver’s scenic Cheeseman park. The night was cool and misty, and the conversation was swinging in the direction of the big decision. I had told him that I wished that there was a clear indication which one would be better for me, because both seemed to require sacrifice.

There out of the darkness, we heard a wail, soon followed by a surreal silhouette of a creature, a red fox! Following the foxes cry, another fox emerged farther down the path, and they both ran off upon seeing us, through the mist.

I took that as the sign to follow my partner to Washington, to start Foxcry illustration, and nothing in my life has ever felt so right. I have gotten an overwhelming reception from the community here in Seattle, and though times are very challenging and money is tight, I still fight to keep my dream alive, full time, as an artist.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My art career is the example of a person with neurodivergence allowing their brain to work the way it was designed to. I’ve been obsessively making art since I was very small, on my Fisher-Price easel in the middle of my kitchen, with my mother jokingly calling me “lady Godiva” as my dirty blonde hair fell down my back, standing “au naturale” in front of my work.

Art was often one of the few things as I grew that drew people to get to know me, as I was pretty shy and didn’t understand much about the ways to interact with those around me. When I did my art, I felt like I finally had something to feel admired and worthy for. Soon after my autism diagnosis, people started treating me differently, they would correct my natural behaviors and subject me to treatments meant to “numb me out” to stimuli in my environment.

Art was one of the only ways I had left to truly be myself, and as my mask grew to hide my symptoms from the public, my art would sneak out into the mundane in little bursts. It wasn’t until many years later that I chose to shed the mask entirely and embrace my true nature, and because of the struggles I faced in young adulthood, I found that it made me even better at understanding and advocating for people who were like me: lonely, underrepresented, and seeking authenticity and connection.

My work is unique in that it takes my source of solace, nature, and imbues it with meaning via the Victorian Language of Flowers, and other coded ways of speaking from the past. I use the coded language as a means of recalling my past, having to try to crack all of these social codes to exist in society, as well as a meaningful way to express my feelings, both at present and my past insights.

Much of my work is directed at other neurodivergent people, especially the youth, and the messages in my work often is meant to uplift or offer a sense of understanding and belonging that I never felt as a kid.

Apparently, this connection between my art and my clients and customers was needed, because in less than two years my following has gone from 300 to 19,000, and my work has been shown (and sold) in over 12 different galleries all across Seattle.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Honestly, finally allowing myself to be authentic. I’d spent so long trying to be liked by others, that I almost lost myself. Where I grew up wasn’t a good fit for me, but at the time, I’d thought it meant something was wrong with me. Now that I’m authentically presenting my work to the world, being myself, and putting my work out into the internet, I see that people can only truly appreciate you if they see the true you. I have my art to thank for that.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media presence was a complete experiment in the beginning. When my art practice was young, I spent much of my time at art markets and small venues for art walk, hoping to sell some work, but I needed a space to vent my ideas and insights.

Then came Instagram. I hadn’t been one in the past to show face, ask for anybody’s attention, or take up space, so having to make content for Instagram was an exercise in self improvement and authenticity. Honestly, consistency and authenticity are the tickets that got me multiple viral reels that helped me to grow my client base and sell some of my biggest works to date. People can only appreciate you if they are aware of you, and social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are amazing ways to show your humanity and put a personality behind the work you are creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.foxcryillustration.com
• Instagram: @foxcryillustration
• Other: Patreon: Foxcry Illustration

Image Credits

Photographed by Everett Lovrien and her partner Forrest Olson