We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ivy Mcconnell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ivy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had started sooner?
It sounds like a cliche, but I have been an artist my entire life. My parents always tell me I could spend an entire day along in my room just drawing. I graduated The Moore College of Art and Design with a major in Fashion Design. My first career job was as Technical Designer at Abercrombie and Fitch. I went on to a Technical Designer for various companies from 2008 to 2016. Let’s just say I was not a good Technical Designer, basically a clothing engineer. While I didn’t like my job, it did lead me to meeting my husband by way of a coworker and a college party in 2009, so I am grateful for that. We have a wonderful life with two amazing daughters. However, career wise, I wish I would have found what I am doing now, years ago.
For the last 5 years I have been a Live Fashion Illustrator and Fine Artist. There was a time when Fashion Illustration was, unfortunately, a lost art. It would have been incredible to be part of the true resurgence of Fashion Illustration. I believe that started to happen about a decade ago, before Instagram and Tik Tok was such a huge marketing tool. When creating art was created purely for joy and your clients, not Instagram engagement or follows.
Most of my business is creating Live Fashion Illustrations at Weddings and other events. I get excited when a potential client contacts me and more excited when they officially book me. After vacation I am giddy to get back to work. Looking back at my years in the corporate fashion world, I never felt that. I suppose I wish I would have started sooner so I could have enjoyed my career earlier in life. It’s really a huge mix of things. Also, if I would have found my dream job sooner in life, I think I would be a better artist. It sounds like a huge regret in my life, to not start it all sooner, it kind of is, but as I said before, I am very happy with the life I have now. I could have gone my entire life struggling in a different job. This is were I am now, and I am loving every minute of it!
Ivy, 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?
I knew after leaving my corporate job in 2017, I wanted to pursue art as a career. I started painting house and family portraits for clients. Then I started creating these dog head humane body paintings and that took off for a little while. I really enjoyed doing those. While painting I would listen to art business podcasts and a fashion illustrator was being interviewed. She would attend New York Fashion Week shows and draw the models as they walked the runway. I thought, whoa, that’s awesome, I want to do that. Some time later I met a wonderful man at a new hotel in Milwaukee. He was working on the grand opening of Saint Kate the Arts Hotel. He asked if there was anything interactive I could bring to the event. So I offered my Live Fashion Illustration services for the event. I brought my old college markers and some paper to the grand opening and was hired for two more events from guests that night! I owe a lot to that first opportunity.
My clients hire me to enhance their event whether it is for the wedding, a corporate holiday party, a hotel grand opening or a fashion show, to name a few. Guests are able to come to my station where I take their photos and while they enjoy the event, I create a Fashion Illustration for them that they take home with them. It is so much fun! I have worked for stores at activation events. At these events, what I provide is another added perk to coming into their store.
What am I most proud of, all of it really. I struggled a lot in my previous career. To find something I truly enjoy and to receive positive feed back from my clients and their guests, it’s the best feeling. I hope that what I provide gives people joy. When a client takes their piece of art home, I want it to be something that smile at and actually like.
I am working every day to show up and be my best for my clients. I will show up for my clients with a genuine smile on my face and dress the part. Spending time on the way I present myself at events is very important to me, and it’s fun!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
When I first started my career as a full time artist I listened to a podcast “FOMO Sapiens”. One episode was an interview with Peter McGinnis, president of Chobani. In the interview he said “It used to be like, oh, there’s those do good companies and oh, there’s those highly competitive companies. Why can’t you be both? Why can’t half of you be a warrior and say I want to go win in all of the markets I compete in and then I want to give. It’s a false choice. They can be mutually inclusive.” I’ve listened to it multiple times. It inspired me to be the best artist and business owner I can be so I can have the space to give back. The more successful my career is, the more time I have to donate to causes I believe in.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The best way to support artists is, I believe, to support an artist you truly love, not just because their instagram feed is entertaining or pretty. I want my clients to purchase my art or hire me because they value my work, not because they want to follow a trend. Or one day, it will become just that, a trend.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ivymcconnell.com
- Instagram: ivysillustrations
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivy.mcconnell
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivy-mcconnell
Image Credits
Chelsea Matson, Reminisce Photography