Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelsey Hunter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kelsey, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

Like a lot of people in the entertainment industry, the double strikes had a big impact on my employment this year. I was fortunate to have many months of work with a production that did not have writers, but when our show wrapped I was in the same boat as many others. Being in this turbulent industry as a freelancer made me feel out of control and worried for my future. However, the time I’ve had to myself has given me the opportunity I needed reprioritize my time to work on my personal goals, my art, and strive for new career paths. I have a wonderful network of friends and colleagues who are in similar places of wanting something new for themselves. It’s inspiring to see the people around me work hard, fail, start over, try again, while I do the same thing. We are all there for each other in these interesting times, understanding what the other is dealing with, and cheering them on from the sidelines.

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.

I am an artist, a miniatures specialist, a world builder, and science fiction enthusiast.

I have been working in the entertainment industry for over 7 years now and pride myself with trying a number of different paths before finding myself back where I started, with all things small. My time trying my hand at different mediums has never hindered me, only made me a more educated and experienced artist. My experiences let me think outside the box and see the larger picture when working on a project.

The realm of miniatures is my medium of choice because it allows you to create worlds that feel really tangible. You can be creative and make fun choices with your materials because you are already living in a world where people are using their imagination. The format lets your suspend disbelief and believe in the world that’s laid out in front of you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Last year I had to make the tough but necessary decision to leave a toxic work environment. I had been working at one studio for a number of years as a full time employee, which is rare in my industry. I put up with a lot of uncomfortable behavior in exchange for stability but eventually my environment and situation ate away at me and I became miserable. I did not leave this company right away after my boss betrayed by privacy and trust because I didn’t want what he did to be swept under the rug. I wanted to weaponize my presence. But ultimately the one who suffered the most was me and my mental health, so I left. I had to make a big leap in going back into freelance after losing a lot of my connections by being unavailable for so long. It made me reconsider what my goals were, and the amount of potential I have. I had met some goals years before and had been floating along just fine. But I have more to offer, and deciding to leave gave me the push I needed to pursue my loftier ambitions.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am creating an animated series with the goal to spread climate optimism through climate action. I am passionate that if we all make small changes we can create a big impact. Obviously to really make a dent in the climate catastrophe the oil companies and manufacturers conglomerates need to care and support the future of life on this planet over profits, but having optimism has been really impactful for me. In the midst of the global unrest and aggression that makes me feel powerless against it all, my small impact of putting my food scraps in the compost makes me feel like I’m going something good. I want to portray the future I want to live in. No war, no enemies, no climate doom. There is so much bad in the world and a lot of our media continues the narrative thats it’s futile. I do not think we need to destine ourselves to that future, and if we stand for peace and sustainability we can right our world. This is the idea that drives me forward and my animated series gives me an outlet to be creative in a way that I think could really make a difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cargocollective.com/kelseyahunter
• Instagram: @kelsey_and_the_universe
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/kelsey-hunter-842746125
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoblinsHunter