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

Alright, Maeve thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

It isn’t completely by chance that I ended up working as a full time creative. Growing up in a home that fosters creativity is rare. But, growing up in a home that not only fosters but downright demands it is something else all together. It would be easy, safe even, for a parent to gently nudge their child on a more beneficial career path. Why not law, or accounting? Everyone needs a lawyer and accountant, after all. My parents stance was the opposite. My dad sat me down at a young age holding up a pill bottle and said “You see this? Somebody designed this, and they were paid to do it because it was their job as a creative.”

I watched as both of their careers in creativity flourished through hard work and dedication while I doodled fairies and modge-podged pages from National Geographic into a notebook. The concept of a starving artist was one they actively worked to combat through example every day. Every collage was discussed with the thoroughness of an art history seminar. Doodles of fairies took on their own life when my parents questioned what their back story was, where they lived, what they ate? What some may take as silly kids doodles were riveted as pieces of work.

That is not to say being an artist is easy! Arts? Easy? It’s laughable at best. No, it’s not easy but it is possible, and that is the main difference. The shimmer of possibility through example paired with the support of what could be possible through determination is the best gift my parent’s could have ever given me. As soon as I showed interest in the arts never once did they suggest accounting or law, and rightfully so. Both fields would suffer greatly from my presence. The possibility of a career in creativity was a door that was open for me since day one, as long as I worked hard to get through that door. Opening that door is the best gift you can give, and I’m glad it was given to me.

Maeve, 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 like to think my career as a book designer began in 2nd grade when we had to write, illustrate and design our own picture book. Granted mine was a complete rip off of Tuck Everlasting, it ignited my love for the process. I enrolled at Pratt Institute for Illustration not knowing where it would take me. I liked to draw and I liked to tell stories, but that was all I knew. It wasn’t until I walked into renowned author/illustrator Pat Cumming’s children’s book course that it clicked. All of my interests that had been building since that day in 2nd grade amounted to this and instantly I was in love.

I focused in the combination of illustration, hand lettering and design which led me to a career creating book covers for middle grade and young adult novels. Early in my career I bounced around as one does from freelancing, package design, animation and a handful of publishing houses until I landed at Scholastic where I have been ever since. The covers I create range from ages 8 to 18 which as most of us know are highly influential years. My job is to visually represent the story in a way that will quickly set the tone, attract a reader, and get them wanting more. They say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but for obvious reasons I highly disagree. What I love about this process is where it can lead you. I’ve been given the opportunity to work with some of my favorite artists over the years, I’ve conducted photoshoots running around New York City at night with just a flash camera and I’ve spent hours trying to draw the perfect ‘S’. Each book provides a unique set of challenges which are made even more crucial when you think about how this story could impact a young reader if only the cover draws them in. And that simply put is the most rewarding part of the job.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

We all know that New York City is the center of creativity. The city spans between people just dipping a toe into their art and those who have mastered it. In the beginning of my career, I made a point of being in the same room as those professionals and repeatedly found myself rightfully star struck. I so badly wanted to run up in a fury of early 20s energy and scream how someone’s work has shaped me, how their talent inspires and how I basically just wanted to be their best friend. All of that is easier said than done. It took many failed attempts and a lot of false confidence to finally harness that energy and start a conversation with my art idols. Eventually I learned one simple truth, at the end of the day we are all just nerdy art kids. Most professionals will welcome any chance to talk about their career and the art world. After all, who doesn’t’ love to hear they have fans and that their work has made an impact? That is the end goal, after all. I had to unlearn not to be scared to reach out and accept that most artists will welcome an opportunity to talk about art. And 9 times out of 10, this will better your career. So next time you’re at a gallery opening or an artist talk embrace your inner nerdy art kid and start that conversation.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

In the age of social media it’s easy to compare yourself to others, especially as a creative. They have more followers than me, their work is better than mine, they’re getting more recognition than me. We all do this, we can’t help it. It took me a long time to break out of this cycle of comparison and realize the advice I needed had been given to me repeatedly my entire life. How many times has someone told you to just be yourself? It can get quite tiring after a while.

What I think is missing from that advice is the ending- just be yourself, because there is only one you. When you draw a tree, only you can draw it the way you do. When you speak to followers on social media, those are solely your thoughts being formed into words. It may sound simple and obvious, but when you lean into what makes you authentically you I’ve found reputation and recognition will follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maevenorton.com
• Instagram: @maevenn