Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to McCal Joy O’Donnell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
McCal Joy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I grew up in the lake woods of Minnesota with my 3 siblings. My parents brought us there when I was 5 years old and we spent most of our free time outside while my dad built our log home. Most days of those first years felt like camping, and with my young imagination, living in the wilderness. I LOVED it. Sometimes we would spend the day building elaborate forts, chopping wood, or taking a much needed dive into the lake. There was never a bored moment or a lack of work to do on the land and house. It was important to learn independance in my household and we were always given opportunities to make our own decisions and learn from our failures (and wins!). My mom had a special way of making everything seem like fun, even the chores. If you’re familiar with the term “Work hard play hard”, you know what I mean. Imagine peeling logs in your swimsuit and then spending the afternoon eating firepit hotdogs before jumping into the lake. Chopping wood for the furnace and chasing chickens with a fishing net while my dad hangs a fresh deer after a morning hunt. There may have been a run-in with squirrel casserole at some point, but it didn’t make it into the recipe book. My imagination was allowed to RUN WILD and at the end of each day my cup of adventure was full. We had a fairly wild pony named Dusty that we had found in our house and eating bread out of the freezer, which is fairly appropriate as my parents took many different people(and creatures) into our home. It was not foreign for us to have exchange students living with us and sharing our lifestyle while we learned about theirs. I’m still connected to some of these old friends from Japan and Germany. The childhood my parents gave me is fuel for many of the subjects I choose to create. Through this unconventional childhood, and among many other important lessons, my parents taught me the value of people, hard work, and imagination. I’d be much more boring without them.
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
Hi! While currently an illustrator, my creative journey began as a traditional painter, inspired by folklore and interesting tales that I’d encounter. The different experiences, cultures, and characters, they intrigued me! Over time I realized that what I love about making art is story it tells and the challenge of recreating that visual story for others to see in new perspective. In the creation process, the concept art is what excites me most as I take in the story and process it through a creative lens. This realization quickly led me toward illustration and the fascination with game design and animation. Since then, I’ve been partnered for a variety of books for children and novels, an adventure into game app design, and also quick little projects/stories in the form of beer/soda labels, marketing graphics, portraits and etc. My bright and quirky illustrations are often inspired by my love of creatures, humans, and adventurous places.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
When I first started my degree in Art Ed, I wish I had been exposed to animation and the digital art industry. I don’t know if it was the small town or being a 90’s kid, but I hadn’t considered illustration until my mid 20’s. There is a tactile satisfaction that comes with traditional art, but digital painting is where I can create stories more quickly and efficiently. Tools like the Adobe Creative Suite and ProCreate, as well as 3D rendering tools like ZBrush and Maya, would have been paramount to learn during highschool or early college. Thankfully, for online tutorials, these are programs I later learned independently as I switched my focus from Fine Art to Illustration.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I think the most exciting thing about being a creative is the ever evolving process. My work changes as I change. My tools evolve as technology improves and there is never a moment when I feel bored with the process. In fact, the process is what drives me. The parenting of an idea. The communication about concept, the brainstorming, the trial and error, the challenge. And when you’re done, you have something that has never existed before, and its beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mccaljoy.com
- Instagram: @mccaljoyillustration
- Facebook: mccal joy illustration
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccal-joy-o-donnell-1b840b24/
Image Credits
headshot by M.Schleif photography