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

Rachel, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

You can thrive with a career based solely on your own ideas and happiness. There is an aspect to marketing and selling yourself that comes with business and there are many ways in which I could shift my art to make it more marketable and more monetarily successful, but I illustrate what makes me happy. I choose to use a lot of color, I choose to still draw by hand on paper, I choose a wide variety of subjects because these are the things that make my business unique and make me want to continue running it. Art is subjective. Art is unique. Art is fun. Don’t let people tell you that you have to do something. Even if it’s a good business decision, it’s not always what is best for you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a genderfluid artist and illustrator based in Connecticut. I realized that whether its color or spooky nonsense, nature themes or queer art that the little girl in me who was desperate to finger paint and giggled when the wind blew my hair around deserves to be honored.

My art is a direct reflection of my inner child.

When it comes to working with clients I illustrate patterns and designs for home decor collections, greeting cards for companies large and small, and merchandise /menu designs and logos for small businesses like me.

I would love to take on beer, wine, or drink company labels as well as illustrate more children’s books and book covers.

I want clients to know when they work with me they will find an artist who is passionate about them and all they have accomplished, an artist who listens to them and is connected to their product or service and an artist who used lots of color and joy to create fun and exciting artwork.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My side hustle art business went from something I worked on between my 4 college classes and parttime job in the interior design industry to being parttime income to now being my full time job.

I selected this question however, because I think it’s important to remind people that jobs ebb and flow. You’re not a failure if you have to take on work that doesn’t fit your exact goals or you have to get another parttime job or you have to freelance outside your industry. Many of us are just trying to make things work.

For me, I still work in the field I went to college for, interior design as a contract employee in addition to my illustration career. So please remember not to compare your journey to other people’s and to do what’s best for you.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

A lot of people do not understand why or how I can forgo job security, paid health insurance, and a more “stable” life working for someone else.

Truthfully, I think there are huge advantages to working for someone, but there is no such thing as real stability. In this creative field, being self employed, I have to bet on myself. I have to be resourceful and resilient. I have to organize my own schedule and with that I get to be flexible. I get to decide when to work and how I can make room to take on new opportunities. Every choice is a risk, but it’s my risk. If I make a bad business decision I am responsible for finding my way out of it but if my boss makes a bad business decision I don’t even know about it until I’m being contracted less hours or let go.

This job gives you a huge sense of autonomy in a world that can seem more and more like we’re all just living to work instead of working to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelantoniadesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelantoniadesigns/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-a-madej-889b86158/