We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sella Molenaar. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sella below.

Sella, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

As a freelance illustrator I love to work with brands who want to contribute to a positive and empowering image of women and a better and fairer world. The most meaningful projects I did where with brands who choose me for my vision, mision and of course artistic style and let me run as free as possible. Mutual respect is key. I don work with brands that pollute the planet and exploit their workers any more and I’m soooo done with fast fashion. Some examples are the work I did for Marie Jo; a female run lingerie brand that produces for and by women in Belgium for which I created lot’s of branding expressions varying from product tags to event invites. Also the #mybodyismine campaign I did with Dutch feminist non profit organisation Mama Cash is high on the list. But to be honest, the most meaningful and rewarding projects are the projects I create myself! My artworks that celebrate femininity and the workshops, events and women’s circles I host have a special place in my heart. This is where I share my gifts with the world and inspire and encourage others to celebrate themselves and their creativity.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m an artists working and living in Amsterdam. I’ve always been drawing and creating ever since I was a young girl, so it was no surprise that I followed that path and studied fashion and art history before I embarked on my artists journey.

My style can be defined by intuitive lines, pure simplicity and infinite freedom while celebrating the feminine, the sensual and the aesthetic. As an autodidact, I am not bound by rules, but follow my own path. The energy and aliveness of a piece is always more important than “perfect” technique. I love to see and show the person behind the artwork.

I’ve worked for a lot of big names in the fashion industry from Dolce & Gabbana to Dior but now focusing more and more on celebrating femininity and sharing the gift of creativity. The well-being of the world, equality and inclusiveness are important themes both in my work and private life. Yes, I would call myself a feminist and activist, but always in a pleasurable way. I love it when ethics and aesthetics meet. The role of the artists is to make the revolution irresistible right? Pleasure Activism is engraved in everything that I do and I like to embody that vision in my free artistic and client work, the figure drawing sessions I have with women, tje workshops and events that I host and the products I create.

Every day I experience the magic of creation and the peace, joy and wonder it can bring. I truly believe that if people connect more to their aliveness, their creative potential and what brings them joy, this world would be a different place. It’s therefor my mission to share this gift with the world by organising workshops, creative coaching sessions and women’s circles and I am also working on some products like a card deck and journal to relight your creative fire.

I would love to work with organisations and brands that endorse this mission and can help spreading the magic!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest thing is had t unlearn was my definition of succes. When I started off I dreamt of working for famous brands and big names but once I did, it may left my wallet full, but my heart empty. I came to realise that succes for me is not about money, fame or status but about the joy and fulfilment I find in the things that I do, the spaces i create for myself to experiment, fail and and grow and the quality of my relationships, bot with my clients, the people that surround me and above all with myself.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Respect and value creative work. Too often I still get asked to work for free or get offered ridiculously low fees. People spend thousands of dolars on coaches and consultants who promise instant results, but refuse to do the same for a creative session or workshop because it is “just for fun”. The assumption is that because you like to do it, you don’t have to get paid that much and that’s complete bullshit. The money is a pay off for doing something you actually don’t like. I aspire a world where there is enough for everyone and nobody has to sell their soul for the sake of capitalism. We have this assumption in our culture that only productivity and adding value is worth time and money and everything that is joyful is a “side project”. But that’s not what life is about you see. It should be the opposite. Let’s focus more on joy and the things that make life beautiful and worthwhile and value and appreciate those things. Not only the creative eco system but the whole world would thrive!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sellamolenaar.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sellamolenaar/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellamolenaar/

Image Credits
Design Studio Qi Jasmijn de Lange