We were lucky to catch up with Shea O’Connor recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
Thanks for having me and I’m happy to share. Well, drawing used to be my hobby, but now it’s my jobby :) I’m incredibly happy and grateful to be able to do something I love for a living. It’s truly a privilege that I am able to do this. On the hard days, I do wish there was a clear separation between my job and my passion. My first thought when making a piece is often, “How can I monetize this?” I don’t have the luxury of making something just for the joy of making something. There has to be a strategy and a target market.
To help bridge this gap, I do try and make a point of creating some pieces for me, and some pieces for “them” (them being clients and buyers). I’m also tackling new hobbies like learning how to play the theremin and gardening. It’s nice to enjoy other creative processes and take a break from the screen.
Shea, 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’m an illustrator and graphic designer currently creating in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 2012 with a BFA in Graphic Design, I worked at Atlanta-based animation studios and design firms. I learned so much from those jobs, but I missed having a sense of identity in my own work. I also wasn’t drawing at all, which was why I first got started in the creative industry.
I began drawing in the evenings and slowly developed my own illustration style. People started asking if they could buy my art (I was flabbergasted), and thus Designed by Shea was born. I sell art prints and commissions in my Etsy shop and I also freelance as an illustrator and graphic designer. It’s so fun to be able to have a unique illustration style but then also turn into a chameleon for my clients as-needed.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is a huge part of why I am able to do what I do, especially Instagram which I’ve been on since 2013. It has gotten more eyes on my work outside of the area I live, and has opened up collaborative opportunities.
I think the MOST important thing you can do is to simply post the content you’re excited about and proud of. It will show. People are super intuitive and can tell if you didn’t love making something.
Of course there’s the whole strategy side of posting regularly, using the right hashtags, etc. but I really would just focus on putting the kind of work you love to do/want to do more of out there. I’d also recommend engaging with your followers and other creatives. You’ll slowly begin building a little community, which makes social media much more wholesome and fulfilling.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I’d had more business education and was smarter about money. I was so focused on the creative side in the beginning that I wasn’t working as smart as I should have money-wise. For instance, having a separate business account and personal account helps you to keep track of your income and expenses (it also makes it a whole lot easier to do your taxes).
AIGA has an amazing mentorship program, which I think is a great resource for creatives of all skill levels. I’ve participated as both a mentor and mentee. I have a lot of info to share but I also have a lot of info to learn.
I think it’s important to talk with other creatives about money. The more you continue to have these open conversations, the stronger you’ll be when negotiating projects and organizing your finances. It raises the value of the entire creative community if we’re all making sure to price our work fairly.
Contact Info:
- Website: designedbyshea.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designed.by.shea/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designed.by.shea.oconnor/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-shea-o-connor-4a809132/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcHLfGc7qeloZbi8V3KA-Jw
- Other: Skillshare: https://skl.sh/44M0Xk9 TikTok: @designed.by.shea