We were lucky to catch up with Yvonne Frederick recently and have shared our conversation below.

Yvonne , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Practice, practice, practice! I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I am fortunate enough to have had parents who fostered my growth as a creative by purchasing how-to books and art supplies. I took art classes throughout my middle school and high school years before furthering my education in college. In 2015, I received my BFA, with a focus in Painting, as well as my BA in Art History. I found that it was incredibly beneficial to learn the history of art while developing my art skills. Art History taught me that art could be more than just a pretty picture on a wall and figures on pedestals. Art could be those things but also be representative. I can’t thank my college mentors enough for all of the knowledge and training that they instilled upon me.

I’d have to say that during those important years of skill development, one of the biggest obstacles that I faced was anxiety, ADHD, and the difficulties that come with them. I had many issues with bad nerves and time management that prevented me from putting my best foot forward. Back then, I didn’t quite realize that there were names for the feelings that I was experiencing. Now that I’m older, I know and I have taken steps to better my art learning experiences and skill development. Yes, I’m still learning!

Yvonne , 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?

Graduating from university in 2015, I realized that while I had to work a retail job for sustainability, it wasn’t my dream. Eventually I figured out that I could still work on my own art brand WHILE keeping the bills paid with the retail job. I wanted to share my artwork with the world…and get paid for it. I started to do research and seek mentorship from friends who’d had success in the field. Because I draw in a few different art styles, mostly spooky-cute and fantasy-inspired, I wasn’t really sure how to market myself. I worked on portrait commissions for a while but it wasn’t a true interest of mine.

Because of this and my need to have several creative outlets, I started to get really into polymer clay. I hand-sculpted and colored realistic miniature foods. These miniatures gained traction for a while as I’d started to vend my wares at Anime Conventions and local marketplaces. Unfortunately, after a couple of years, several factors led to me not sculpting these miniatures anymore: the birth of my daughter, no buyers, hand pain, and the general lack of fulfillment that comes from doing something that isn’t truly…you. I consider myself a Fine Arts Illustrator, so I needed to illustrate!

I started to do more research so that I could market and sell the art that I truly wanted to create. I love painting fantasy scenes. I also love creating super simple, and cute designs. I sell fine art prints, stickers, keychains, apparel, and more! All of these items were designed by me and there’s just something special about being able to say that. It’s sometimes hard to believe that my customers want my artwork in their homes.

Being an artist is one of those careers that is ever-changing so I think that it’s a good idea to have several streams of revenue, especially if you’re web-based. This was incredibly important for me to do as I had left my desk and retail jobs to be at home with my daughter. Thanks to my mom, a web designer, I have my own website domain and therefore my own online shop. I’ve forged relationships with local shop owners who support local artists by selling their work for them. I also do online art tutorials and art workshops. And of course, I still participate in local art markets and Anime Conventions!

I don’t say it very often but I’m proud of myself for creating two huge personal challenges and for going above and beyond to surpass the finish line WHILE being a stay-at-home mom to a toddler. Those challenges were to illustrate a children’s book and to paint a mural in 2021. I did both and went on to do the same in 2022! In order to succeed, I had to do the research and put in the effort. There were a few times when I wanted to call it quits but I persisted. I’m always willing to learn in order to broaden my artistic knowledge. I definitely have Art History to thank for my research skill development.

As of February 2022, I even have my artwork and merchandise in it’s own little shopping booth called The Kawaii Cottage alongside my long-time friend, Jackie. Our shop is highly influenced by Japanese art and cottage-core themes. Here our artwork is available in the form of hand-crafted dolls and kawaii (cute) accessories such as stickers, stationery, home decor, keychains, pins, apparel and more!

I love when I am vending at local markets and a customer recognizes my artwork because they saw it at The Kawaii Cottage! Over the last few years, I have been able to build Star Whisp into a special brand that is locally recognized and it makes it all worth it.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Growing up, the lack of representation on media platforms was highly noticeable. My goal is to be seen as an artist who creates artwork with recognizable and/or unambiguous black characters in celestial/fantasy-like scenes. Yes, I draw other things, however, most of my fine art paintings shine a light on the seemingly unreachable ideal of the carefree black child. It is my hope that a safe space can be found within the borders of my artwork.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Community and self-expression. In my experience, the most important features of individuality come from community and what you or another community member can bring to the table whether it be a difference in style, thought processes, methodology, artistic mediums, general camaraderie, etc. Building strong relationships with members of your creative community allows you to thrive in your element. So while I am the sole creator, administrator, social media specialist, graphic designer, etc. for Star Whisp, it’s important for me to recognize that I wouldn’t be able to successfully run my small business if I didn’t have my community’s helping hands. I am eternally grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.starwhisp.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/starwhisp
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/starwhisps