Today we’d like to introduce you to Elissa Marie
Hi Elissa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been an artist and maker for as long as I can remember, drawing, painting, sewing, sculpting, and crafting anything I could get my anxious little hands on. I always knew I would do something creative for a living, though I didn’t know exactly what that would look like. As a kid in the ‘90s, I saw very few (if any) examples of working artists, and the only two options seemed to be: become famous, or be a starving artist. I was perfectly happy with the latter option, proudly touting that I would be a Jackson Square painter in the French Quarter when I grew up. Mostly everyone thought I was joking – or straight up delulu.
Trusting that I would figure it out along the way, I completed an art degree while injecting as much creativity as I could into a slew of mundane jobs, all the while working on various artistic side hustles. In hindsight, it was incredibly helpful to have no specific expectation for my future’s path, as it facilitated an open mind to unforeseen detours that led me where I am now. A year after graduating, for example, I got a job at a tech company for a bit of much-needed stability at the time. I gradually evolved my roles there into more and more creative positions, staying much longer in that industry than I ever would have expected – all the while still doing art commissions and creative side hustles in my off time. Over the course of my decade in tech, I went from entry level metadata work, to graphic design and animation, and finally to full-time commercial illustration. This detour is how I reluctantly taught myself digital art, which ended up being absolutely essential for my business today.
Finally confident and financially stable enough to go off on my own, I started my online art shop in 2019, at first only selling art prints of a handful of my illustrations. I took on freelance commercial illustration, design, and animation gigs to pay the bills while building up my own business. Over time, I slowly transitioned to fewer corporate client gigs, and more projects that reflected my personal voice and style.
Now, selling my own art and products is the primary bulk of my business. I run my online shop, sell my art and products wholesale to over a hundred boutiques across the country, and occasionally travel with creative expos and markets to sell my wares in person. I also illustrate books, burlesque posters, podcast art, and other illustrative projects that align with my style and values. Practicing flexibility and an openness to the unexpected has made this whimsical dream of mine a living, breathing reality.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a winding, unpredictable road full of blind corners and, yes, a few significant bumps. It’s not easy making a living with art, especially having my survival and finances so closely tied to my artmaking process, and my art being so closely tied with my core being. It is ripe ground for frequent existential crises. The biggest struggles have largely been overcoming incessant imposter syndrome, persevering through bouts of depression and anxiety, and all the other joys that come with a neurospicy creative brain – all while figuring out the massive puzzle that is running a small business. Thankfully, I really enjoy solving puzzles.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am primarily an illustrator of dark whimsy and fantasy, inspired by nature, witchcraft, and enchanted realms. I sell my work as high-quality art prints and artfully designed products like stickers, blankets, stationery, and apparel. I mostly draw and paint digitally, as a way to make my art as accessible and affordable as possible, but I aim to weave in more of my background in traditional painting as my business grows. My art celebrates unique bodies, unusual beauty, inclusivity, and the feminine energy in all of nature. I am likely best known for my folkloric, cryptid, and fungi pin-up illustrations – I never tire of seeing people’s real-time joyful reactions to these at events!
I am most proud of helping people feel seen and celebrated. It warms my heart beyond measure when I hear things like, “this is totally me, I feel so seen,” “their soft tummy looks just like mine!” and “this makes me feel better about myself.” I am also gobsmackingly grateful to be able to support myself with my own art, a feat that would have blown little Elissa’s mind and made her so proud.
What sets me apart from others is my relentlessly active imagination that alchemizes so many of my (and apparently others’) interests, and I use that as a visual language to connect with folks. We share so much more in common with each other than we think, and it’s incredibly validating when my pieces resonate deeply with people. I’ve never really known how to categorize the style or content of my art, as its variety doesn’t perfectly fit in any one bucket, but that also allows it to evolve and morph with me over time.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I believe imagination and creativity are at the crux of building a more compassionate and curious world. Exercising one’s imagination not only nurtures brain health, it also opens people up to more acceptance and celebration of what is different from them. Our current political climate in Texas, and in the country at large, has made this venture more important than ever, as whole communities feel less and less safe to exist here, much less thrive. Encouraging people to find beauty in the odd, unusual, playful, and strange helps them see beauty in more of their own surroundings – and hopefully in themselves as well. My goal with my art is to unlock imaginations that may have been deeply buried by our productivity-glorifying society, and add some whimsical joy to people’s lives along the way.
Pricing:
- Art prints range from $12 to $32+, available in standard sizes for easy framing
- Stickers, greeting cards, bookmarks, notebooks etc. from $4 to $15
- Apparel from $30+
- 100% cotton woven blankets start at $75
- Inquire about custom commission and book illustration quotes!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elissamariecreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elissamariecreative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elissamariecreative
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@elissamariecreative
Image Credits
Elissa Marie
