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I've been wanting to blog about Illustrator and good friend Michelle McBride for so long now and finally the time has come. Michelle and I met at our last full time job where we illustrated for years together creating many images of snowmen, santa clauses and reindeer (as well as some children's books and a very savvy set of CD covers... remember those michelle?). Michelle is simply brilliant at Adobe Illustrator and knows not only the program inside out but can create vector artwork like nobody I've ever seen before. She's fast, trendy and her colour palettes are always at the height of trendy. She's been a teacher, illustrator, designer and even one of only two bridesmaids at my wedding (yes, we're this close!).

Michelle has always amazed me with her multi-talented guru skills (yup, you heard me correctly). She took up silver smithing, jewlery making, crafting and lately sewing her own creations/plush toys. It seems whatever she puts her heart into becomes a fabulous, quality product that anyone would be proud to own. The pair of us have decided to put our crafting skills to the streets and have signed up for the Downtown Farmers Market. You will be able to visit MIchelle in person on August 18th at our booth. I'll give you more information as the time comes closer.



Here's the interview (michelle's comments in ALL CAPS).

Michelle just spent the last couple years living in New Zealand as an illustrator. I'm curious to know whether this move has helped or hindered her professional life and how a big move such as this can affect creativity/her views on illustration.

1. How does the Kiwi Illustration world differ from the North American world and how has living abroad changed you professionally?

BEING THAT NEW ZEALAND IS SUCH A SMALL COUNTRY, IT IS DEFINITELY EASIER TO FIND THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY. WITH SITES SUCH AS, www.thebigidea.co.nz, YOU ARE ABLE TO LOCATE CREATIVES ON ALL LEVELS. WHETHER IT BE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER, JEWELLERY DESIGNER, OR A LANDSCAPE ARTIST. IT IS A COMMUNITY WITH ALL FACETS OF CREATIVITY. FINDING WORK SEEMED HEAPS EASIER THAN IN NORTH AMERICA. HERE, IT SEEMS A TREND TO NOT ADVERTISE YOUR POSTING AND THAT WORD OF MOUTH IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAR OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES. WHICH I FEEL IS VERY UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE BOTH EMPLOYER AND ARTIST ARE MISSING OUT ON GREAT RELATIONSHIPS.

AS FOR THE ARTISTIC WORK BEING PRODUCED, I FOUND NEW ZEALAND WORK TO HAVE A DELICATE EDGINESS TO IT. WITH INFLUENCES FROM THE PACIFICA ISLANDS AND THE MAORI CULTURE, I FEEL THERE IS AN ORGANIC-NESS AND A WARMNESS TO A LOT OF WORK. NEW ZEALAND ALSO HAS A FREEDOM THAT I FEEL NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL ART IS LACKING. THEY HAVE AN EASY GOING ATTITUDE, AREN'T AFRAID TO SAY ANYTHING, AND HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOUR REMINISCENT OF THE UK.

I LOVED BEING IN NEW ZEALAND, I FOUND IT REFRESHING AND IT REALLY REVITALIZED MY WORK, LETTING ME EXPLORE NEW PATHS IN MY ARTISTIC VISION. I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD LIVE ABROAD IN THEIR LIFETIME, OR AT LEAST TRAVEL WHEN YOU CAN. I FOUND THAT I BECAME VERY ISOLATED IN MY ARTWORK, AND (HOW CAN I PUT THIS?), MY WORK FELT STRICTLY INFLUENCED BY NORTH AMERICAN CULTURE. GETTING OUT AND SEEING NEW STYLES, NEW INFLUENCES, NEW CULTURES AND DEFINITELY SEEING WORK FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY'S BEGINNINGS, REALLY OPENS YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND AWAKENS YOU TO EXPLORE NEW IDEAS.




Michelle owns a company called Miss Dishy which currently encompasses the great realm of Michelle's craft and creative line/products which you can view by clicking on the title of this blog. Her products speak of high quality, creativity and of course safety.

2. What's on your horizon and what do you see your new company, Miss Dishy, becoming?

WELL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 8 CHILDREN'S BOOKS ON THE GO. I FOUND MYSELF WRITING A LOT IN NEW ZEALAND, AND CAME UP WITH MANY STORIES THAT I JUST ADORE. I HAVEN'T FOUND A FULL TIME JOB YET, SO I AM JUST CONCENTRATING ON MY ILLUSTRATION AND OF COURSE MISS DISHY CRAFTS. IN THE VERY DISTANCE FUTURE, ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO BECOME A MARTHA STEWART TYPE. I LOVE MANY THINGS BEAUTIFUL, AND I HOPE TO INSPIRE OTHERS THE WAY SHE INSPIRES ME. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO HER MICHAEL'S CRAFT AISLE, DEAR LORD GO! I LOVE CREATING SOCIAL STATIONERY, AND I LOVE ILLUSTRATING, SO, MY FUTURE HOLDS A LOT OF GLITTER AND SQUIRRELS I THINK. MISS DISHY REALLY IS A MISHMASH OF EVERYTHING THAT I LOVE, AND WHATEVER INSPIRES ME THAT DAY. FROM SEWING TO JEWELLERY MAKING, YOU'LL SEE MANY THINGS THAT I LOVE. NOT TO SAY THAT I AM UNFOCUSED, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT ALL.



I admire your work ethics. You have always been so quick at designing such beautiful vector illustrations and now you're moving back into a more hand-made world. Do you see yourself moving more of your efforts in the future to designing toys, house hold objects and the like?

HAHA. I AM ADDICTED TO VECTOR! BASICALLY, I WAS FORCED INTO THE HANDMADE WORLD. WELL.. A LITTLE INSPIRED TOO. I MET A FASHION DESIGNER IN NEW ZEALAND WHO WAS WRITING A CHILDREN'S BOOK. BASICALLY, SHE DREW EVERYTHING BY HAND, SCANNED IT IN, THEN OVERLAID COLOURS, PATTERNS AND TEXTURES. SHE REALLY LOVED HER ORGANIC PENCIL LINES, AND NEVER TRACED OVER THEM. I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THAT, SINCE MY ILLUSTRATIVE BEGINNINGS WERE REALLY JUST, SKETCH IT, TRACE IT, COLOUR IT, SEND IT. I WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO MY HAND MADE ROUTES WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE A WACOM TO DRAW WITH ANYMORE. I DIDN'T HAVE A MOUSE EITHER, SO TRYING TO DRAW ON A LAPTOP TRACK PAD WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. BUT NOW I AM REALLY EMBRACING MY REGRESSION BACK TO HAND MADE. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. MY LINES FEEL FREE, AND MY OTHER CREATIONS FEEL MORE PERSONABLE. I PUT LOVE INTO ALL MY WORK. LOVE AND PERFECTION... I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A FREAK. LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO DO IT ALL. I LOVE CREATING THINGS, AND WHERE EVER THAT PASSION TAKES ME, I WILL FOLLOW EAGERLY.

You and I are going to dabble in the world of farmers markets & art/ craft fairs. Our first confirmed show is August 18th, downtown, for their summer weekly farmers market. I have to say that your line of plush toys are so adorable and original! What sorts of inspiration helped you create these quirky characters?

WOW. YOU KNOW... I CREATED A MONSTER CHARACTER ONE NIGHT, AND THOUGHT, HEY, THIS WOULD BE GREAT TO SEW. MANY OF THE INDIE CRAFTERS ARE VENTURING INTO THE PLUSHIES REALM. WITH SOCK MONKEYS IN THE LEAD I THINK. THERE IS A REALLY FANTASTIC GIRL IN NEW ZEALAND THAT MAKES THESE WONDERFUL HANDMADE DOLLS (HER WORK IS OUTSTANDING!) www.geekfreeks.com SHE REALLY INSPIRED ME TO CREATE EXTREMELY WELL MADE PRODUCTS. WHEN I WENT TO SEW MY WEE LITTLE MONSTER, HE NEEDED LARGER EYES, AND POOF! MY LITTLE GUYS WERE BORN. I'LL NEVER SELL THE FIRST TWO I MADE, FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HORRIBLY MADE.HAHA.




What else will you have at your table?

I LIKE TO HAVE MY HANDS IN ALL POTS. I MAKE A LOT OF JEWELLERY BECAUSE I AM DYING TO BE A SILVER SMITH. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE ALL THE TOOLS, SO IT'S A DREAM I HAVE YET TO FULFILL. I 'LL ALSO HAVE MAGNETS, GREETING CARDS, PLUSHIES, COIN PURSES, FABRIC BRACELETS AND SOME NEW ZEALAND WOOD NECKLACES.

You mentioned on your blog that you have 8 children's books in progress. Can we have a tiny sneak peek on what they are about or see a sketch?

HAHA. HMMM... ANOTHER ARTIST KEEPS THREATENING TO STEAL MY BOOKS... SO I AM A LITTLE PROTECTIVE AT THIS TIME. BUT I WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE ALL MY COVERS COMPLETED THIS WEEK, OR AT LEAST HAVE MY CHARACTERS FULLY DEVELOPED.

(She has promised a jpg of her characters which I will post very soon)

What's been your biggest challenge since graduating from University?

HONESTLY, MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS TO BECOME LESS EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO MY WORK. WHEN YOU ARE YOUR OWN CLIENT, LIFE IS BLISS. (WELL SOMETIMES, I FIND I AM VERY HARD TO PLEASE.) BUT WE ARE IN A BUSINESS PROVIDING A SERVICE, SO, MANY TIMES I HAVE HAD TO LET MY EMOTIONS SIT WAYSIDE, TO KEEP A CLIENT IS SATISFIED. ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED SINCE MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND IS TO KEEP ALL EMOTIONS AT THE DOOR WHEN DEALING IN BUSINESS. WE WORKED AT A COMPANY THAT REALLY UNAPPRECIATED AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR STAFF, AND I FOUND THAT VERY DIFFICULT TO NOT GET UP IN ARMS ABOUT. NOWADAYS, I PICK MY BATTLES AND LEAVE EMOTIONS OUT OF IT. IT DID, HOWEVER, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF EMPLOYEES AND HOW TO KEEP WORK ENVIRONMENTS POSTIVE AND INSPIRING. SOMETHING I WILL ALWAYS KEEP IN THE FRONT OF MY MIND.

What is your favorite illustration medium to use and why?

HMM.. I STILL LOVE MY VECTOR. I HAVE A STRANGE EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO IT. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE IT IS FAST, AND NOT PERMANENT. BECAUSE I HAVE HAD NO FORMAL TRAINING IN ILLUSTRATION, I'VE MERELY DABBLED IN WATERCOLOURS AND ACRYLICS. BUT I LOVE TO DO BOTH, SO THEY WOULD BE MY SECOND.



Are there any inspiring illustrators out there you follow?

OH! SO MANY. KIRSTEN ULVE (www.kirstenulve.com) AND JIM PAILLOT (www.jimpaillot) WERE THE FIRST TWO ILLUSTRATORS I STOOD UP AND TOOK NOTICE OF. SOMETIMES I FEEL I CAN BE VERY SELF INVOLVED IN MY WORK, AND SINCE WORKING WITH YOU, I ACTUALLY HAVE REALLY GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK. NOW IT'S A HOBBY. I LOVE FINDING NEW ILLUSTRATORS AND SEEING THEIR SUCCESSES. KATE SUTTON (www.sleepycow.com) IS REALLY TERRIFIC. I'D HAVE TO SAY ANOTHER PLEASURE WOULD BE CHICKEN GIRL DESIGN, JANNIE HO. (www.chickengirldesign.com) SHE HAS QUITE THE INSPIRING RESUME.

Best Illustration gig/client ever:

I DID HAVE AN AMAZING JOB BEFORE I MOVED TO NEW ZEALAND. IT WAS A JOB THAT LAUNCHED MY CAREER TO WHERE IT IS TODAY. UNFORTUNATELY IT DID HAVE SOME NEGATIVES, BUT I CHALK THAT UP TO A LIFE EXPERIENCE.

What blogs are you addicted to?

HMM.. I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN KEEPING UP MY BLOGGING SINCE I MOVED HOME. BUT I LOVE ANYTHING QUIRKY AND FUNNY. I'VE BEEN HANGING ROUND HERE LATELY:
weewonderfuls.typepad.com
katesutton.typepad.com
illosaurus.com
jeffvictor.blogspot.com
boygirlparty.com
nutandbee.com
feltclub.com
thesmallobject.com
danger.uk.com
....etc...




Last but not least if you could have a super power what would it be?

TRANSPORTATION (NOT LIKE, CARS OR TRAINS) BUT THE ABILITY TO TRANSPORT FROM ONE SPOT TO ANOTHER. THEN I CAN GO TO NEW ZEALAND WHENEVER I LIKE, WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL 36 HOURS.


this was a little bag michelle made for me! Isn't it darling?


Thanks for the great answers michelle! Look forward to seeing more of your work as your career progresses.