Meet Mackenzie Bakewell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Bakewell.

Hi Mackenzie, 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?
Since I was a young girl, I’ve been exploring the world with a camera and sketchbook in hand, documenting the animals I’ve met and the adventures I’ve had. Now, as a small business owner, I publish my artwork as coloring books, journals, postcards, and more.

My coloring book collection began as just a simple travel-sized coloring book that I’d had printed locally and shared at my pop-up shop at the Portland Saturday Market. While it took up just a small corner of my shop, the little coloring book attracted a lot of positive attention. Listening to my customer’s feedback, I began to expand my product line, refine my brand, and even begin successfully selling my books to local bookstores and gift shops.

Over the years, I’ve found that coloring is a powerful tool to help me feel relaxed and creative, even long after I set down my pencils and get back to my day. And when I see the smiles on my customers’ faces, hear from someone who has been inspired by my work, or see my coloring books out in the world, it’s a reminder that I’m helping spark the simple joys of making art.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has certainly felt rocky at times. Even so, I’m filled with gratitude for the journey because it has helped me learn and grow and get me to where I am now. Over the years, one of my biggest struggles has been managing stress in a healthy way.

This is where coloring continues to help me.

It is an activity that naturally draws you into the present moment and taps into the benefits of both making art and meditation. For me, it helps to easily complete the stress cycle, releasing tension, worry, and anxiety. From here, I’m able to tackle any problems from a place of clarity, calm, and creativity.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in publishing coloring books for people of all ages and skill levels. My creative process begins with a sketch, referencing photographs I’ve captured and my own imagination. Then, I digitize my artwork and modify the design, making tweaks and changes until it looks good to me. Next, I ink the illustration on my tablet, mixing a hand-drawn look with the fine details of digital art. Finally, I curate a collection of coloring pages and publish them as a book or journal or even a digital freebie.

My coloring book artwork is styled to be inviting for people of all ages so that families can enjoy the designs together. With a focus on the natural world, the art is specifically made to spark creativity and get the imagination flowing. It does this by drawing people in with easy-to-fill patterns, then providing wide open areas for free-form coloring to make it your own.

I’m incredibly proud of the product line I’ve made, and it brings me great joy to hear people say that coloring my art has brightened their day.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Patience and persistence.

I’ve put in a lot of elbow grease and gone through times where things were out of balance, filled with too much stress and worry. Yet staying patient has helped me learn to release tension and be present. And being persistent has helped me stay motivated to put in the work toward the dreams that I continue to create. Additionally, I think celebrating the little wins along the way helps me integrate feelings of success into each step of the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://journeyofcolors.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ziebeemedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZieBeeMedia/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ziebeemedia