Conversations with Kelsey McKenzie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey McKenzie.

Kelsey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since I was a little girl, the arts have always been close to my heart. I remember countless memories of creating custom cards for friends or family, filling up sketchbooks, studying light and color wherever I was, and having a serious love for the craft of creation. My grandmother, Charlotte Myers was an artist and we spent many memories drawing and talking about colors together. To this day she is such a big inspiration to me.

I never really took my art that seriously or even considered building a career around it until I took my first art class in high school. Immediately, I was hooked. As I grew as an artist, I decided to take the leap and major in graphic design at California State University Fullerton. Graphic design was a perfect way to combine all my interests into one field. My love for the arts only grew as I studied design and took other inspiring classes such as drawing, painting, glass blowing, and traditional darkroom photography. After graduating with my degree, I started working for myself doing freelance design and focusing on selling my artwork. Confidence has been something I have struggled with a lot, especially when it comes to my artwork. Never let that hold you back.

Recently, I decided to take more risks and get myself out there by starting an Etsy shop and doing pop-up events. I am incredibly thankful for my journey and I am so excited to see how I keep growing. Now I spend my days as an artist working for a design studio while still fulfilling my personal dreams with my own business. My weekends are full of meeting other wonderful artists and having the honor of selling my work beside them. I am so grateful to be immersed in this industry and community. Never be afraid to follow those dreams of yours.

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?
No journey is ever smooth, including mine. The COVID pandemic hit while I was finishing up college and everything went online. There was a lot of relearning, problem-solving and adjusting that everyone had to do. During the pandemic, getting an internship was definitely difficult. I’m thankful that I was able to take a class to help small businesses navigate the pandemic for internship credit. Creative Aid is a group of students and professionals who band together to help small businesses promote and brand themselves. I worked with so many amazing clients, thanks to our mentor Fernando Del Rosario, and I couldn’t have asked for a better internship.

A huge part of being creative is your mindset. Over the course of my journey to become an artist, I had to tackle lots of feelings of self-doubt as well as navigate the challenges that come with owning your own business. There were times when I overworked myself and fell into a rut of burnout and times when my mental health made creating work a serious challenge. Often times I would get so caught up in the little details and keep trying to correct or adjust things in my work. Sometimes the most useful tool for a creative is just taking a step back, taking a nap, or resting up. So much of artwork is mental and taking care of your mind should come first. It took me so long to learn that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
So much of my work is inspired by the delicate balance of nature and the various stages of life. I am very passionate about the plants, animals, and ecosystems around us and love to focus my work around these. I enjoy creating work centered around activism that may inspire others to care about the world around us. Many natural materials inspire me and I love creating pieces on wood from fallen trees or scrap wood that’s going to be thrown out. With my Etsy shop, I use eco-friendly production methods and packaging. If my artwork makes an impact on anyone, it has all been worth it to me.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Everyone is different and everyone has their own story but here is some advice that I can give. Please be patient with yourself. It is so easy to compare ourselves to others and wonder why we are not in the position/skillset that they are. We can be our harshest critics and pick apart ourselves, focusing on all the flaws or things we could have done better. Bettering yourself takes time whether that is your mentality or your craft. Give yourself credit and give yourself time. Focus on all of your victories, things you have overcome, and accomplishments. Do not get caught up in the negativity, it will only hold you back. Reach for those dreams, take some risks, and get out of your comfort zone. Amazing things will come from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: thecreativekel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativekel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecreativekel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-mckenzie-6738511b1/