Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Fox.
Hi Jessie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in the San Francisco / Bay Area and moved to Portland for college at age 18. In college, I studied psychology and minored in art. I have made art for as long as I can remember, but I never thought about doing it professionally. My first career out of college was in the field of social work. I worked with high-risk teenagers at a residential facility here in Oregon. As a counselor, I loved to draw pictures for my caseload and engage them in creative activities. One of our favorite exercises was creating hybrid animals by mixing two animals together and giving them a funny name. The kids would suggest, “What If you mixed a _____ with a _____!!”
After a few years, I had drawn so many “Whatifs” that my friends and colleagues encouraged me to share them on a broader scale. I made some prints and greeting cards on my little inkjet printer in my apartment and started selling them at street fairs and local shops in my neighborhood. I couldn’t believe how positively my work was received, and it gave me the confidence to grow the idea. I took graphic design classes at the local community college to learn Adobe Photoshop, In-Design, etc and began designing a product line inspired by my hybrid animals. In 2013, I officially started my business, Whatif Creations.
Over the past ten years, my artwork has reached more people than I ever could have imagined. I have shown in countless bars, cafes, restaurants and galleries in Portland and my products are carried in gift shops across the country. I have been a vendor at Portland Saturday Market for almost a decade, where I sell my work in person to hundreds of visitors every weekend. Whatif Creations has evolved into a family business, allowing my husband and myself to make a living and support our 18-month-old son.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are no shortage of struggles on the road to becoming a professional artist. Some years have been very lean and we barely got by. For a long time, my business was almost entirely dependent on income from street fairs, which can be unreliable and weather dependent. I’ve also struggled with creative burnout at times, which is scary when you know you have to “produce” to make a living. As a small business owner, you have to wear so many different hats that it can be hard to find the rest and focus one needs to be creatively recharged.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am known for drawing imaginary creatures consisting of two animals mixed together, paired with a funny name (e.g., Cat + Owl Hybrid = “Meowl.” / Pug + Pegasus = “Pugasus) All of my “Whatif” creatures are hand-drawn with a ballpoint pen. The color and typographical components of my products are done digitally. I have seen hybrid animal creations out in the world before, but I have never seen anyone incorporate wordplay like I do, nor have I seen another artist or maker commit to the concept the way that I have. I think my work is unique because of the intersection of fine art and pop art. My designs are silly and appeal to a wide range of people, but I take great care that each illustration is researched and thoughtfully drawn.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Taking risks is very scary for me, and as a result I have experienced many growing pains during my career. My first big risk was quitting my “day job” back in 2013 when I took that leap of faith to become an artist. It was frightening but also exhilarating, and really lit a fire under my butt to “make it,” as failure wasn’t an option. My second big risk was taking on a business partner in 2016. I knew at that point where my shortfalls were and that I couldn’t do everything myself. I couldn’t make the art, sell the art, and grow my business all on my own. My business partner was my best friend at the time and is now my husband. He pushes me every day to take risks in business. He has taught me that I need to invest in myself and in my artwork in order to make it grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: whatifcreations.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/whatifcreations
- Facebook: facebook.com/whatifcreationspdx
- Other: whatifcreations.etsy.com
Image Credits
Whatif Creations Ziebee Media
