Canvas Rebel Interview
I was recently interviewed by Canvas Rebel! I'm grateful for the opportunity to express my artistic vision and my story. Thank you Canvas Rebel!
Robin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m an illustrator and fine artist. I started building my art business, Martéa Design Co, LLC in 2014. I’ve always been an artist, but I started taking it seriously in 2017 when I went to SCAD to pursue my graduate degree in illustration. I’ve worked in the editorial field with clients such as CNN Style, the Mississippi Free Press, and healthcare such as the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Since color has a big effect on our mood, I like to bring my audience a encouragement and feeling of happiness with my bright color palette. I recently created a story for Jackson Comics, an anthology series dedicated to showcasing Southern artists and writers. I wanted to create a story around the famous blues singer a guitarist, B.B. King, so I imagined an inspiring guitar player stumbling into one of his concerts and gets a chance to show B.B. King his skills on stage. I love bringing to life characters and bringing the viewer into their world.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I do wish that, while going through art school, there was more emphasis on how important it is to find an agent to help secure more illustration work and branding deals. I didn’t find this out until after I graduated and I mainly found out about this route from my peers. Also, I wish there was some type of initiative set in place for artists after selling their work. Most of the time, when a piece of artwork is sold, there aren’t any royalties that the artist could receive afterward. the work could go up in value, but the artist doesn’t see a penny of it. In some cases with illustration, an illustrator may sign a contract that allows for some royalties, but most of the time, we receive a flat fee upfront for work that has the potential to bring in a lot of income for the client.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I believe I’m now in a place of pivoting. I’m trying my best to secure art representation that could help me secure more illustration work from places like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. I’d love to work with these clients on a consistent basis to create patterns and designs for stationary, gift items, greeting cards, and even apparel. I’m working on setting up my own stream of income as well by opening a small business where I can sell my own items and generate a market that would purchase items directly from me such as what I previously listed.
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