Meet Mackenzie Myrick | Pen and Ink Artist and Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mackenzie Myrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mackenzie, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
One of my favorite quotes that I come back to time and time again, comes from Friedrich Nietzsche: “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” This quote resonates with me for many reasons, especially in times of un-inspiration. Having a creative job is the best thing in the world; but, that doesn’t mean I feel creative all the time. I have found that, many times, for myself at least, a lack of inspiration stems from overthinking. There have been times when I sit at my desk, working on sketches for hours, only to have nothing that works by the end of the day. The best remedy for this? Walking. Really! When I walk outside, simply for the joy and exercise of it, I allow my brain space to breathe and work things out on its own. Usually after about fifteen minutes of walking, new thoughts start to pop up and I figure things out that were difficult before. This is why I come back to this quote often; because to me it represents that creativity lies in the simple act of being, and that is important to remove ourselves from the bustle of the world now and again to fill our creative cups up.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I work in pen and ink to create whimsical compositions that are rooted in nature. My artwork is highly detailed and based in reality, but it also lives in a fantastical world, where raccoons bring ice cream sundaes to parties and hummingbirds help the sun to perform its daily tasks. I write short, anecdotal stories to accompany all of my drawings, to add to the world the viewer is experiencing. They aren’t narratives, exactly; rather, they are little glimpses into the objects and characters featured in my drawings. These stories are part of what makes my art, stationery, and illustrations unique, and are integral to how I approach creating artwork for my stationery line, as well as projects for commercial clients. For example, all of my greeting cards include the drawing’s story on the back, so that whether you are purchasing the card for someone else or receiving it from a friend, everyone can experience the full whimsical idea behind the piece. I often find inspiration for my work in many places: folklore, antiques, history, nature, old etchings and manuscripts, architecture, children’s books, and everyday encounters to name a few, and all of these areas of interest contribute to my writing and voice.

My business consists of a stationery line that I sell online and to independent retail shops via wholesale. You can find my products in 75+ shops in the country and around the globe. (I was so excited to send packages to shops in Germany, Canada, Wales, and France this past year!) Throughout each year, I attend in-person markets and events, such as Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, SC, to meet new customers and clients. In addition to my stationery line, I also work on commissions and commercial projects, such as creating illustrations for businesses to use for branding purposes.

One thing that sets me apart from other artists working today is my use of a traditional medium: pen. There has been a huge shift toward digital art production over the past few years, especially in illustration. However, I have always felt like the use of traditional mediums like paint, pen, charcoal, and pastels creates more opportunities for art to emotionally resonate with the viewer. With traditional media, you’re one step closer to the artist and how their hands moved across the paper to create that piece of art. Also, I would say that my focus on black-and-white drawings is very unique in today’s art world. I don’t come across many artists working in black-and-white, especially not in the stationery and illustration industries. I’m very happy to work in black-and-white as a way to expose people to a form of art that has been somewhat lost over the years because it can be quite beautiful and intriguing in its ability to capture detail and composition.

One of the things I am most proud of creating this past year is Penelope’s Postcard Club, a monthly art and story subscription on Patreon. In June 2021, a peahen showed up in my family’s yard, standing around the bird feeder. We have no idea where she came from, but she wandered around our house the entire day, digging up bugs and searching for food. In the afternoon, I decided to bring out a bowl of blueberries, thinking she might need something else to eat. She ate the entire bowl in front of me, before sitting down and basking in the sun. After that, she disappeared, but she became the inspiration for the Postcard Club. Every month, Penelope Peahen (as I now call her), travels to different places. I write down her travel stories and create artwork to go with them, and these “postcards” are sent out to subscribers along with exclusive stickers. It’s a very rewarding way of connecting with my customers, and I truly enjoy writing about Penelope and drawing her every few weeks. It encompasses two of the things I love most: stories and art.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m going to answer this for my specific city of Pine Mountain, GA. I would definitely go to Callaway Gardens! It’s always a beautiful place to experience nature, especially in the Spring. A visit to Dowdell’s Knob to the mountain overlook is always worth the trip, too. Favorite restaurants? The Whistling Pig and The Oyster House. Can’t go wrong with BBQ or seafood!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that come to mind when I think of those I would like to recognize. The first would definitely be my parents, because I would not be able to grow my business without their unending support. I would also like to recognize Vicki Sanders (owner of The Hug Box), Jennifer Yarbrough (owner of the The Funky Shack), and Kara Cable (owner of Cat’s Meow), because they were three of the first shops to carry my work, and I am always grateful for their support of my art. Also, I would like to recognize Karen Ouzts, owner of Heritage Art Center in Columbus, GA, who gave me the opportunity to have my first art show in my hometown

Website: https://mackenziemyrick.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackenziemyrick_art/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mackenziemyrickart

Other: Patreon: https://patreon.com/mackenziemyrick