Meet Maddie Ivey | Multi-Faceted & Dimensional Creative

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

Hi Maddie, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
This is a very fitting question for me at this stage in my life! I used to have little to no work life balance. It was all “work”, no “life.” I “never had time” to do anything outside of work and always chose work over myself. When COVID hit, it allowed me to re-evalute many aspects and take the time to figure out what was working for me and what wasn’t. I used to have this mentality that if I wasn’t working, I wasn’t being productive and I’ve learned that just isn’t true. I’ve realized the importance of taking time for self, family, friends, mental health and also just celebrating your wins and taking time to appreciate and relish every moment of life! Moral of the story: it’s incredibly important to have balance. We don’t do it perfectly but perfection isn’t the goal. It’s about having awareness and taking small steps to make big changes and most importantly tend to your needs. Some of the small changes I have made include: making time to practice gratitude daily, working out, allowing myself to stop working at 5-6pm (when my schedule allows), therapy, yoga, taking small breaks when I need them, making time for vacation, etc. In the process of figuring out where you can implement more work life balance, be gentle with yourself. Not everyday will look the same and there will be days heavier on “work” or heavier on “life” and thats ok – allow for flexibility!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I am a multi-faceted creative which embodies creative direction, styling and photography as my mediums. Rather than pointing out one project I’m most proud of, what makes me the most proud is my growth both individually and in my art. To look back at who I was and the art I was creating from even 3 years ago to now and to see how far I’ve come is so cool to me! I once dreamed of working with the people I get the opportunity to work with now so to see it all come full circle is amazing! And to think there’s so much more to come! Not to be cliche, but it truly is all about the journey not the destination.

I got to where I am today through persistency, dedication, and constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone (all things I continue to do). It’s most definitely not easy (it never will be!) but the way I have overcome challenges and continue to do so is through having a good sense of self, trust in myself and the universe and courage! I’ll speak on these briefly – good sense of self comes with understanding/learning as much about yourself as possible and really being able to depend on yourself. You are your own true super hero!! As far as trust, it’s important to establish trust in yourself and in the universe – things will happen in divine timing and exactly the way they are meant to. Lastly, courage is all about having fears, acknowledging them and pushing past them anyway. There is an excellent podcast I listened to recently about this – “Eliminating Fear From Your Life & Push Past Them This Year” with Jay Shetty.

In short, I want my brand to provide the world with inspiration. Art is essential: being an artist is a “real job” and is as important as being a doctor or lawyer. Stay true to your vision, don’t be afraid to use your voice and fight for what you believe in! Move with genuine intentions and don’t waste time doing things you aren’t passionate about!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many spots in Atlanta I love! Here are a few: Cam Kirk Studios – this is a one stop shop for all creatives!
Slutty Vegan – vegan or not the food here is amazing!
Eight Sushi – some of the best sushi I’ve had and the drinks are *chefs kiss*!
Rina – I love going here in the summer time – they make slushy alcoholic drinks that are bomb!
High Museum of Art – obsessed with museums and they have really cool exhibits!
Home Grown – BEST breakfast!
Cold Brew Bar – my fave coffee in the city 🙂 order the captain crunch on tap!
West Egg Cafe – brunch favorite!
Magic City – an Atlanta staple and i never fail to have a good time here!
The Painted Duck – so much fun with a group of friends and great food!
Drugstore Vintage – amazing vintage selection and the owners are the best!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow! I feel like I could write a laundry list of people who have helped/supported me along the way. Cam Kirk is someone I think of immediately upon reading this question. He has been such an integral part of my story and growth as a person and in my career. He was the reason I moved to Atlanta in 2017 and he put a lot of faith and trust in me from the beginning so shoutout to Cam! Abigail Fenton is another amazing human who deserves recognition in my story. She plays so many roles in my life from one of my closest friends to someone I bounce ideas off of and get advice from daily! Thank you Abby <3 Beya Likhari, an amazing artist and also a dear friend also deserves her flowers here! She’s helped me on countless shoots, mood boards, projects, really everything! I value her greatly and appreciate her so much. For the purpose of not wanting to write a novel about every single person, I will list others here as well: Jackie Ivey, my parents, the whole squad at Cam Kirk Studios, Erykah Austin, Siena Liggins, and many many more! If you’re reading this and I didn’t mention you personally, just know I’m grateful for each and every person who has helped me along the way. Your support doesn’t go unnoticed!

Website: www.maddieivey.com

Instagram: @maddie_ivey

Image Credits
Image of me: Scrill Davis All other images: Maddie Ivey