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We’ve known Maggie since 2017, and her works from way back when. If you don’t know her, go check out her drawings and paintings here. You’ll need a glass of water and some air, because everything about her pieces makes you want to pause before them and just, breathe. Take your time with that glass of water, now.
From ideation till sending the design to print, we’ve been working with Maggie since mid-2018 on this project. Nine months down the road, we’re thrilled to be sharing our latest Artist Collaboration cover designs. We also take this time to speak to Maggie and share a bit of her world with you.
What do you draw inspiration from the most?
I definitely draw a lot of inspiration from traveling, and I've really been enjoying camping lately.
Do you have a muse of sorts?
I find a lot of inspiration from nature, and the places I've been to. Maybe nature is my muse.
What mediums do you prefer to use?
I love painting with watercolours and acrylic gouache.
What is the best and most challenging part about working with them?
I remember when I started using watercolour, I loved that I wasn't able to control the medium perfectly and that it created all these beautiful, unexpected textures.
Last year, I challenged myself to start working digitally more. The biggest challenge at first was being overwhelmed with all the tools and options, I didn't know where to start. But I've recently started getting somewhat comfortable with it, and have a lot of fun drawing on my iPad pro!
Tell us about your creative process—what is it like from start to finish?
My process can vary at the beginning for each artwork. Sometimes I'll sketch out an idea, figure out the composition, and then redraw/transfer it onto a larger sheet and paint from there. Other times I just want to paint and let my intuition drive the piece without figuring out the composition first.
When I paint with watercolour, I usually start with a big wash of whatever colour I want the piece to be. If I want a more cool-coloured piece, I'll start with a light blue wash. Or if I want a warmer piece, I'll start with a yellow ochre wash. Then I'll build all the layers of colours, and add details last.
If it's one of my pieces with a black background, that would usually be my last step. It's such a satisfying part of the process, you get to clean up all the edges of the painting and be able to hide all the mistakes.
What do you think of Mossery collaborating with artists such as yourself to produce cover designs?
I think it's such a fun, awesome, and rewarding project! It's really nice to collaborate together to achieve something that we would both be proud of.
What I enjoyed the most was that we didn't rush this project, and really got to think and figure out the best solutions to the problems that we encountered.
Sometimes with work, deadlines are so short and a lot of ideas and execution have to be rushed—which isn't always a bad thing, but it can sometimes result in a product you aren't too proud of.
What is the inspiration behind both of the new cover designs?
I thought it would be great to look back on my old works and compare it to where I am now. I used ideas that I used to paint a lot, but have somewhat abandoned recently. It's been really nice to revisit those old ideas and redraw them how I would envision them now.
Your works reveals that you're very drawn to nature, is there a particular reason why you keep going back to drawing plants and animals?
I'm not too sure why I'm so drawn to nature. I sometimes think it's a reaction to living in a concrete city, and I draw the things I wish I could get to see more often.
Do you believe in talent? Why?
Hmm, interesting question. I feel like some people could be born with talent, but only to a certain extent. In the end, I really believe in hard work and learning to achieve the skills you want to have.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I think I would tell my younger self to calm down, continue to work hard, and that there’s no need to be stressed all the time!
If you’re given only one word to describe yourself, what word would it be and why?
Maybe something along the lines of being 'determined' would describe me well. Growing up, in the journey of wanting to become an artist, you sometimes hear comments along the way that'll really discourage you.
But then there are also those comments that really inspire you to work harder. I really wanted to prove those terrible comments wrong, and prove to myself that I can do it. I've also been incredibly grateful to have parents who've been so supportive, and I hope that I can make them happy and proud.
Tell us a secret.
Sorry, can't really think of one, haha!
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Maggie is based in Los Angeles, California. You can follow and share her works on Instagram as well as her website.
Our new Artist Collaboration cover designs illustrated by Maggie are now available for orders. They're available in both Wirebound and Threadbound format. Get one today!
