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Coming back down to Earth after our last cover, we wanted something that speaks to us on a more intimate level.
With soft colours, quaint illustrations, and a welcoming disposition, we are happy to announce our brand new covers!
Introducing our fourth artist collaboration of the year, Myriam Van Neste has designed two covers for Mossery: Delivery Doves and Forest Scouts!
Read on for an in-depth interview on the process, and the intricacies of the artist's life—
Hi Myriam, could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am an illustrator from Quebec, Canada, currently based in Vienna with my family. I was formally trained as a sculptor in Canada, then did a Masters in Environmental Art in Helsinki.
After my two years in Finland my practice started to shift towards collage and illustration. At first this was just a new creative outlet but then slowly, over time, it led to the work I do today!
We love the covers you designed! Tell us about the creative process behind it.
They were so much fun to create! I love to play around with paper when I start an illustration project. I cut shapes and birds and flowers and play around to create a composition.
I love to do things with my hands and to start a project with this little collage exercise really gets my creativity and ideas flowing.
What do you hope that our customers would feel from buying these cover designs?
I hope it makes them happy and brings a little bit of joy and sunshine to their everyday life, especially in these strange days we are all experiencing.
Your style is very unique! How has it evolved since the beginning of your art career?
I always find it hard to talk about style. I think my work has simply evolved with practice, but my style has remained quite consistent over the years, just richer and with more depth to it.
I am just better at illustrating now than I was 5 years ago because I practice and push myself to take on projects that are a little bit out of my comfort zone.
What made you venture into pattern design?
I love to learn new skills and I wanted to see what else I could do with my illustration work. I love that I can now see my work on products like textile and clothing!
We notice your work mainly centers around nature, is there a reason behind it?
It is simply what comes naturally to me, especially when I am making quick paper collages with no clear composition or theme in mind.
But this year I have been wanting to illustrate more people to broaden my portfolio and I am loving it!
As an artist that paints, illustrates, and sculpts, is there another artistic medium you’re interested in pursuing?
I like all things creative and love to learn new things, but since working full time as an illustrator (with two tiny kids) I find that I am making less time to try out new techniques.
But my current wishlist of mediums I love and want to make more time for includes ceramics, charcoal drawing, needle point and drawing comics.
Could you share with us your sources of inspiration that might surprise us?
Children books! I don’t know if that is surprising but whenever I feel uninspired I will flip through our collection of children books and it always gets all my ideas flowing.
Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring artists out there?
Practice and be patient. Do not wait to feel totally ready to put yourself and your work out there!
Trivia question! What are your must have art tools at this moment?
My (perhaps not so exciting) must-have art tools have been the same for the past 5 years: scissors, colorful paper, glue stick, pencil and notebook. That’s really all I need beside my computer! :-)
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Myriam Van Neste is an artist from Québec, based in Vienna, Austria. You can find her on Instagram @myriam__vanneste and her shops here.
Our new covers, Delivery Doves and Forest Scouts are now available for Planners, Notebooks, and Sketchbooks.
Watch your ideas take flight on your path to boundless creativity.
We hope you enjoy these covers as much as we do! We'd love to see you grow your ideas and get creative. Remember to tag us with your unboxing clip @mosseryco on Instagram so we can share it!
