Sarah Walsh

Where do you live?
Kansas City, KS

Where have you lived?
Albany, New York, Illinois and Connecticut

What medium do you use?
The mighty pencil or pen, gouache and photoshop

How do you stay inspired?
It’s a balance. Adequate sleep is a good primer for any and all inspiration. If we’re not rested we’re too sleepy to see all the great stuff around us! Animals, magical creatures, coffee, music, a good story, my friends/family, bravery, vintage children’s books, movie/films, and mid century illustration, art and design are extremely inspiring to me.

Where do you buy your art supplies?
Utrecht or Artist and Craftsman Supplies. The latter has fun socks and toys!

Do you work traditionally or digitally?
both. I scan in a lot of paint textures and linework. Or I might just do the whole piece traditionally with some collage and photoshop thrown in at the end.

What color combination are you most excited about right now?
Seafoam green, mustard yellow and navy blue

What blog(s) do you read?
Pikaland, Drawn, The Jealous Curator, Look at these Gems, Print & Pattern, sfgirlbybay, booooooom! The Fox is Black, Grain Edit, Illustrationmundo

Why do you like being an illustrator in 10 words or less?
Is 11 ok? ;) I get to create a little world for someone to enjoy!

If you weren’t an illustrator, what would you be?
Maybe a singer songwriter, a teacher or someone that works with animals.

What illustration job would you love to get (your dream job)?
Making characters/pattern or stories/toys for Anorak childrens’ magazine, Land of Nod, Blue Q or Chronicle

Name something you do in your spare time.
hang with family and friends, cook, watch movies, art openings and museums, thrift, write little songs, and play my omnichord.

What’s the strangest work experience you’ve ever had?
When I was a kid I worked at Long John Silvers with my best friend. I got to make hush puppies! When we were bored we’d pick a foreign accent and talk to the customers in that accent all day. Or until someone started cracking up.

What are you reading now?
I’m about to finish Wildwood by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. Gorgeous story!

What recent book do you recommend for a good read?
The latter and The Outsiders. Also Life of Pi

Where would you like to travel to next?
Denmark or Peru

What’s your favorite TV show?
Boardwalk Empire

What’s your favorite NPR show?
It’s a tie between Storycorps and This Amercian Life

What movie have you seen several times?
Goonies

Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Popeye

Who are you in “The Office”?
Stanley. Just kidding.

What is your favorite cheese?
Cheddar

If you could name a nail polish, what would you name it?
Sparklepants

Do you wear shoes when you do art?
Sometimes

What do you listen to while you work?
Music or interviews. Mostly fave channels from Pandora.

What artist are you reincarnated from?
I channel Mary Blair. I feel such a kinship to her.

What’s your middle name?
I don’t have one.

What do you wish your middle name was?
I’ve always loved the name Simone

If you could eat only one food, what would it be?
This is tough. Indian food.

How do you stay in shape?
I try to go the gym at least twice a week and I take walks. I also have mini dance parties with my hubs or by myself :)

How don’t you stay in shape?
When I work too much or binge on cinnamon rolls or cookie dough!

What is your current favorite font?
I’ve always loved futura. It will never get old to me.

How do you take your coffee?
Semi sweet with cream and on the strong side!

Whom would you like to meet?
Wes Anderson, Marina Abramovic, Maurice Sendak…I know he’s gone now :( My grandfather met Billy Holiday when he snuck into a bar as a teenager. I always thought that was cool!

What question would you most like to be asked?
would you like a free hour long body massage?

What recent illustration job have you enjoyed doing?
I’m new at the freelance gig but I really enjoying making personal work. If it resonates with folks it could potentially evolve into a new project or product more customized for that client. Then the personal aspect is still nestled in there and protected. And then a whole new group of people will see it and possibly relate to it.

What was your favorite illustration assignment?
A pop up card for Hallmark featuring a slew of sea creatures. I also love painting on wood.

Client List

Anewall
Biely & Shoaf
Blue Q
Chronicle Books
Compendium
Crate & Barrel
Design House Greetings
Dorling Kindersley
Djeco
DPG Media
eeBoo
Fabriano Paper Mill
Flow
Frankie Magazine
Galison/Mudpuppy
Garnet Hill
Hallmark Cards
The Land of Nod
Madison Park
Nosy Crow
Oopsy Daisy
Peaceable Kingdom
Penguin Random House
Perseus
Peter Pauper Press
Rockport/Quarto
Running Press
Sellers Publishing
Shade 7
Soludos
TAG Ltd
The Guardian
Texas Highways Magazine
Tree-Free Greetings
Usborne
Walter Foster
WME Entertainment
The Washington Post
Workman Publishing

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