We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maizie Clarke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maizie below.
Maizie, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I love this question! And this is so important to a creative small business owner. I am determined to always keep an eye out for inspiration, it’s literally everywhere. If you approach the world around you with an open eye for inspiration, you’re going to find it. So I think of creativity is when your ideas meet inspiration: so collecting inspiration is important but so is the combination of inspiration and ideas. I keep track of my ideas in sketchbooks, notes and on my computer. There are times when inspiration feeds my ideas but there are also times when my ideas are looking for a direction and I am seeking out a specific piece of inspiration to fuel that.
Creativity = Ideas + Inspiration
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My small business is focused on charming, original artwork. This artwork could be used for my own products, a product line for a brand or illustrations for a fabric or book cover. I love thinking about my illustrations as visuals that tell a story. In 2023 I had several exciting projects where my illustrations took shape in different forms: fabric for a children’s clothing line, part of a book cover design for Harper Collins and silk scarves for different clients. Nothing is more fun seeing my illustrations out in the world.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Willingness to learn – there is always going to be someone who knows more than you, there is always going to be a job (or parts of a job) that you don’t enjoy – keep a learner’s attitude: there is always always always something to learn from a situation, job or client. And the second part? Remember what you learned and let it inform your future decisions and directions.
Open to new directions (without forfeiting your own vision) – I had an idea of what I thought this company would do when I started, but lucky for me, I have attracted clients who have wonderful imagination and ideas. Over the 8 years I’ve been in business, I have had to determine which ideas are a good fit and on which ones I should pass.
Relentless – you’re going to hear no, a lot. And that is okay! You’re people are out there, if you are interested in small business, you’ve got to be relentless.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for a fun collaboration! My ideal collaboration is one where I can bring my creativity and artwork to the table to bring an idea to life: perhaps a home goods product line? Silk scarf? Fabric or pattern design?
Contact Info:
- Website: maizieclarke.com
- Instagram: @maizieclarke
Image Credits
Jama Finney Photography
