We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bird Warde. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bird below.
Bird, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Growing up I was always a very creatively driven kid. Whenever someone asks me when I started drawing I always tell them it’s as soon as I could pick up a pencil. My dad even has my first “painting” still which is a very endearing blob of orange paint on scrappy newspaper. While creativity comes naturally to me, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard to keep it going at times now that I work full time as a freelance artist. A lot of keeping creativity alive for me comes from having a bit of a competitive spirit, I always want to outdo the last thing I did. The only way for me to improve and outdo myself is to keep pushing myself. On the more peaceful side of fostering creativity, I always go back to nature. For me it’s impossible to look outside and not be inspired by SOMETHING. Whether it be birds, plants, mushrooms, even in the most urban environments, nature can be found. And nature is inherently inspiring.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I work as a full time artist based out of Portland Maine. My main focus is on my online shop, Camp Mustelid, which I run with my partner Marc Mendes. We’ve both been building Camp Mustelid for almost 5 years now and it’s our main source of income, along with where our passion really lies. We sell everything from plushies, hoodies, and hats, to stickers, keychains, patches and more. This involves year round product designing, shop management, marketing, and working fairs and markets around the country. Neither of us thought we’d be able to do this as a job, it’s sort of a job you just make up and do on the side, but for us it’s been a great success and I’m very proud of the fact that I get to do it full time, even though it involves constantly learning new skills!
On top of Camp Mustelid I also do freelance illustration work. I don’t usually seek out clients for this, shops and organizations will come to me which has been fantastic. Mostly looking for nature, or more specifically, bird-themed artwork. Getting to make pieces for other brands that don’t relate to my shop has been great for building my portfolio, getting my name out there, and getting away from being in my own head with my own work! I’ve worked with Target, Audubon, Hawk Watch, Bird Collective and the likes.
If you need artwork for your shop, brand, or organization, reach out to me! I’m always up for collaborating with new people. Myself and my partner also do regular shop updates where we add new items to our shop (campmustelid.com). We have just released a new batch of goodies!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think the main three things that were most impactful in helping me get to where I am today are, flexibility, sociability, and passion.
When I was in art school I had no idea what I wanted to do as a job. I did really poorly in grade school and a private art school where I could get in based solely on my artwork rather than my grades was really my only option. Neither of my parents are from the states and we thought college was the only option to reslly make it here (for people reading, it isn’t!). So once college started for me, I had a really flexible mindset on what I could end up doing. Ironically, I didn’t end up doing any of the ideas I had come up with! I think being able to roll with the punches, try new things, and go with what works is really valuable. Just because you have a specific dream doesn’t mean you have to do it right off the bat.
Another thing that has been incredibly valuable in my journey as a creative professional has been sociability. You have to push yourself to be out there. Reach out to people, not to gain something, but for genuine connection. Beyond “networking,” make friends in your field (or desired field!). If you’re a kind and helpful person, people will remember that! My artistic friends have been so crucial to my growth and success.
Lastly, passion. It’s much easier to move forward with creative goals if they’re something you’re truly passionate about. At one point in school, I thought I would want to go into the animation industry. It seemed like a real job and something that made sense for me to aim for. But I didn’t have any passion for doing it! I wouldn’t have been able to push myself to improve or reach out to jobs for something I didn’t want to do in the first place. I think following what you’re passionate about whether it be a job, a medium, or goal is so valuable.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Most definitely my partner Marc. We’ve been together for almost 9 years now. Having access to someone who is also an artist so that I can look to for guidance and suggestions when I’m feeling stuck, who I’ve been able to build a whole brand with, and who can always give me a new perspective, has been invaluable. Most people say never to start a business with your partner, and honestly, take that advice. But this was something we did more out of necessity than choice. When COVID-19 hit we were both working jobs at nature centers, both of which had to shut down for long periods of time. We decided to dive full force into Camp Mustelid and it’s been working on it ever since, despite not having business backgrounds. Many experiences running this business over the past 5 years have been very difficult, and it felt easier to give up and try and find a job where I didn’t need to make the decisions. But with Marc’s support, I’ve always been able to get back up and keep going.
I think having people around you that want to lift you up, see you succeed, and will be there for you if you don’t, is crucial. Along with my partner, I’ve got a great group of creative friends who I can share ideas and advice with. Being in a creative field can be isolating, especially if you work full time freelance like me, so pushing yourself to find a community is important. If you find a group of people that you can look out for, they will look out for you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.campmustelid.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nepeteaa/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/nepeteaa/?hl=en
Image Credits
Artwork and photos are from myself!
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
