Meet Gabrielle Stratmann

We were lucky to catch up with Gabrielle Stratmann recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gabrielle, 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?

Keeping creativity alive intertwines embracing a vibrant existence, immersing myself in life’s experiences, and committing to the process and rituals of creating. The simple act of staying curious and continuously learning leads me down unexpected creative paths all the time. A great example of that for me recently was teaching myself how to embroider. I ended up falling in love with the slow, stitch-by-stitch process because it forced me to slow down, breathe, and relax. At the same time, I was inspired to create my own designs reflecting my personal illustration style and story, which have led to my own line of embroidery kits, a huge part of my business. Understanding how one small decision—taking a new class or trying something new–can have a big impact on my creative journey keeps me inspired to find opportunities to try new things.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an illustrator and crafter, and I apply my work to a variety of media, including embroidery, needle felting, ink, watercolor, and ceramics. Crafting kits are the heart of my small business, Bug-Eyed Co. I have created 12 all-inclusive embroidery kits from my original illustrations, which are like “coloring books with thread.” I’m passionate about teaching people traditional crafts, using classic techniques to create modern designs that resonate with today’s crafters. Through my work, I aim to inspire creativity and bring the joy of crafting to everyone.

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?

The number one quality that has made the biggest impact on my work is fostering a love of the process. Creating art is subjective, and it’s easy to focus solely on the end product. I try to enjoy each step because it’s the act of creating that I love the most. That mindset also helps mitigate the feeling of failure when something doesn’t turn out the way I had hoped, which happens a lot, especially in my ceramics.
My second quality is to challenge myself to learn a new skill at all times. I am always taking a class to learn something new. Right now, I am taking a class on mold making for ceramics. It is interesting to look back over my creative career and see how every new skill I have learned gets incorporated into my work in the future.
Lastly, a foundational knowledge of color theory and traditional drawing techniques has allowed me to excel as an illustrator. For those early in their journey, I recommend jumping into a class to learn these foundational skills, setting you up for a lifetime of success.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

Lean all the way into what you love! Our strengths and interests make us unique and memorable as creatives. Many artists struggle with finding their “style” in a world where so much art is instantly available on social media. Comparing your creations to others can be difficult. By focusing on our strengths and interests, we highlight our individuality. For example, I started making “Fish Dishes” because the rhyme made me laugh. This playful idea led to a popular line of ocean-themed ceramics.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Shawn Stratmann

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