Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Iain Burke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Iain, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
It’s a common narrative that for great art, one must suffer. And so for years, I believed the only way to succeed was to grind endlessly; juggling too many projects and pushing through exhaustion. But the harder I worked, the harder it became to enjoy the process. This mindset is both cruel and counterintuitive – resulting more in scars on our psyche from self flagellation than deft brushstrokes on a canvas.
What saved me was learning to step away. I take walks daily – not because they’re “productive,” but because they’re not. With the excuse of an errand (I haven’t yet fully accepted the idea of existing just to exist), I’ll head to the post office to drop off a single order, or swing by the stationary store to pick up a new pen. On my way I take care to notice small, fleeting moments: a child chasing a balloon, an old man hula-hooping, someone dropping their book on their face while reading in the grass. These tiny “vignettes” remind me there’s more to life than deadlines, and I tend to notice them most often when I allow myself to meander and absorb the world around me as I go. Kurt Vonnegut called this “farting around,” and it’s a practice I think we should all embrace wholeheartedly. It’s not wasted time: it’s time to find inspiration, humor, and humanity. Burnout, after all, isn’t just personal, it’s structural.
After returning to the studio, I’m able to see my work with fresh eyes. I let go of perfection and lean into experimentation, treating each piece as a moment captured in time. Art isn’t about constant output; it’s about connection – with the world, with yourself, and with others. By carving out space to simply be, I’m not just caring for myself – I’m rejecting the idea that my worth is tied to how much I can produce. Rest, observation, and a little whimsy are essential to creating work that feels alive. And a life that doesn’t feel like so much work.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a graphic artist, my work spans art direction, illustration, apparel graphics, branding identity, and beyond. For me inspiration comes from all sorts of places, but for the purpose of this interview, I’d like to break it down into three parts: client projects, community initiatives, and personal work.
Client Projects: I spent half a decade at Ralph Lauren designing heritage Americana and sharp dressed bears for the men’s and boys’ graphics teams then I pivoted back into freelance full time. Not long after, I was approached by the fledgling whiskey company Smokeye Hill to create merchandise for their launch. What started as designing a few graphics quickly expanded into overseeing an entire collection: hand-dyed printed bandanas, chain-stitched denim jackets, a silver belt buckle. Being so involved in the process, from concept, to sourcing, to production, gave me a clearer understanding of the brand’s needs. It was gratifying to see how much stronger the final product could be when design and execution worked in sync.
This experience set a new tone for how I approach client work. Rather than delivering a design and hoping for the best, I collaborate with local artisans and manufacturers to make sure what we create properly reflects the brand’s identity. It’s also led to much larger projects with the same client – I now direct the Smokeye Hill photoshoots and oversee a full overhaul of their branding. Having a hand in so many aspects of the process has reinforced my belief that good design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about intention, craft, and making sure what I put into the world is something worth keeping.
Community Initiatives: In my free time I volunteer at a community garden where we grow fresh food for neighborhood free fridges as part of our community’s Mutual Aid network. This work has strengthened my connection to my neighbors, as well as introduced me to ideas around food sovereignty and sustainable practices that are good for the planet and people. These lessons have helped shape my approach to creating art—whether it’s learning about natural fibers and dyes, thinking critically about the materials I use, or the importance of working within my community.
Personal Work: Somewhere in between my freelance and my free time, I run a small business called Mummy’s Hand, specializing in small goods and spooky prints. Mummy’s Hand grew out of an art project using printmaking to process a personal loss. While exploring themes of death and ghosts, I became fascinated by the history of 19th-century spiritualism – specifically how deeply human emotions like grief and fear have been exploited and commodified over time. It’s a stark reminder of how even the most personal, profound experiences are so often turned into transactions. These ideas remain central to my work.
Mummy’s Hand has grown into a space where I can create thoughtful, intentional pieces that balance those heavier themes with the humor and absurdity of life. I design every product myself and prioritize working with local production partners, focusing on sustainability and minimizing waste. My goal has always been to make art that connects with people without contributing to the endless cycle of disposable goods.
For me, Mummy’s Hand is more than just a shop. It’s a small way to push back against a system that prioritizes profit over people and the planet. But honestly? At the end of the day, I also just like drawing ghosts and monsters.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Research doesn’t have to be boring!
Follow what fascinates you. Research doesn’t feel like a chore when you’re chasing something you actually care about. I love old creature features and vintage poster design, so my work often reflects the time I’ve spent researching the artists and styles behind those posters. Explore what fascinates you, keep the process exciting, and the more you follow those threads, the more your knowledge and inspiration grow. I once came across an incredible old postcard of a frog playing the banjo that led me to an ephemera fair months later, learning about early 20th-century illustration and color lithograph techniques. That postcard still sits pinned on the wall above my desk, and it’s the first thing I see when I sit down to draw every morning.
Research deepens your understanding; it pulls you out of the algorithm-driven loop that dominates online spaces like Pinterest or Instagram. Those platforms are fine as starting points, but they regurgitate the same ideas again and again until everything starts to look the same. Take your curiosity offline and take the extra steps to find weird books, cool museums, or interesting estate sales. Hunting for your own strange interests lets you uncover sources and stories that feel fresher and more authentic.
2. Embrace Your Sketchbook
A sketchbook offers a rare freedom: no pressure for perfection or profit, just a space to try ideas without judgment. When raw, unrefined sketches spark breakthroughs and end up shaping your final work, it challenges the myth that creativity hinges on polished results or sudden inspiration. And moves us closer to a gentler and more realistic alternative, that showing up regularly, pushing through off-days and failures, and building a steady rhythm of practice mean more when creating. By carving out this space for experimentation, you resist the demand for constant marketability and remind yourself that the process has worth beyond any finished product.
3. Let your values guide your work.
What you create is shaped by the systems you engage with – who you work with, the materials you use, and the impact your work has on others. If you’re just starting out, take time to think about the bigger picture. What drives you? What do you want your work to contribute to or push back against? It’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to make quick, sellable work, but reflecting on these questions gives you a compass. Your values won’t always make things easier, but they’ll keep your work honest, keep you connected and encourage you to keep coming back.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always looking to collaborate with brands and other artists, especially on packaging, label design or branding identity for a cafe/bar. I’d love to design a hot sauce, a hot-dog stand, or a haunted house. Feel free to message me on Instagram @mummyshand or send me an email [email protected] to connect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iainburke.com
- Instagram: @mummyshand
- Linkedin: [email protected]
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