Meet Laila Mckinley

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laila Mckinley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Laila, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

After studying abroad in Costa Rica right before the pandemic in late 2019, I felt as though I had built a portfolio I was finally proud of. I started applying relentlessly to various magazines and every free and open call I came across, but to my dismay, was not accepted to one thing I applied for. It was mid-2020, and I was pretty uninspired, unable to go anywhere, and recently and deeply heartbroken.

Laying on the floor of my moms living room one late summer day, I was thinking about how badly I wanted to publish my own work, and put my journalism degree and love of art to use.

I decided on my own zine, Under the Moon Collective. I think at the time I was a little too shy to solely publish and boast my own work, and instead reached out to my colleagues from my journalism and sociology classes for their essays, and fellow artists I knew for their visual art to supplement mine. I completely laid out and edited it myself; the first one in Microsoft Word, then later upgraded my software to Adobe Indesign after a contributor and friend suggested it, opening up a whole new world of graphic design possibilities.
I didn’t publish nearly enough of the first edition, which sold out nearly instantly, and was lucky enough to have the opportunity of putting the second and third editions into my favorite bookstore in Seattle, which too both sold out.

In this, I literally built a table for myself and others. I was being excluded from certain spaces, and simply crafted my own. This created a lot of self-confidence in myself and art skills.

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

Since I could hold a pen and paper, I have constantly considered myself an artist.

My modern art journey begins in 2014, right after my 16th birthday, when my mom gives me her old film camera and I discover collage art for the first time on Tumblr.

In photography, I instantly fell in love with capturing my world and the fleeting, and gained a lot of inspiration from old National Geographic magazines, forming my “eye,” and fueling my desire to travel and expand my portfolio. I too loved the idea of cutting up old pictures and random scraps to create new works of art. In a world where things can be (and are) easily manipulated through computer technology, I vowed to only work with hand-sourced materials, some of which recently includes a Mount Rainier visitor guide from the 1960s and a map National Geographic published of the Pacific Northwest in 1973.

I admittedly did not take my talent seriously until finishing college and during the pandemic in 2020, when I felt as though I had nothing to lose.
I primarily wanted a more permanent platform than Instagram, and published my own and other’s work through my zine Under the Moon Collective, which I solely printed, edited and laid out.
I distributed three editions of the magazine from October to May, before taking a six month hiatus to backpack Central and South America. I had the time of my life, and a plethora of photos, fueling the next chapter of my journey: entrepreneurship.
In early 2022, I sold, very last-minute, at my first market in a popular Seattle neighborhood. I didn’t have a table, nor business cards, nor proper packaging, but to this day, it was one of my most successful markets ever. I quickly realized that they are not only a fun way to earn more money, but too for me to expand my creativity.

For example, within my first six months of selling, I learned that BIC allows consumers to upload and get their photos printed onto their lighters. I had seen art lighters before, but always with stickers, which easily peel off. It took weeks of me convincing myself to finally do it as I was not yet making a profit, but I finally printed a few of my film photos and collages onto some of their lighter sets. They are still one of my favorite and unique items in the shop and has formed a specific personal appreciation and interest for functional art.

A lot of the old European genius was guided by God. And really, I consider that (among other things) the small, calm voice in my head among the more chaotic ones that often tells the future and me the most creative and brilliant ideas, the lighters being one of them. In recent times, I have been looking to channel that voice in any way I can and more importantly, honor it.

A few years ago, I sold on Etsy but found it expensive and unprofitable. I’m currently looking into other platforms (or returning to Etsy) as I have expanded my work to stickers, zines again, and mini 4×6 prints.

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?

Creativity. Not only is creativity important in creating art, but all aspects of life. I come across life problems often (as I’m sure the majority of us do), most of which can be solved with creativity. Before I had an established budget for markets, I used thrifted record stands instead of proper print holders, baskets from home instead of buying new, and in collage, use scraps that would otherwise be thrown away or forgotten about in a fresh way.
I think there is a lot of beauty (art) that derives from struggle, which creativity provides the solution for. Advice on channeling your inner creative voice include spending time in nature, visiting museums and going to concerts, traveling, playing with different mediums, and eating fruit and healthy foods.

Community. Our culture promotes individuality, but really it takes a village.
I grew up without a strong support system when it came to my artistic endeavors. I had low self esteem, gave up easily, and didn’t think I would be able to do anything with my art, as much as I dreamed to.
I only first discovered my role as an artist late in college, when I began to notice how I’d feel very full and whole after hanging out with a fellow artist vs those where we’d just consume than create.
I became friends with a coworker at a bakery I was working at, she was a few years older than me and a very talented illustrator. The first time she invited me over to her home was so I could tattoo a silly illustration I had doodled onto her, one of my favorite things I have ever done. Later on, I brought some of my photography prints over to her home, and her words praising me, encouraging me to share my art with the world, still ring through my ears whenever I consider or overthink it.
Among others, my main support is now have my husband-to-be, an extremely talented saxophonist who I love looking up to to and drawing inspiration from. He not only inspires me but sees the beauty in what I do and encourages me to work harder and keep going. It’s always nice to have someone justify your seemingly crazy ideas and be there to count on, as well. Without my community, I feel as though I wouldn’t have grow into the artist I am, and really believe it is the singular most important aspect of our lives.
My advice is to hone a community of creatives. I think a good start in doing that is through Instagram and other social media platforms. Look for events in your community where artists are coming together. Create relationships, and use them to inspire you.

Working toward a goal. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about big ideas you have. Establishing and clarifying goals you wish to obtain in the week, month, quarter, makes completing them easier and less daunting. To get the hang of this, start doing it in your daily life. Create to-do lists and work on crossing everything off that day, even if they’re chores or errands you have to do. This is an easy and productive way to gain confidence in accomplishing bigger and personal goals.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

I think about “The Four Agreements” every day. I think my favorite of the four is to not take things personally. Especially in overcoming a lot of personal doubt, which I realize is just people from my past doubting and underestimating me, it provides me a lot of strength in knowing that when people in my life behave this way toward me, it is truly their projection, and not anything about me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lailamckinley.com
• Instagram: @printsbylaila