Meet Madeline O’Keefe

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Madeline O’Keefe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Madeline, 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?

Art-block is no joke, and it’s hard to keep your creative energy up – especially when there’s bills to pay. A lot of artists don’t have the privilege of solely being an artist in sustaining an affordable lifestyle.

While this can be stressful and perhaps take away from your artistic motivation, I’ve found it super helpful just to keep my consistency through doing the bare minimum sometimes, art-wise. This may sound “lazy,” however I’ve found this to be a simple way to give myself a break while still honoring my commitments. So whether that means a tiny sketch on my lunch break, a single brushstroke per day, or simply writing down concepts as they come, it’s relieving to remember that there are small ways to “hack” art block and stay in touch with one’s creative voice in the midst of life’s chaos.

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

Growing up, I loved drawing my favorite movie characters, practicing realism and even dabbled in knitting and crocheting. While I enjoyed it, I never understood what it all truly meant to me or why it was important to continue creating. For years I felt that my art had no meaning, that I had no voice or message to share.

It wasn’t until my 3rd year at Kent State University as a Studio Arts major that I began to find myself in my work. Having supportive peers and fellow artists to share the love of art with made all the difference. I realized how much there is to express through art, and how wonderfully individual all of our voices can be.

It was around this time that I also started my small business, Mad’s Imaginations! I had grown a love for fun accessories and textile fashion, and other people seemed to enjoy it as well. I began putting my work on Etsy and advertising through Instagram & TikTok and sure enough it began to take off. After a while I made my own website, www.MadsImaginations.com and have since been trying to find the balance between my career in the arts as well as my art-based business.

Currently, I am SO thrilled to share that I have done a relaunch of my website, and will soon have many new additions in my upcoming shop drop!

At Mad’s Imaginations you will find crochet accessories, crochet patterns, art prints, along with my portfolio and CV. Shop updates can be found on my instagram @madsimaginations, and you can find many of my previous creations on TikTok @madsimaginations!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three qualities/reminders I believe are impactful in the journey of an artist are:

1. Never Let Them Know Your Next Move (Yourself Included):
– You can broaden your skills in a lot of unexpected ways, even if it seems to be completely unrelated to the original goal. New experiences lead to new outlooks, and new outlooks show the beauty there is in the ever-changing human condition. As artists, our experiences fuel a lot of our desire to create and/or express our findings, so challenging yourself to try new things can mean everything for the growth of your work.

2. Patience
– Boring and unoriginal for sure! But it’s so agitating feeling stuck in life and in your work. Having patience is easier said than done, in fact I’ve been feeling this way a lot since graduating, including now so I’m really one to talk. However, I’ve taken a lot of comfort in the fact that there’s so much more time to learn and grow, a reminder that I’m right where I need to be even if it doesn’t feel like it.

3. Journaling/Sketching ideas
– Sometimes simply writing things down helps to make sense of your experiences, conversations, feelings and ideas. Understanding what I want to say through my artwork often comes from things I’ve jotted down in my journal or notes app, and then making sketches to expand on those concepts visually. This steers much of my art in the right direction.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When I’m feeling overwhelmed (a lot everyday), I choose to do either of the following:

1. Absolutely nothing:
– Because sometimes you just gotta

OR

2. Something that feels personally productive and restorative:
– When overwhelmed, it helps to remember that even in stressful times, it’s totally fine to give yourself a minute to catch your breath and tend to easy tasks that will leave you feel refreshed; cleaning, watering plants, organizing, HAIR WASH DAYYY, etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.madsimaginations.com/
• Instagram: @madsimaginations
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-okeefe?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app