Meet Abby Conner | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abby Conner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abby, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance has always been very difficult for me to manage. I think many other artists would agree that oftentimes with art, the work never feels finished. Not only could you pick apart and rework a single project endlessly, there’s never enough time to bring life to all of the ideas you might have in your head. Additionally, when you take something you love and turn it into a livelihood, it can be very difficult to separate the work that makes me money, and the work that I do for myself. Eventually, it just feels like I’m working all of the time. I’ve been taking a lot of measures to counteract that recently as my business has started to take up more space in my life. Though working on my personal art is important for growth and nurturing a healthy creative practice, it can’t come before keeping my space clean, taking time to meet with a friend, or reading a book. Those things are just as vital for fueling creativity. I also try to separate my work from my personal art physically to help me keep the distinction. I do work in the office, but sketch outside or on the couch. If I’ve been clocking in long hours on a design project on the computer, then I’ll choose to paint or use inks in my personal work. Though work hours fluctuate drastically with freelance work and there may be times when there’s a lot more on my plate than normal, I am able to keep a good work life balance if I purposefully seek out rest in the quiet times instead of filling my time with more work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I focus primarily on illustration, but I work in graphic design as well and do some comic making on the side. I specifically enjoy the space where design and illustration can intersect. My graphic design background feeds my illustration work, and illustration often pops up in my design projects. My artistic style is influenced by cartoons that I watched growing up, as well as the natural world and the environment around me. I also like to invest in my community, and I’ve been leading monthly paint & sip nights in Kingston Springs as a way to connect with people and promote my work.

I studied design in college with the intention that I would work for myself one day, though I didn’t think it would happen quite as quickly as it did. When I graduated, I searched for a job in a design firm for a little while before realizing that the effort I was putting into job applications could be spent building my own business and pursuing the career path I really wanted, as scary and unreliable as it seemed at the time. So I switched my attention towards building up my portfolio and searching for clients. I felt largely unprepared and unsure of myself. However I’ve come to realize that a lot of people, especially those navigating creative careers, seem to stumble their way through until they find something that works for them. I’ve done a lot of stumbling and I’m sure I’ll stumble more in the future. Yet little by little, with a lot of hard work and motivation, my business has grown into something that I can be proud of. Being the one making the decisions can be a blessing and a curse and I’m still learning every day. But the key is to keep moving forward. Artists have a propensity to get bogged down in the creation process and lose sight of what they’re working towards, which is why it is so important to just keep moving one step at a time. It’ll work out eventually.

I want to communicate a sense of hopefulness and relatability in my work. I want to maintain positive energy, while never downplaying the serious hardships that we go through in our everyday lives. Visual narrative and illustrative design have always played a big part in making my life a little brighter, even if it’s just the packaging of my favorite coffee that brings a little joy to my life. I hope to create those feelings for others as well.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live on the outskirts of Nashville, so I’d first have to point out all of the natural beauty out here! I’d take my friend on an all day kayak trip down the Harpeth river, stopping at swimming holes along the way. Then we could grab some wood-fired pizza at Skyking Pizza in Kingston Springs, and maybe catch one of the artisan markets that pop up out there. The next day we could get some coffee at Frothy Monkey and check out the food trucks at the downtown Farmer’s Market, which is a place I grew up frequenting. On Saturday evenings there are free swing dancing lessons in Centennial park, which I would love to take a friend to. The next day we could go to Pins mechanical for some duckpin bowling and arcade games and explore some of the Nashville landmarks, like the Ryman Auditorium. That night we could catch a show at Brooklyn Bowl! East Nashville would also need a whole day for food and drink alone, with some of my favorites including Kisser, bartaco, and Rosemary & Beauty Queen. Finally, I’d love to take my friend to Cheekwood for a day and see whatever exhibit is on display. We could end the day with trivia in West Nashville at the Tailgate Brewery headquarters, or Bearded Iris. Nashville has such a variety of activities to do that it’s difficult to fill just one week!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate it to the staff and patrons at Turnbull Provisions in Kingston Springs! I also work there part-time as a baker/barista and they have been instrumental in giving me a platform to promote my work and make connections.

Website: https://acmonzelle.wixsite.com/monzelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monzellious/