OKG Artist: Kenzie McFeely
Kenzie McFeely / provided

As a professional artist, you have to manage a lot of roles. How much time do you spend on building your own brand?

Being a full-time designer and artist, my whole business is centered around, well, me and the type of energy I emit into my work. So I spend a lot of my time trying to keep myself inspired and growing. My brand is always evolving, but I hope a sense of vibrance and passion is always evident in the work I do — both for myself and my clients.

How does your approach change when you’re creating a design for a company versus making an illustration or personal project?
click to enlarge OKG Artist: Kenzie McFeely
Kenzie McFeely / provided


When I’m working for a client, my job is to create work that speaks their brand’s language, not my own. I have to shift my perspective in a way that recognizes their brand values and can express what they want their clients to see, feel and react to. My personal works are the opposite. They are me visualizing speaking to myself and learning about what I’m feeling in that moment. Being in tune with myself in this way is essential to maintaining my creative flow.

What mediums do you work in? What is the next medium that you are looking to use (technology-based or traditional EX: AR or app development or 3D design or printmaking)?

click to enlarge OKG Artist: Kenzie McFeely
Kenzie McFeely / provided
Right now, I primarily work in a digital format. I use the Adobe Creative suite and ProCreate on the iPad almost every day. I want to continue to expand my knowledge on these, but I would like to explore animation and 3D rendering in the future. I also want to explore some traditional methods more thoroughly. Letterpress, linocut and embroidery are all things I’m interested in utilizing.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I find inspiration in every day. Nature, buildings, emotion, interaction, color, the flow of movement, it’s everywhere. Often, when I’m making something new or still developing an idea, I will just look through photos for a few hours until I start to formulate a concept. I’m very analytical, so I will research a topic and try to understand what I feel about the subject and why it makes me feel that way. I will think, “What combination of colors would make me feel the same way? What about shapes or textures?” It’s an ongoing internal monologue all throughout my making process. I suppose if I had to sum it all up into one word, my curiosity is what inspires me.

What are your resources or habits to find inspiration?

I always begin a project with research. I’ll write out words or phrases that stick out to me. I gather as much as I need to back up my idea and justify my decisions. I usually gather visual inspiration from places like Unsplash.com, Dribbble, Behance or Pinterest. I also have a habit of hoarding images that inspire me from social media. Twitter surprisingly has the most robust range of images in my opinion. I find that people there are much more raw in what they share visually. They don’t bother to stage things as much, which is something I really value. Things in their natural state have such a pure value about them.
click to enlarge OKG Artist: Kenzie McFeely
Kenzie McFeely / provided


Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed your approach to creating work for clients and creating work for yourself?


Surprisingly, the pandemic has helped my connection with others. It has forced me out of my comfort zone as far as communication goes. I’ve been exploring other channels of communication and connection. I’ve noticed people having a bit more of a reaction to my work lately. I know we all long to be together and a community again. Artwork has always done a great job of bringing us together. I’m just grateful to be a part of it.

kenziemcfeely.com

IG: @kenziemcfeely

click to enlarge OKG Artist: Kenzie McFeely
Kenzie McFeely / provided

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