We recently had the chance to connect with Alison Sanders and have shared our conversation below.
Alison, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Currently I have two types of days. I have admin days and creating days. I’ve found that dividing my workload up this way is the best for me.
On admin days I go though *all* the emails, and I actually take care of all the minutia of being a freelancer. This is when I apply to shows, update my website, do my taxes, reply to clients, etc… All of those things that take up a shocking amount of time.
On creating days I still do a quick scan of email and take care of anything that’s an immediate need, but then I focus on just creating art. I usually have 2-3 projects on the go at any one time, so I’ll decide which needs the most attention and just get stuck in. I work digitally in procreate for the most part, so I’ll often take my work to a coffee shop just to be out of the house. Once a week I meet with a c0-working group of other illustrators, which is wonderful as we can bounce ideas off each other and get feedback.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an illustrator with a focus on children’s book style illustration. I have always been fascinated by children’s books and am so thankful that I have been able to find work in this area. As a child I spent a lot of time lost in my own imagination, creating worlds, characters and stories. As an adult I realize how amazing it is to be able to share those things with an audience.
In addition to the pure joy that comes from showing someone something entirely unique, you also have the opportunity to show a child a whole different perspective. Sometimes this means that a child who is often not represented in the world of art and literature can see themselves for the first time. Sometimes this means that someone who lives a very sheltered life gets to see a glimpse of the wider world. All of these moments contribute to a brighter and more tolerant future that I hope to foster.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with my mother most influenced my sense of self growing up. I have learning disabilities and (we know now) am neurodivergent. Growing up in the 80’s, we just knew that “something was different”. So many adults that I know that grew up under similar circumstances view themselves as inherently flawed. Lazy, forgetful, untrustworthy, etc… My mother and I didn’t always approach issues the same way, but she taught me two very important things.
First was that the “thing” (undiagnosed ADHD) wasn’t WHO I was. It was a thing that I had to deal with, not a reflection of who I was a person. It’s the difference between being someone who needs some help remembering when to be somewhere and being called lazy and disrespectful when you’re late.
The second was being taught to keep trying. That there was always another solution around the corner. Try taking notes, didn’t work, ok, take what did & try something else. This has given me a lot of resilience over the years. I was never told “ok, guess we just have to give up and live with this”. It was always, “ok, that didn’t work, what are we going to try next?”
It wasn’t an easy time, but I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to be in my corner growing up.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I don’t know that I would say that I “started using it as a power”. But just in the last few years, since getting diagnosed with ADHD I finally did give up trying to hide how much I struggle. I am fairly open now about how hard some days and some tasks are for me.
For example, when I have important meetings I will always take notes and if it’s really important, like a health matter, I will straight up ask the other person to read them over at the end of the meeting because I cannot always trust that I heard things correctly.
I have people tell me that I am incredibly organized, and I am, because it’s either highly organized or all chaos. No in between.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, mostly because I do not have the bandwidth to have two levels. I joke with people that you really just have to take what I say as what I mean, there’s no sub-text, there’s no second meaning. I just do not have the focus to maintain two versions of myself at once.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I was a kind person who was trying their best. That I made a positive difference in the world. That they enjoyed my art. That we had fun together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alisonsandersillustration.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alison_sanders_illustration/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-k-sanders/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551045552996
Image Credits
All images created by Alison Sanders
