Mimi

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

In today's episode, I chat with the wonderful LA based artist Bijou Karman. I've loved Bijou's work for years and I first met her online when I asked to interview her for my magazine Spellbound. In our chat, we talk about her creative upbringing and super cool mom as well as her love of vintage fashion. We bring up the latest book she illustrated called Style Legends, Rebels, and Visionaries which...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art questi...

In today's episode, I meet with british artist David Shillinglaw in his Margate studio, surrounded by colourful artworks from both his collection and his partner's Lily Mixe (who also sat with us, working on a piece in the background). It was lovely recording this chat in person, seeing David in his environment and observing his paintings, notebooks and other curiosities up close. We covered a lot...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About this: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art q...

In today’s episode, I have a conversation with the talented Marloes DeVries, a dutch artist, illustrator and author. She’s truly multi-talented. In our chat, we explore her upbringing in the countryside and how she knew very early on that she wanted to be a painter. We also discuss how she progressively went from illustrating other people’s visions, especially in children’s books, to sharing her o...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian About this: We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a while now and although we’re always keen to answer art q...

In today’s episode, I chat with the wonderful Alice Buda. Alice is the art director for Frankie Magazine - yes you heard it right - Frankie, every creative person’s favourite magazine. Based in Australia, Alice has had a wonderful journey from studying visual communication to now working within Frankie’s team. These days, she is doing a lot of different exciting things, from lettering and illustra...

Welcome to Ask Mel & Maddy with illustrators Melanie Johnsson and Maddy Vian Why are we launching “Ask Mel & Maddy” on the Mimi Podcast? We are both passionate about the creative industry and illustration in particular. We feel like sometimes being an illustrator means being lonely and not necessarily know where to turn for help or advice. We’ve both been working as illustrators for a whil...

In today’s episode, I chat with the prolific Margo McDaid a.k.a Margo in Margate in my studio. It’s wonderfully exciting getting to talk face to face for a change instead of via Zoom! Margo is based in Thanet just like me, she lives in Ramsgate but Margate holds a very special place in her heart and in her practice too - it’s no coincidence her artist name is Margo in Margate! During our conversat...

Today's episode is the last one of Season 1 of the Mimi podcast and it's a great one! I am chatting with Charlotte Love, a stylist and image-maker from the UK. You've probably seen her faces on Instagram - quirky and funny compositions she makes by adding eyes onto random objects. But Charlotte doesn't just make faces, she's also a very accomplished stylist whose journey is fascinating. In our cha...

In today's episode, I chat with Myriam Van Neste, an illustrator and maker from Quebec. Before embarking on her illustration journey, Myriam was a sculptor - and you can still see the influences of her previous creative life in her creations and all her collages. We talked about the idea of reaching success "later" on in life and how it feels to always be ready to re-invent yourself. It was so fun...

In today's episode, I have a conversation with Tabara indjiai, the creative mind behind La Basketry. Tabara founded her small business back in 2017, inspired by the skills and stories of the female artisans in a small village outside her parents hometown in Senegal. In our chat, we explored her journey from growing up in Paris to moving to the UK and building a life in London. Tabara shared the be...

In today's episode, I caught up with creative extraordinaire Liz Mosley. Liz and I are internet pals who first met when Liz took part in the Pattern Challenge. Since then, Liz has also held a Branding Masterclass on Mimi. Sharing her knowledge and journey is what she does best! Liz is a branding designer, a podcast host to her own show Building your Brand, an ambassor for Adobe Express and more. I...

In today's episode, I chat with Diane Villadsen, a photographer based in sunny LA. Diane is one of my favourite photographers and it's easy to guess why when looking at her work: it's colourful, bold, quirky and sometimes surrealist. We talked about her journey from linguistic to photography, her process when it comes to editing her work and where she finds inspiration. We also chatted about her l...

In today's episode, I get to catch up with Erin Miller Wray. Erin and I first met when I interviewed her for my magazine, Spellbound, just before Covid hit a few years ago. Erin is an amazing artist, muralist and designer based in Los Angeles. In our chat, we talked about her journey from growing up playing sports to moving out to LA to pursue acting before finding her voice and shining creatively...

In today's episode, I have a lovely chat with Cait Miers, a surf and fashion photographer originally from the Mornington Peninsula in Australia. If you love surf imagery, you will have seen Cait's photographs for WSL, Roxy, Billabong or again Lululemon. In this chat, we talk about her journey to becoming a surf photographer and what her lifestyle truly looks like these days. We chat about her expe...

In today’s episode, I chat with Daniel Dooreck from Danny’s Mudshop, a potter currently living in sunny LA. If you’re into pottery and ceramics, you’ve probably seen Danny’s work on social media - his hand thrown creations are carved with pictures of cowboy boots, snakes and other desert inspired images. In our chat, we talked about Danny’s journey from working in the wine and food industry to dis...

In today’s episode, I talk to Naomi Anderson-Subryan, an illustrator and maker from the UK. Naomi grew up wanting to be an actor but ended up falling in love with illustration while studying at Camberwell in London. We chatted about her work, which is so unique, colourful and kitsch. We explored her feelings navitaging illustration, collage and ceramics and being inspired by pop culture. We also t...