Happy soon-to-be International Women’s Day (and Women's History Month)! To celebrate the power of the feminine perspective, we asked nine women freelancers to illustrate a career-defining moment.
Whether it's when they chose to do what they love or a time they overcame a challenge, these beautiful creations are guaranteed to inspire and empower. Read them all below, and don't forget to encourage the women in your life, today and every day! Ericabortoloso
“The turning point that kick-started my career was my encounter with a teacher. I was going through a rough patch, not knowing where to concentrate my efforts. I worked every day in an environment where illustration was not regarded as "true art", and I lacked confidence in myself and my skills.
This person supported me and drove me to take this path. This has been and still is, the best climb of my life. Someone made me see all the choices I had in front of me, and helped me choose the right one”. Ugnegumenikovai
“My defining career moment was when I moved to London, UK. Moving to such a bold and artistic city at such a young age (I had just turned 21) changed my life completely.
The New vibes, new people and new career opportunities led me to refine my drawing style and grow as a person. The moment I landed, I knew something big going to happen. You can call it woman’s intuition!”. Tomashevskaya
“My defining moment was when I found a modern illustration catalog at a bookstore and was amazed by the creations I saw. I was just about to graduate a design course and it made me decide to make my final project illustration-related. I ended up creating a series of postcards, each with an illustrated version of songs from Radiohead’s album. ‘Hail to the Thief”. Ashleighgiesler
“My biggest challenge as an artist is having confidence. What they don’t teach you in art school, is that being a successful creative takes 50% talent and 50% drive. Unlike a lot of jobs, this one often requires you to not only put your work on display but also yourself. It’s personal, and so I take bad feedback personally. But as I grow in confidence, I progress as an artist, creating the work I want to create, taking risks and remembering to enjoy myself in the process”.Christyj27
“I’ve always had a passion for drawing, but I felt a little lost as to what to do with it. With time, I started nurturing my skills and processing styles and ideas, and that’s what this piece represents. I still have lots to learn, but it's really exciting to see how I can develop and grow. I am learning to use everything, including the bad, and push myself forward to create exciting work”. Edithkurosaka
“I moved to Berlin from Paris and it was the best decision I ever made. It's a very soothing city and it's beautiful in its own quirky way. My artsy new home gave me the inspiring ‘kick’ I needed and allowed me to bloom creatively. My work environment influences us a lot and while sometimes simply a change of studio does the trick, for me it took moving abroad”. Lornajameson
“My illustration is inspired by a trip I took to Greece, which ultimately led me to illustrate full-time. A week spent working on commissions at a table overlooking the sea was a real eye-opener to how important a happy working environment is. I also loved the idea that I could work anywhere, and so I packed up the day job and took the plunge into freelancing full-time. It was best the decision I have ever made, and it marked the start of my career”. Elyluu
A defining moment for me was when I was working an underpaid job in a design studio and my work was constantly diminished. They made me feel like I didn’t matter. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I decided to work harder on my free time and create a strong portfolio. It wasn’t long until I felt confident and courageous enough to take the freelance leap and quit my job. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s totally worth it. Lizadraws
“This may sound silly, but I think I've unlocked my full potential and really started to enjoy doing freelance work when I got my first digital tablet. I'm a bit of neat freak and a perfectionist when it comes to my work, so I used to struggle drawing with pens and pencils on plain paper. I just love it (my tablet that is).
It's clean, simple, it's got all the brushes and pens I could ever want. Going full digital helped me reach my creative goals and launch my career into a direction I'm happy with”.
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