Life & Work with Maddy Cushman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Cushman.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve thrived through creative outlets. I started with dance and photography.

I spent most of high school in the art department photo lab trying to master Photoshop, and I spent my nights expressing myself through hip hop, ballet, and contemporary.

When I started at Missouri State University, I had to leave dance behind.

I worked as a photojournalist for the student newspaper, started Graphic Design classes in the art department, and worked as a designer at a local environmental non-profit. After a few years and with the help of a mentor (shoutout to Cole Closser!), I discovered a love for illustration.

It was the passion that I didn’t even know I was looking for, let alone something I was good at, and at the time I didn’t know how important it would be to me. Illustration became crucial in processing my own mental health and life experiences. I got into comics and creative writing classes and found storytelling was the perfect form of honest self-expression.

I graduated with a dual major in Graphic Design and Illustration in the winter of 2018. For the last three years, I’ve been a graphic designer at a political firm, working for progressive candidates and organizations all over the country. And outside of work, I’m lucky enough to have the time to work on various personal illustration and art projects.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There were definitely bumps, and it was mostly me holding myself back. I’ve worked really hard to get control of my mental health, but there were definitely low points and many times I considered quitting completely because of my own self-esteem and anxieties.

It took a lot of work to overcome the feelings of nothing being good enough, which I’m sure is a common experience for artists like myself. There has always been a perfectionist in me and I developed some workaholic tendencies that affected my health in college.

I’ve come a very long way in the past 4 years, although it’s something I still struggle with to this day. With being vocal and transparent about my own experiences, I always hoped my art would be relatable to people going through the same things, or at the very least make people feel something.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to think I’m a very versatile creative with many tools in my tool belt. I’ve done work in branding, web design, photography, motion graphics, pottery, comics, and even pie decorating, and I’m forever wanting to learn more! I don’t like to limit myself.

But the one thing that connects everything I do is creating for good, whether it’s social issues I’m passionate about, powerful storytelling, or just making people smile. Art and design are found everywhere, and I’m very conscious of that in my day job and in my personal work. I really want to put my skills towards things like fighting for our environment, voting rights, equality, mental health awareness, and so much more.

I think there is an interesting crossroad in my work when it comes to the deeper meanings vs. my whimsical illustration style. I like my work to be approachable, fun, and charming, but also detailed and meticulous. I want there to be thought and meaning behind every line, even on the goofiest of illustrations. I always try to find a good balance between silliness and seriousness, it’s really the only way I stay sane!

I’m lucky enough to have had some of my pieces published in different literary publications, such as Barrelhouse and Resist! Magazine. But I still am working toward many of my goals and dreams, such as illustrating children’s books or working on a graphic novel.

At the moment, I’m the proudest of how creating honest and vulnerable work has connected me with a beautiful community and provided a space for my own self-expression.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I have quite a few childhood memories that I cherish, from picking gooseberries at my grandma’s to dance recitals at the Music Hall to fear factor birthday parties.

But the first thing that always comes to mind is spending time at my neighborhood pool. The pool was directly behind my house, just a few steps from my back gate. I think I have more of an emotional memory of it, rather than a memory of a specific event.

Just the careless freedom of being a kid during the summer, spending all day outdoors, pretending to be mermaids, and running back and forth from my house to the pool with my friends. Oh, and hotdogs. I feel like I ate a lot of hotdogs.

Contact Info:

• Email: maddycushman@gmail.com
• Website: maddycushman.com
• Instagram: @maddy_cushman
• Twitter: @maddy_cushman