Artist Q and A

People often ask about the artwork I create for Baby Blastoff!

Well, my wonderfully curious friends, here are answers to a few of those questions. If you have other thoughts or questions, I’d love to know!

Q: You often make designs of everyday kinds of things. Why is that?

A: Something I love about young children is how they find magic in the everyday world.  On a walk in the woods, they might find a snail shell or a colorful rock. That object can become the most precious treasure. A rainbow, a cookie, a balloon–these inspire a kind of intense excitement and delight that we jaded adults forget to appreciate.

I want to create drawings that reflect that childlike wonder, and remind all of us of our unabashedly curious inner child.

Q: Why do you put dinosaurs on pink and purple?

A: In my mind, all animals, plants, prehistoric creatures, areas of interest, and styles are for everyone. Boys and girls.  I want to celebrate children as they are and encourage them to explore a wide range of interests, whether or not those interests fit into the stereotype box.  To that end, I print dinosaurs on pink and draw toasters with stars on them.  It’s meant to be a surprise and a reminder that boys and girls are complex little people with a wide variety of interests.

I also do a lot of thinking about what kinds of designs are truly gender neutral. Gender neutral and compelling. This is where the salt- and peppershakers come in. The apple core and the banana peel.  These pictures start a story that doesn’t start with gender.

Q: Why don’t your shirts have words on them?

A: I have gone back and forth with this. My designs all have names that make use of puns or word play, so people often say that I should print them on the shirts.  Like “Bunz ‘n Roses” or “Darling, You Look Radishing.”  I have moments when I am tempted, but it just doesn’t seem right. See, instead of telling children who they are or what they should be, I want my clothing to give kids the space to say, “This is who I am.”

I don’t want to put the words in their mouths and certainly not into your mouths, as caregivers. I want my artwork to start an open-ended story that you and your child can tell together.

Q: Which design is your all-time favorite?

A: I love the snail because it’s just so me: whimsical and quirky.

Q: Which designs are your customers’ favorites?

A: My all-time bestseller is the Buddha, but recently the Cutest Cactus has given Buddha a run for his money. The bunny, the radish, and the elephants are all close contenders. Also, recently, the noodles. I love the noodles too!

Thanks, everyone!

Want to see them? Check out all of my designs here.