Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Safer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Madison. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a kid, I could always be found outside in our backyard, checking under rocks to see what small worlds could be discovered. My love of being in the outdoors only grew when I moved to a small town in New Hampshire. With tall pine trees and ferns growing everywhere, it seemed so hard to capture in a photograph. This was when I started to break out my old watercolor sets to keep record of what was around me. During my time at Montserrat College of Art, I fell in love with the narrative style of illustration. I found that this form of storytelling helped guide the sensation of what it feels like to be in the woods on a page. From here, I’ve continuously used illustration as a not only a teaching practice for myself, but also a way to tell hidden stories of what may really may be going on in a forest when humans are not looking.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Most artist would say that their process has not been linear, and mine has not been much different. I originally intended to study photography, but was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease while in school. This really limited my mobility, which made me turn more to the paint brush than the camera lens. I find so much joy and satisfaction out working of a piece for 6 or 7 hours as a way of telling a visual narrative. But for a while, this process felt daunting as nothing seemed to quite fit the way I saw it in my head. Recently, that gap has been closing and I feel pretty content once a piece is done. For me, the key was just to try to make around 3-4 pieces a week. It’s hard to be upset with everything you create when you’re making them so fast.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Madison Safer Illustration – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My job as an illustrator rages from working on commissions of family portraits to making prints, posters, and other paper goods. I work mostly with natural content, with a lot of illustrated diagrams, and whimsical scenes. And a lot of paintings of mushrooms. While my work is geared towards a children’s market, I find that people of all ages really enjoy it. Whether it’s based in nostalgia or evokes a new feeling, I find most people really see the work as relatable. My favorite part of my job is seeing people react to the work as something that resonates them personally. One of the best compliments I ever get is “I showed your work to my grandma! She loves it!” Nothing could possibly make me happier that my work being a platform for people to relate to one another.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m currently working on a few manuscripts for some children’s book prospects. My dream is to make books for kids that could serve as an education platform for natural science. Whether its field guides, herbal references, or stories about the natural world, my goal is to use my art as an education tool that are accessible to all sorts of folks.
Contact Info:
- Website: madisonsafer.com
- Phone: 6144406733
- Email: madisonsafer@gmail.com
- Instagram: madison.safer
- Twitter: madison_safer
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