Kellie Bloxsom: Artist and Graphic Designer
I’m thrilled to be featuring my long-time friend, Kellie Bloxsom, and her beautiful artwork. I've always admired Kellie for her ongoing effort to keep making art outside of work. Kellie works as a Senior Designer at Hallmark day-to-day and creates and sells her own art through her side business, Kellie Bloxsom Art and Design.
Art from the Start
“I've always been painting, drawing, and making stuff ever since I can remember. But the first time I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I could actually make a career out of this,’ is when my mom signed me up for a class at the Flint Institute of Arts. I was walking through the halls and that's where I felt like I really belonged.”
Kellie was only six years old when she took that class. She continued taking art classes from then on out. When she reached her senior year of high school her teacher, Mrs. Lacca helped her prepare her portfolio for colleges to review.
“She drove me two and a half hours to the Kendall College of Art and Design for National Portfolio Day. That’s where art schools from around the country interview you. She took me on a Saturday, on her own time.”
Kansas City Art Institute was there and they accepted Kellie into the program. She made a visit to the campus and fell in love with it and decided that’s where she wanted to go to college.
She double majored in graphic design and industrial design.
“During my junior year of college, I did a mobility semester at Parsons School of Design in New York and that's where I really fell in love with graphic design.”
After Kellie graduated she moved back to New York and got her first job at a public relations firm.
Designing for Hallmark
Hallmark cards designed by Kellie Bloxsom
Kellie eventually made her way back to the Midwest and worked for several agencies and corporations in the Kansas City area. But she always had her eye on Hallmark because she felt like it would be a good company for her to work for because she use both her design and illustration skills.
“I started researching the company and asking people that work there for more information about it, but the problem was my portfolio was completely corporate design and I wasn't getting any callbacks when I submitted my portfolio. So I created a whole new portfolio filled with concepted greeting card and surface pattern design work, and that’s how I finally got an interview there. That was my first lesson in figuring out how to tailor your portfolio to your clients.”
Twelve years later, Kellie has designed cards for nearly every occasion. She started on Mahogany and Tree of Life cards and now works on the gift wrap and packaging team where she designs gift bags and roll wrap.
Kellie Bloxsom Art and Design
“I got started at First Friday in the Crossroads, Kansas City’s gallery area, where every first Friday of the month, all the galleries open and people can gallery hop around while enjoying drinks and live music.”
Her friends, Jake and Julie Bond who own a ceramic studio called Archival Designs, were located in that gallery area and encouraged Kellie to sell her art there.
“It was really fun having face-to-face interactions with people buying my artwork.”
Upcoming Art Fairs
Kellie now participates in art fairs around the Kansas City area. You can find her at the following events this year:
May 13, 2023: Lenexa Art Fair
June 2-4, 2023: Prairie Village Art Show
September 8-10, 2023: Art Westport
Collage is Kellie’s primary medium.
“I love working in collage because I’m able to take paintings, drawings, and markings and put it together into one final package. I always start with a color palette and I use a lot of materials. I’m currently using paper from old books I find at thrift stores and different colors of paper. I love the upcycling part, even using old photographs.”
Kellie also makes digital artwork and has her own fine art printer.
Advice for Women Looking to Start a Side-Hustle
Focus
“As a creative, I have a bazillion million ideas. During the pandemic I realized I can have all these ideas all the time, but some I have to actually make happen, and I have to focus myself.”
Research
“There’s a lot more work to a side-hustle than people realize. Talk to other people who have similar businesses that you’re looking to start.”
Embrace Freedom
“‘Freeing’ is the best word to describe having your own business. Sure there are a lot of times I make a decision and it fails completely, but it’s still okay with me. I like just having the freedom to do it. It is great to just experiment.”
