Her Story
About Ivy
I've known since I was around 7 or 8 years old that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and that's been the only thing on my mind ever since. As I got older, I started pairing writing with my artwork, and over time it became the very natural next step for me to go into this field. It's what's been my strong suit and biggest interest my entire life. When I was around that age, I also had a poem published in a book of poems written by children. My biggest strong point is in writing overall, particularly creative writing, and I also do ink art, acrylic painting, portraits, scenes, and imaginative imagery. I recently graduated from SUNY Oswego where I was head editor of art for the Great Lake Review and worked as an illustrator for Cignivian, creating illustrations for stories written by others. I've had gallery showcases of my artwork on campus. In my previous roles, I did a lot of hands-on mass communication across teams and creative communication work for university publications. Now I'm focused on building up my art portfolio, getting into freelance work, and opening up my own business with my art.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ivy
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to a combination of my vision for the accumulation of my creative career, but also my family's support. They have supported me in many different ways all throughout my educational journey, and they've really worked a lot for me. Those are just a few things that really keep me going. Having that family support behind me makes everything easier and helps me stay motivated.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received came from my father, who told me to focus on my career in the long term as a whole, rather than focusing on each individual position. This really helps me think of things in the broad scope. Instead of stressing about every job or transition, I look at my career in totality, which gives me a much better perspective and reduces stress about each individual role.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say focus on what you really want to create, and try not to worry too much about trends or outside expectations. Focus on what you really love creating and go towards that and find a way to make that work. It speaks to individuality - you can copy somebody, but if you do what's good for you and what you do well, then that's all about you. That's how I've found success in my own work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say the biggest challenge right now is just creating the infrastructure for my career and finding ways to get myself out there and get myself seen among all the competition and people who are in similar niches. With social media and everything, it can be really difficult to kind of build an audience and stand out. That's the main thing I'm working on - establishing my presence and differentiating myself in a crowded field.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are honesty and authenticity. These principles guide everything I do, both professionally and personally.
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