Meet Maggie Chambers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Chambers. 

Hi Maggie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I’ve always known myself to be creative. Born and raised on Mackinac Island, MI, I was surrounded by artists, photographers, and poets from a very young age. The island seems to attract a vibrant creative community. As a child, I was always drawing, painting, or making something with my hands. I pursued this interest even further when I went to college to study Graphic Design, fine art, and new media at Alma College. That was my first time living away from the island. It really expanded my understanding of the many directions I could take my creative career. Shortly after college, I moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a graphic designer for digital advertising agencies. I was creating logos, social graphics, websites, and digital illustrations for a wide range of prestigious clients. I continued on that path for 5 years, but something was missing. At that time, I realized I had lost my connection to Michigan and Mackinac, a place I loved, it was no longer a part of my life and I couldn’t easily see how to bridge these two worlds. Then the pandemic hit and everything changed.

The pandemic caused my job to go fully remote. Suddenly there was an opportunity to get back to Mackinac Island and reconnect with the community and the natural landscape I missed so dearly. Working remotely and being able to spend my summers on Mackinac Island reignited a creative fire in me. I realized I had been working as a “designer” for so long and neglected the “artist” within me. I started drawing, painting, and illustrating again. I realized I was able to do both, keep my full-time job and also prioritize time to create my own personal art.

All of this led to an opportunity of a lifetime. A little later in the pandemic, my aunt reached out to me with an idea for a project. She has always dreamed of writing and publishing a children’s book. She had a story in mind about a family of mice who move to Mackinac Island to start a new life and decided to contact me to be the illustrator. I had never illustrated a children’s book before, but it was a project I had always dreamed about. Now here was this opportunity to collaborate with my aunt and bring to life a sweet story about my hometown, what could be better?

I said yes and we spent the next year and a half working steadily on our passion project. I was able to use my time on Mackinac to collect inspiration and create the illustrations. Flash forward to today and A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island is out in the world and available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and select stores on Mackinac Island. Our dream came true. A sequel to A Mouse tail on Mackinac Island is already underway.

I can proudly say I spend my summers on Mackinac Island, which will always be a significant source of inspiration for my art and a place that keeps my inner child alive – and the rest of the year in Washington D.C. where I am continuing my career as a product designer. I feel I have found a much better balance and am so grateful to see where this adventure takes me!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been easy; I’ve had to figure out a lot of things on my own and pave my own path. In the past, I really struggled with self-confidence. For a long time, I never considered myself an artist, just someone who liked to paint and “doodle” and make crafts from time to time. In 2020, I started focusing inward, on my own personal growth, and I realized that the more I got to know myself, the more it influenced my art and creative process. When I finally allowed myself to lean in and identify as an artist, it let me create more freely and honestly. I’ve had to try out many styles, mediums, and processes over the years, with much trial and error, but it has led me to find what feels truly authentic for me. I love to watch as my personal style evolves slowly over time. I’ve learned it’s all about balance, and I’m on an endless pursuit to perfect that balance.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I can’t really put myself in just one box. I consider myself a designer, artist, and illustrator.

– As a designer, I have 7+ years creating interactive digital experiences (websites, mobile apps, etc.) for clients big and small.

– As an artist, I love to paint landscapes and natural scenes that capture the earth’s stunning beauty.

– As an illustrator, I love to bring stories and ideas to life in the form of children’s books, posters, packaging, and more.

I believe having knowledge and appreciation for all three helps set me apart. I take an iterative approach for all my projects and believe the final result is better when including people or clients to collaborate along the way. Whether it be painting, illustrating, or designing, it all starts out as a rough sketch and evolves from there, and seeing a project evolve gets me really excited.

I would have to say I’m most proud of A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island – it was such a big undertaking, and a little intimidating! But it was so fun to pour my love into it, take it step by step, and see it evolve into what it is today, it only makes me want to do It all over again!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I have found major success when I’m having fun with the process. The saying, “it’s not the destination but the journey”, while corny, is true to me.

Whether I am creating a new painting, illustration, or product, I believe the process holds the most importance, it’s like the sundae and the finished product is the cherry on top!

I say this because if the process is not enjoyed, then you’re not going to want to continue to do the work, it won’t be coming from a place of love, and that’s when it all starts to crumble.

I ensure this by acting with love and kindness toward myself, my work, and whoever I may be collaborating with. I try not to take myself too seriously, and when I find myself getting stressed, I can always get back to basics and connect with nature. All of these things help keep me grounded and open to new ideas and opportunities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maggiechambers.design/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/maggie_chambers/
• Other: https://www.mousetailonmackinac.com/