Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Naylor’s.
Hi Lindsey, 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 backstory with our readers?
My story starts with my days as a graphic design student at Western Michigan University. We were encouraged to do things analog – to paint, draw, and play with objects and photograph them and then bring them into our digital work. When I worked at advertising agencies in metro Detroit, I continued to experiment with this when it made sense and when we had time as advertising tends to move very fast. I started getting into hand lettering and illustration, and developed a signature style that my boss would specifically ask me to do for certain campaigns and packaging rebrands. 5 years into my career, I decided to leave my job and move to the Upper Peninsula where I would freelance full time. I began really leaning into hand lettering and illustration and refining my style. The nature surrounding me in Marquette has been a major point of inspiration in my work as I love to be outside. I started my Etsy shop in 2017, and have been riffing off of many forms of Michigan and Midwest maps since. I started painting murals and signage during the pandemic and have now done over 30. My client list has been growing too – I’ve worked with Mountain Hardwear, Carhartt, and Stormy Kromer to name a few.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a wild ride, as many independent creatives will know. The beginning of it was like jumping off a cliff. I had some some freelance clients, from side work I would do after my job, but not enough to sustain me. My husband was in college at the time, so neither of us were making much money. I had to really put myself out there to a community that was new to me, and that was hard. I had to do a lot of reaching out, and chasing down invoices. I also spent a lot of time at the beginning practicing my drawing and lettering skills and taking online courses, which definitely paid off later. In time things started to pick up, mostly from word of mouth. There are ebbs and flows in my business still, but I would say at this point I’m much more prepared for them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I do hand-drawn art and design. I specialize in hand lettering, murals, packaging, logos, and patterns. I am known for my many maps of Michigan, most notoriously a Tolkien-inspired take, but also including ones made up of rocks, birds, cryptids, and insects. I love dumb dad jokes and drawing nature, so you will often find both of those in my work. The last couple years I’ve been fixated on making bog art. I have a favorite local bog I love to hike to, so I have a lot of work including frogs, toads, pitcher plants, and mushrooms.
I think something that sets me apart is my dedication to drawing everything by hand and my digital design background. I have a human, rustic quality to my work but it’s often meticulously organized and laid out in a way that’s easy to read and digest.
What’s next?
Something I’ve been growing in the past year is my wholesale shop. So more of my prints and stickers are making their way to shops all over Michigan, which feels exciting. Something I’m planning is to start releasing my hand-drawn fonts for people to purchase and use. I want to learn old school sign painting soon so I can add that to my repertoire. I always have many future ideas floating in my head, and I believe what’s meant to be made manifest, will.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://home-squirrel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/home.squirrel
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-naylor-099625262/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HomeSquirrel?etsrc=sdt
