In elementary school I was embarrassed to be seen as a book nerd, but there was no way to escape it. I carried a book with me everywhere. I read while waiting for the school bus in the morning. I was always one of the first students to turn in my tests so I had some extra time to read. When I got home I would speed through my homework to make time for some book escapism. If I was feeling especially inspired that day, I’d write a short story about my poodle, who was a spy.

 

I started doodling on my notes in middle school. Like many artists, I discovered I could draw a pretty good eye with lusciously long, perfectly curled eyelashes. Just don’t ask me to do both eyes, only one could be done perfectly and the other would just ruin it. At least that’s what I thought. You can imagine my surprise when I slowly gained enough skill to put a pair of eyes together, then a nose, mouth, and eventually an entire face. This led to portraits of all of my celebrity crushes, including all five members of One Direction.

 

When I reached high school I was hit with the realization that I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life (If you are currently in high school, don’t worry you have plenty of time to figure this out). This is when I stumbled upon concept art for animation. I became obsessed with artists like Brittney Lee, Jin Kim, and Claire Keane. I collected as many “Art Of” animation books as I could afford. I was fascinated by the collaboration of artists to create these stunning films. The idea of spending my life as a concept artist for Pixar and creating stories on a large scale was all the motivation I needed. Along with their office lifestyle that included traveling on a razor scooter from their desk to the cereal bar. 

 

In 2017, I started my freshman year at Savannah College of Art and Design. As an illustration major, I got assigned projects that introduced me to the different markets within the industry including concept art. This is when I realized that I enjoyed drawing illustrations for publication. Suddenly it all clicked! I could not believe it had never occurred to my inner book nerd brain that I could combine my interests of reading and drawing to create books.

 

Stories have always been a form of escapism for me. If I could spend my life creating stories for others to escape into, well that wouldn’t be too shabby. Although having a cereal bar would be nice too. 

 

If you need me I’m probably at the beach searching for shark teeth or in a coffee shop somewhere reading Percy Jackson for the hundredth time. You can also contact me via email MarielleMikeska@gmail.com

 

Have a wonderful day!

 

— Marielle 🩵