Leigh Ellexson’s love of nature is evident throughout her illustrations. Flowers, plants, wild animals, and pets are common themes, paired with bold colors that make for a playful effect. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ellexson works out of her home studio and documents her process on her YouTube and Patreon accounts.
Having launched her business back in 2015, she started out by doing commissions on Etsy. “I offered pet, home, wedding bouquet, and couples portraits,” she recalled on her website. “While I was running a ton of commissions I was also building an audience on my Instagram page where I shared some personal work.” Gradually adding prints and non-commission products on her Etsy, Ellexson grew her business over time to the point that she now works full time on her personal art. “My job has changed a lot since I started! I never would have imagined I would be doing this as my job when I first started,” she admits.
With nature a prominent theme in her work, it comes as no surprise that Ellexson comes from an ecological standpoint. As such, she makes sure her products produce minimal waster. According to Ellexson, her mailers are made of 100% recycled material and are recyclable. “As an artist and a human I am always looking for ways to be more eco-friendly,” she writes. “I want my customers to have faith that their products are coming from a place with minimal waste.”
Her eye-popping, eco-friendly work is a great addition to any Instagram feed. But inspiration can be found by following her creative process in and of itself, especially if you yourself are an aspiring illustrator that wish to start your own business. “My best advice for beginning artists is to not overthink it,” writes Ellexson. “Once I let go of wanting to make things look a certain way or to look ‘Right,’ I was able to relieve a lot of stress I had associated with making art. Jump in before you have time to doubt yourself!”
You’d want to take note.
