We had the good fortune of connecting with Madeline Abatemarco and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madeline, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I think I’m figuring out the perfect balance, still. I really love working in creative industries, and I definitely want my job to be at least creative-adjacent, and not just a “regular” job. I really like that aspect of working in animation production, since I don’t have to do the creative tasks that artists do all day every day for a job, so it leads to less creative burnout, but it’s still a job that requires a lot of patience, focus, and energy, like any other job does. I’m trying to get more into making my own merchandise to sell as an online shop, so that way I have a creative job that I can control my hours I want to dedicate to, so that I’m not burning myself out, and I can do it on the side and it can be designs I make for things that I’m passionate about!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Sure! I’m a character and prop designer who’s gotten her foot into the television animation industry via animation production, and so I’ve also gotten production coordinating in my tool belt, too. I’m always seeking out new full-time or freelance opportunities for designing characters and props for cartoons and/or people’s passion projects or personal projects! I really enjoy injecting humor into my work and I’m mostly drawn to creating content that can bring others happiness and laughs, especially since I know sometimes that laughter is the best medicine.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A week itinerary would definitely include Sunright and Wushiland bubble tea, for starters! I’d take a friend around for an awesome food tour–KBBQ, ramen, pho, Sichuan cuisine, Mexican cuisine… you name it, LA has it. To name some places off the top of my head, we’d absolutely go to Pho Hot in Glendale, Sichuan Impression in Alhambra, Boiling Point in Pasadena, and one of the many delicious ramen places in Little Tokyo! We’d have to walk off all the food, of course, so Huntington Gardens, the Angeles Crest highway trails, Griffith Park, Malibu, and downtown and old town Pasadena are some places to hit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Huge shout out to the Craig of the Creek crew for all that they did for me and allowed me to learn alongside them as my first big job in the animation industry!

Website: https://www.madelineabatemarco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mabbiedraws

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-abatemarco-01/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mabbaline

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