Meet Jamie Runnells | Illustrator and Professor of Visual Communication

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

Hi Jamie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
“Shoot your shot” is my mantra in both my life and career. I never want fear of failure or the need for perfection to hold me back. I don’t want to live my life full of regrets. I’m not always confident about my skills/abilities and I am definitely an introvert, but if I see an opportunity that excites or intrigues me, I go for it—why not. Sometimes this looks like reaching out to a dream client, pitching a book to a publisher, entering my work into a competition, or attending an event alone and striking up conversations with strangers. More often than not, these opportunities don’t pan out, but I’ve still gained experience and confidence. And every once in a while, something great happens when I put myself out there.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My food illustrations celebrate seemingly humble food subjects, and explore idioms, colloquialisms and cultural differences. I’m intrigued that the food we eat tells a story about where and how we live, can hold powerful personal and emotional memories, and is used to comfort and celebrate. Food is essential for physical nourishment
but is also tethered to spiritual nourishment. I’ve long been enchanted by the forms and colors of fruits and vegetables. It was only recently that I’d realized that my food obsession likely started in childhood. Growing up, I could usually be found in the kitchen or garden with my grandmother. Her excitement over a perfectly grown zucchini or delight from a delicious homemade rhubarb pie were infectious. Her love and passion for gardening and cooking have become my own.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Sadly, I don’t live in Los Angeles. But if I did, I would take friends to my cousin’s place, Baseball Central, to have a fun afternoon of batting practice and maybe a little courtyard wiffleball game. From there I’m sure the staff would recommend some fun places to eat and drink!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell of Illustrators for Hire (@illustratorsforhire) and They Draw and Cook (@theydrawandcook), have been a tremendous support for me in my illustration career. They have provided support, mentorship, resources, and the exceptional Illustrators for Hire platform that has led to a large portion of my client work.

Website: https://jamierunnells.com/

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

Image Credits
all images Jamie Runnells