Meet Mary Goodrich | Illustrator & Concept Artist

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

Hi Mary, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more aware and introspective of my emotions, taking time to carefully understand how I feel, and how to properly process complicated emotions in times of stress and sadness. My artwork often acts as an outlet for these feelings, allowing me to turn a negative experience into a beautiful piece of visual artwork. I like to incorporate objects and themes that I find aesthetically pleasing that I can use as symbolism to express my deepest frustrations, anxieties, and passions.

Inspiration for these aesthetic elements comes from horror and mystery, the off-kilter world of German Expressionism, and the dreaminess of the Pop Surrealism art movement. I love art that is pretty and elegant but also odd and a bit unsettling – like a dream about to become a nightmare. I like dark interpretations of fairy tales, atmospheric Victorian and Rococo settings, and contrasting ideas put together. My favorite artists include Mark Ryden, Nicoletta Ceccoli, photographer Tim Walker, and filmmakers Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently, I’m a freelance artist based in Michigan, where I mainly create unique, original artwork and promote myself on social media. For every piece I make, I take advantage of the creative process by creating Instagram Reels, short videos, and full-length YouTube videos by showing the creation of my work from start to finish. I also use social media as a way of connecting to and engaging with my audience, through comments, polls, and Q&A’s. Additionally, I make appearances at local art fairs and events to sell my artwork and meet with people face-to-face, whether they be fans of my work or discovering me for the first time.

I got where I am today by perseverance and love of creating; it is very difficult to remain self-motivated and to work on my own schedule, but using tools like bullet journals have helped me stay on track. It’s also challenging to persist on social media, as the algorithms for different sites are constantly changing. I find that sometimes when I post I get a lot of responses and engagement, but other times not much at all. I have been on Instagram since 2016 and only in 2022 reached 1,000 followers, so it’s been a long time of growing as an artist and learning what works on social media platforms. Through my many years of trying, failing, and gaining ground on these platforms, I learned that what is truly important is making artwork that I enjoy creating and to post when I am ready. Posting too much or forcing myself to post something I’m not proud of can lead to burnout, frustration, and art block.

Through all of the challenges I have faced, I am very glad I have never given up at being an artist and pursuing a creative career. Drawing and painting are the perfect outlet for some of my deepest emotions, and I am glad to have found an audience who appreciates the hard work and skill I’ve put into this form of creative self-expression. I want to take my dark and passionate feelings and turn them into delicate, beautiful, and disquieting artwork, then to share that art and the process of creation with the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m from Dearborn, a city in southeast Michigan known for being the hometown of automobile pioneer Henry Ford. I would, of course, take my friend to visit the Henry Ford Museum (to see my favorite race cars) and Greenfield Village (to eat frozen custard and ride a Model-T). I would also take my friend into Detroit to walk the Riverfront and enjoy some shopping downtown on Woodward Avenue. We’d have to eat Asian food because it’s my favorite so we’d definitely stop by Pekin Tokyo and eat stir-fry, sushi, and Pad Thai potluck-style so we could try everything on the menu. Finally, we’d have to make a day to go to the Detroit Zoo and walk through the Aviary because I love birds and the tropical plants in that habitat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout and thank my wonderful family – my Mom, Dad, and Sister – for always supporting me through thick and thin. They are my rock and without them I couldn’t be pursuing my creative career today. I would also like to thank my friends Selena, Elyse, Lesty, Amanda, and Rachel for always being by my side to give ideas, offer advice, and be each other’s support circle. I also want to thank my teachers from the College for Creative Studies, who taught me so much and whose lessons I draw upon every time I pick up a pencil or paintbrush.

Website: https://www.marygoodrichillustration.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mb_goodrich/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygoodrich/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFWVarCs36Xyv4cIiFbwr8Q

Image Credits
Photos by Mary Goodrich