Meet Alicia Wyatt | Artist and Illustrator

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

Hi Alicia, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Sustainability and the environment. I think this is a rather new value of a lot of businesses now-a-days as we begin to fully realize the impact humans have had on the environment. As a result, it does add a whole new layer to the problem many creatives face in creating something that’s essentially worth creating. Not only are you trying to create because you enjoy creating, but to have whatever that may be serve a purpose. I think that’s why I really like having an educational aspect to my illustrations. Besides just being aesthetically pleasing and interesting to look at, it can educate, it can share a unique passion, and it can communicate.

This is an important value to me because of love nature and I want it to be enjoyed by future generations as well, by animals and humans. With my day job as a Graphic Designer, I have also experienced working for and with companies that say they value sustainability, but when faced with a larger profit, they choose themselves over the environment. It’s disheartening. However, it seems like one of the solutions to this problem is by supporting local small businesses. We may be small, but we can still make a difference.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember but I wouldn’t say it was easy, just something I was passionate about. But one of the things that made it possible to overcome the challenges of being a Creative was that every time I took a break, I would later return to it. Currently, what sets me apart from other Illustrators is my focus on fungi as my primary subject matter.

Photography is what prompted my fascination with fungi. I was about 15 when I received my first camera. During this time, I was also facing the onset of my anxiety disorder, which doctors were having a tough time diagnosing me with. As I was becoming increasingly agoraphobic, my parents decided to buy me my first camera. This pushed me to get out of the house, even if it was only up the street. Mushrooms were a frequent subject matter I enjoyed photographing. Occasionally, they would also appear in my illustrations, but this didn’t become prominent until after I moved to Colorado in 2019 when my interest in mycology lead to foraging.

I think that’s what made my Edible Mushrooms of Colorado print so successful: it was something that I was passionate about, it was my niche. I was lucky to have found much support through the Colorado Mycological Society when I shared my work on their Facebook group. I was looking for feedback on what mushrooms to include as I was still a beginner forager and received great ideas and enthusiasm about the piece. When I posted the print to my shop, it sold out in a few hours, exceeding my expectations.

Now, I’m excited to see where my side business takes me as I work to expand it. I also want to make sure that every future project I share and try to sell is something I’m passionate about and not something I make because I think others will like it. I think this mindset is how you truly make a connection with others through art and how it becomes a best seller (but also, being able to be glad you created it even if it doesn’t sell well). I think this is also why, at least currently, I don’t want it to be my full-time job as I don’t want to put that pressure on something I enjoy. I have already learned that such pressures can easily lead to burn out from myself and from many other classmates post art school.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m still learning this for myself since I moved to Colorado right before the COVID pandemic! I would take her to some of the more “classically Colorado” places to hike such as Rocky Mountain National Park, the Brainard Lake area, Garden of the Gods, and stopping by in some of the small towns in and near the mountains from Estes Park and Frisco to Golden and Boulder. I love how so many of the cute towns to visit have creeks that run through their downtown with unique shops and restaurants to try. We would also need to load up on treats from Shamane’s Bakery and Cafe in Boulder and Rheinlander Bakery in Arvada.

She’s also more of a city person than me so I could see spending the day in Denver visiting the Botanic Gardens and trying out Urban Putt. Another day could easily be spent in Fort Collins were we could paddleboard and kayak on Horsetooth Reservoir. And since it’s a weeklong visit, we could plan it according to when the farmer’s market pops up in the different towns since it varies from Wednesdays and Saturdays in Boulder to Sundays in Arvada.

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?
Colorado Mycological Society (CMS), Boulder Mushroom (Zach Hedstrom), Forage Colorado (Orion Aon), my family and all of my past art teachers

Website: https://www.aliciamarie.net/

Instagram: @Alicia_Marie_Art – https://www.instagram.com/alicia_marie_art/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-marie-wyatt-30058163/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaMarieWyatt