Meet Erin Joy Parrot | Botanical Illustrator & Wildlife Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Joy Parrot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin Joy, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
The most important principle in my life is gratitude- I think of it as my co-pilot. In my personal experience keeping an open grateful heart with you in all situations, helps to change your thinking when it comes to difficult situations, stress, and work overload. Gratitude also guides my relationship to inspiration. I create a tremendous amount of work inspired by the smallest members of the ecosystems around us, moss, ferns, frogs, and insects. I have so much gratitude for the inspiration I gather from nature, from the mountains, to the elk, to the moss. A grateful heart helps you to see the world for what it is, miraculous, strange, and absolutely wonderful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am inspired by nature and specifically ecosystems science- I love learning about the way natural systems works together, and how different species impact one another. I am also wildly inspired by the textures and details of nature- wood, wings, petals, and bones. To create and add texture into my two dimensional pieces I use a combination of ink and illustration techniques, layered with gouache and watercolor. I am intentional when pairing species together in a piece of art, I like for my subjects to at least be able to exist in the same natural environment together. Each piece of art is an opportunity to share a message of gratitude for these species existing on earth- to point out what makes them so special or beautiful. From a naturalist point of view, art is an opportunity to inspire a connection crossing the boundaries of species. That connection leads the way hopefully to a relationship, ultimately leading to conservation. I consider this my goal as an artist, inspiring connection and an increased desire to learn about nature. I am not totally sure what sets my work apart from other naturalist artists- I guess that must come down to the way my brain pairs things together and conveys messages. I would like to think what sets artists inspired by nature apart, however, is the lifelong quest for knowledge and inspiration derived from the world around us. There is so much to learn, far more than we will ever be able to draw, or sculpt, or write songs about and that is the beautiful part.
Creating art and putting it into the world is a courageous journey, but it’s all about gratitude. You have to have gratitude for every “small” opportunity, as “small” opportunities lead to larger and larger ones until they fill your time. It is important to say yes to as many opportunities as you can, getting your work out to a wider audience. I continuously celebrate little victories- whether its through a song I love, or an entire day spent outside, those celebrations count! I’m pretty new to the world as a career artist, and I am beyond grateful for every new opportunity that comes my way! But my guess is that when you ask an artist who has been creating their entire life- they probably do the same thing.

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.
Well if I was taking someone through Fort Collins I would definitely take them to a few places very close to my heart. I think I would start the day hiking at The Horsetooth mountain park or maybe kayaking in the reservoir, then lunch at the fantastic Horsetooth Tavern just up the road (this also provides an opportunity to show off one of my recent murals!) The Watson Fish Hatchery river trails and King Fisher Ponds offer some amazing views and birding opportunities! Trimble Court Artisans of course, is a must to bring home something special to remember your trip by, and the best part is no matter when you visit you will get to meet a wonderful artist in the gallery and talk to them about their work! During our shopping trip we would of course stop by Stem and Roots to get expert plant advise and a new beautiful plant baby for your home! Bloom Boutique is another must, with stunning displays, beautiful floral arrangements, and the unique twist of sharing the space with a Comic Book store! Songbyrd records offers an amazing variety in their record collection; and unique opportunities for musicians to share their music! I would absolutely take them to Wolverine Farm, there’s a pretty good chance that any night of the week they can see live music, poetry, talks with authors, and always always art! The best night of course to visit old town Fort Collins is on First Friday, when you can find art almost anywhere you go! First Friday’s offer a special new opportunity: an evening hosted by the Petrichor Collective- they find spaces all over old town for artists to show and sell their work, musicians to play in fantastic settings, they even provide Hand Crafted Mocktails for guest to enjoy! It’s the kind of town where you can’t go wrong bringing a friend or someone you love, Fort Collins has a big heart, plenty of wild spaces, and a buzzing ever growing creative community- I am so grateful to be a part of it.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My journey as an artist has been impacted tremendously by many other artists and creatives, my beautiful family, and friends. But an enormous thank you must be given to the ridiculously wonderful artistic community here in Fort Collins, Co! A few organizations I would love to thank and highlight, Trimble Court Artisans and the amazing community of artists there, Wolverine farm- specifically Chelsea Gilmore, the Fort Collins Mural Project- specifically Jess Bean, the Red Fox Run- Specifically Austin and Nathaniel, the Petrichor Collective, and the Fort Collins Art Mart.

I would love to thank my partner in creativity and all things, Chris fuller, and his incredible Family.

Website: erinjoyart.com

Instagram: @erinjoyart

Image Credits
All photos taken by Chris Fuller