A Creative Life: Linda Solovic

When artist Linda Solovic contacted me about her gorgeous work, I became an instant fan. Her amazing collages are intricately pieced together through embroidery, beads, illustrations, paper and other found objects. They are so whimsically perfect, I thought this would be the perfect way to start off our week! If you'd like to purchase one of her prints, be sure to click here to visit her etsy shop. Thank you for sharing your talent with us Linda!


About me:
I attended art school at Washington University in St. Louis....I graduated with a degree in Communication Design. I have a business, Linda Solovic Illustration, that I have run for the past 25 years. I have done work for both national and local clients including American Greetings, Hallmark, Scholastic, Mars Candy, and Klutz. In 2005 I went to the New York Stationary show upon the recommendation of licensing queen, Mary Engelbreit. Mary felt my work would be perfect for licensing and I found a licensing rep, Sheila Meehan of Herrin Design, to take me on as one of her artists. I have designed collections and stationary products for a number of companies including Natural Life, Santoro, Design Design and Westland Gifts. I have an Etsy site where I sell limited addition prints of my paper collages. In addition, I teach classes in illustration and licensing at my alma mater Washington University in St. Louis.

What inspires me:
The inspiration for my work is vast and varied. Rather than looking to the old masters, I find inspiration in contemporary illustrators, mid century modern illustrators, children book illustrators both contemporary and from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I look at textiles including quilts, handkerchiefs, wrapping paper, fabric...anything that has patterns on it and interesting illustration. I collect a lot of stuff including beads, buttons, postcards, snow domes, plushes, trinkets for my artwork...basically anything that catches my eye. I have more stuff than any girl should have.


I have always loved making things with my hands and collage allows me to mix and use all the crafts I love doing....cut paper, embroidery, working with fabric, sewing....I can just mix and match the materials I feel like working with. I think and draw in shapes and by doing collage I am able to make simple drawings that are graphic in style yet can have a big visual impact through the materials I use.
A day-in-my-life:
A typical day.....hectic I would say.......I answer emails in the AM, and then when I am not teaching....two days a week 1:00 until 7:00....I work in my studio on various stuff. If I do not have an assignment, I spend the day thinking up product ideas, collection ideas or working on fabric patterns or greeting card ideas. When I need to just create I usually work on pieces for my Etsy site...since I do not have to have a specific reason to make the art I can be free to design and produce whatever I feel like making. I usually work as much as I can each day....sometimes at night also...I like to sew on stuff while I watch TV...in fact I usually watch TV and movies when I work because a lot of what I do is handwork. I also have a headset phone so I can talk to friends while I work. I use the computer only to scan and clean up artwork....I know how I can produce my artwork on the computer but I like to work with my hands and on a desk rather than a screen. My husband Gary Karpinski who is a graphic designer works with me and he does whatever computer work needs to be done.


I live in a small bungalow house in a quaint neighborhood in St. Louis with my husband, my 17 year old daughter Anna, (she is a very talented artists herself) one cat Miss Sophie, and my two gerbils Perry and Percy who live in my studio. My house is packed with artwork, collections and lots of odd and wonderful stuff. I love what I do even though I do not make a lot of money.