Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne King.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Orange County, California. Ever since the second grade, I have had a knack, and love, for art. My talents really blossomed in high school, and I was determined to become an animator for Disney.
Things… didn’t quite work out that way. In my first year of college, I developed a little voice that told me I wasn’t good enough. The voice began comparing and judging my own work to the massive amount of talented artists out there, and soon I couldn’t take the inner criticism any longer, and I dropped out. I fell away from art for many years, and even attempted college once more, only to drop out again.
I just couldn’t stop listening to that inner voice that brought me down. My life eventually led me to Utah, and I just happened to wander into a grocery store called Harmons. I noticed that a lot of the signs that advertised the store’s products were actually painted by hand, by an artist. I thought to myself, “man, would I kill to have that job”. A few years later, I found myself unemployed.
In my job hunt, I noticed that Harmons was hiring for the artist position! I just had to have the job! With a lot of good luck sent my way, the artist position was mine! 3 years of sign-painting at Harmons was the fuel I needed to ignite my motivation to start my own business.
My brand, MagicKing Illustrations, is currently 2 years old and continuing to grow. I am grateful for all the experiences I’ve had in my life that have led me to this point, even the ones that seemed negative at the time. Only through these special moments was I able to end up here!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I would have to say that the biggest struggle in my life has been myself.
I have always been susceptible to an inner voice that dislikes and belittles who I am.
Being social has always been challenging for me, as well. I feel that the ability to be social with others is the key to success in any field, and lacking social skills has greatly hindered my life and career path.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I began my art studies using mostly colored pencil, then eventually shifted to acrylic paint, and now I work mostly in digital art using Photoshop and Procreate.
I feel that my biggest strength in my artistic style is my use of color. It is the part of my work that I enjoy the most, and I feel that draws people in and sets my art apart from others.
I am most proud of a cartoon character I created many years ago named Murcury the Mutt. He has evolved drastically over the years, and I have imagined a comic book series that I hope to one day write and illustrate.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I have way more likes than dislikes! I like that there are so many opportunities to show/sell my artwork. I like the views, the eats, the beautiful architecture.
I like the mountains and the plentiful hiking spots. I the seasonal changes and I like the snow, but this leads to my only dislike about it, which is driving in it. I can’t complain, it really is a most beautiful place to live.
Contact Info:
- Email: magickingillustrations@yahoo.com
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MKIllustrationsShop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magickingillustrations/
