ABOUT
What a Four Decade Creative Career Looks like
In 1984, after getting an MFA in Illustration in San Francisco, I drove cross-country with my boyfriend to move to New York because that’s where you had to be to get illustration work. Why? Because there was no Internet, and all the book publishers, magazines, top design firms, and huge ad agencies—the people who bought illustration—were all in Manhattan. You had to go in person to show your portfolio. You had to go in person to bring your rough sketch and then the finished art. Or later, when you got fancy, they’d send a messenger to pick up your work.
But could I really make a living as an illustrator? My style was so unusual. Would they love it or hate it? What happens when I get an illustration assignment and I don’t know how to draw the things?
Me, Noho Manhattan, 1990, trying on glasses. Note the shoulder pads.
I dragged my scared little self and my heavy portfolio around to art directors to show my work. One thing led to the next, and I had 12 years of an incredible career with clients like the Grammys, Neiman Marcus, Levi’s, Penguin Random House, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Sassy magazine, German Elle, and Vogue. I had an agent in New York, one in Tokyo, and one in Paris.
Once, Anna Wintour asked me to go to any restaurant in New York and draw whatever I wanted, all expenses and fee paid.
Some of my illustration commissions from the early years.
I had to deal with some stuff.
Portrait of the guy I was to marry. 1991 Oil on canvas, 5’x8’
I met a guy and we moved to Boston. I’ve been married to that guy for 33 happy years. We garden, we take walks, and we watch shows. He’s still an ER doctor part-time. The main joy of our lives is our children and their partners.
Anyway, back to the 1990s. In addition to illustrating full-time, I was teaching a small group of artists in my studio. I loved my students. I was 39 and had just had a baby.
One of my students asked me if I would be their agent. It seemed like the craziest idea ever—but there was a magical inevitability around it. I just knew I was going to do it. I had no idea it would turn out to be the largest part of my professional life.
A few of the thousands of gorgeous products we commissioned with our artists. Thank you to the brilliant art directors and editors that worked with us. It was you that helped us make magic.
I would be an agent for 30 years—and I still can’t believe it. It was completely absorbing, rewarding, exciting. I got to represent some of the best illustration talent in the business like Lisa Congdon, Carolyn Gavin, Helen Dardik, Sarah Walsh, and Mike Lowery. We had retreats at our house for many years with guest art directors and editors in the garden and by the lake. I adored my artists and will always adore them.
I had a beautiful, devoted team working with me. I couldn’t have done it without them, and that’s a fact.
We commissioned amazing book deals and wonderful Anthropologie gigs. We licensed tons of art on loads of products you see in charming shops. I had the pleasure and privilege of helping brilliantly creative artists make livings. My artists illustrated for magazines, toys—even art for a water tower. If it could have art on it, we did it.
I mentored my artists on their own picture books and nonfiction illustrated book pitches with wonderful publishers. That was particularly rewarding because these were products wholly their own vision.
We held annual 3-day retreats at my house and garden and by the lake, inviting our artists, art directors and editors.
But let’s back up a little. The agency was going smoothly, and I had a great team in place. On the side, I had been making all kinds of jewelry using vintage items, so when I was 57, I pitched—and got—an 80-sku craft jewelry line called Ruby Violet with a manufacturer, which was thrilling. They created an entire booth of my stuff at the CHA show in LA.
At 58, I was asked to write a book called I Just Like to Make Things, which was a treat to write. I still love the cover colors. Suzy Ultman did the cover design.
And then, at 59, I was magically connected to who would become my brilliant cofounder, Beth Kempton, and we launched my online teaching platform, Make Art That Sells (MATS), which is in its 11th year as of this writing.
So far, I’ve taught over 30,000 students, and I continue to have a huge passion for it. It’s wonderful when you hit on something that just feels so right for you in so many ways.
I love to support my community. So many have gone on to getting agents, book deals and fabulous careers. For me, I love to create content, assignments, courses.
Filming our children’s book illustration course in Brighton UK with director Zoe Tucker and with Beth Kempton as producer.
I get to mentor and help people achieve their dreams. I have a particular passion for this because I know what it was like for me—and I want to make it easier for creative people to have lucrative creative careers.
Me with co-teacher Riley Wilkinson in the garden, planning a course
Over the years, I’ve gathered some of my favorite people to make courses with me, bringing in their expertise: Margo Tantau for home decor, Zoe Tucker for picture books, Riley Wilkinson for toys and games, Tamisha Anthony for style and Black history. Beautiful Becky, Lovely Louise, and British Jennie are the truly brilliant support team who run the show so I can continue to create content and teach.
Filming my Treasure Hunt your Writing Style course for Creativebug in Berkeley.
Onstage for the Make Art That Sells Global Art Gathering in Brighton UK with Beth Kempton (L) and Kelly Rae Roberts (R).
Then, after 30 incredible years, I closed the agency. It was time. I was very devoted to my teaching at Make Art That Sells and was becoming more involved in teaching in Europe.
Some of the artwork that my artists have given me over the years.
Now, I’m so happy that I get to just pick and choose the fun stuff I want to do. I’m most grateful to have expertise and energy. Expertise is the greatest gift when you’re older.
I’m excited to create a few new courses for MATS for next year. I have a fairly full-time teaching schedule at MATS, plus one morning a week I hang out with kindergartners and we make art.
I absolutely love my newest offering—an intensive small group mentoring program at MATS called Inner Circle. I get to work very closely with a group of talented people and mentor them individually. That’s deeply rewarding. Click here to get on the waiting list.
I wanted an open format for sharing guidance with my community, so begun doing Substack Live chats.
My Lettering Retreat in France, 2024
I teach in Europe on weeklong retreats and I bring my husband along. So far, we’ve done France and Portugal, and as of this writing, next up is Italy. Click here to get on my mailing list to be among the first to hear about the next retreat.
Plus, I love doing career tarot readings during my live Zooms and at retreats. I created my own deck to capture the unique specificity of a creative career. I may one day get it published.
I’m making art. There’s been a 30-year backlog, so it’s coming out like a snowstorm of goodness. Yes, I will happily consider illustration commissions!
So that’s what a 40-years-and-counting career looks like.
Xo
Copyright Lilla Rogers