Maddie Edgar is a maker and teacher who was raised in Massachusetts, lived in Brooklyn, and currently resides just outside of Los Angeles in Topanga Canyon. She graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Communications Design and a focus in Illustration, and now works in many roles including: as a maker of up-cycled apparel, an elementary art school teacher, a botanical illustration teacher, and a freelance designer and illustrator. Capturing the vibrance of the nature around her in her illustrations, creating meaningful and useful pieces from pre-loved textiles, and interacting with her students of all ages are some of Maddie’s favorite aspects of her creative career. Maddie has created work for various animation studios, magazines, newspapers, and fashion designers. Some of her clients include The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Lucky Peach Magazine, Bank of America, Tory Burch, MIT Technology Review, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Eric Clapton. She teaches at the Cotuit Center for the Arts and Brentwood Art Center, and is the founder of On the Wing—a sustainable brand that upcycles goods, made from gems that have fallen by the wayside. In this episode we chat about Maddie's illustration and teaching work, starting a new brand and small business in the pandemic, and building a creative career that aims to be as balanced as it is functional. Find her on instagram here.
