Sharon Seidl

Your career includes over 30 years in creative direction and design. How has this professional background shaped your artistic voice and approach to illustration?

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the career I’ve had. The wide variety of projects I’ve worked on has kept my imagination constantly active. I’ve always had a vivid imagination, but my work required me to sharpen it—often coming up with concepts on the spot, in a room full of people. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of times I would sit and sketch ideas to help visualize concepts. Those moments were some of the most fun, surrounded by brilliant, creative minds from both the editorial and music worlds.

My career began in music publishing, where at one moment I might be designing for the band Slayer, and the next, working on a project with “Weird Al” Yankovic, Julie Andrews, John Denver, or Metallica. I also designed for Guitar for the Practicing Musician, which was a blast because our target audience was a 14-year-old—mostly boys—and that energy was contagious. I still relate to designing for that age group; maybe because, in some ways, I’ve never stopped being one.

Working in such a fast-paced, conceptual environment was great training. It taught me to never run dry creatively. I have more ideas than I could ever possibly execute—it would take two lifetimes to bring them all to life.

Your pen-and-ink works feel deeply nostalgic and whimsical, with fantasy elements like moons, witches, and mythical animals. What inspires these narrative worlds?

I love this question(due to my mother unique and neiche hobby which was). My mother was an antique doll dealer, so antiques filled our home. As a kid, I was both fascinated and spooked by them. The dolls sat on a shelf at the bottom of the stairs, and I’d run up as fast as I could to escape their stare. My mom was quite the character, but through her, I developed a love for antique cards, books, and letters from the 1920s to 1950s.

I’ve built a wonderful collection of cards from that era, and they’ve heavily influenced my pen-and-ink work. I’m inspired by the detail and craftsmanship of early German cardmakers—especially the layered, pop-up, and movable designs of Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd. and Chloe Preston. I strive for my illustrations to carry that same personality and dreamlike quality—something nostalgic, slightly odd, and full of wonder.

Sharon Seidl | Headless

Many of your artworks blend nature and imagination—poppies growing through pumpkins, birds perched on florals, seahorses wrapped in blossoms. What role does nature play in your storytelling?

Gardens have always felt like a peaceful refuge to me. I didn’t have the most peaceful childhood, but I was lucky to live in a nice neighborhood with my best friend, Lawrence. We spent nearly every minute outside, inventing games and hiding in the bushes. My happiest memories are lying in the garden, surrounded by flowers that seemed to absorb my sadness and replace it with beauty.

Flowers still hold that magic for me. Whether my subjects are an octopus, mermaid, bird, or even the Headless Horseman, I surround them with florals so that my illustrations carry the same sense of comfort and wonder that the garden once gave me.

You often focus on highly detailed, vintage-style line work. What draws you to this level of intricacy and patience in your process?

I get completely lost in the details when I draw. Time disappears. I can’t hear anything—I’m at total peace. The pen is a magical tool for me. Working in pen forces you to build each piece strategically: tiny marks layered over tiny marks, gradually creating depth and contrast.

I often revisit an area 10 or 15 times, layering colors from Bic pens, gel pens, colored Pilots, or alcohol inks. The process is meditative—the sound of the pen scratching across paper, watching the image slowly come to life—it’s like being in a dream state.

The vintage look comes naturally from this methodical process. Pen and ink have been used for centuries, and their natural irregularities give my work a handcrafted, nostalgic feel. In a world saturated with digital and AI-generated imagery, I love that pen and ink bring back a sense of authenticity and timelessness.

Sharon Seidl | Born

In your past design work, you created logos and visual identities for major corporations and cultural icons. How does creating personal art differ emotionally from commercial design?

There’s a huge sense of freedom in not having to worry about anyone else’s expectations. After decades of designing for others, it’s incredibly liberating to finally create for myself. I’ve had so many ideas stored up for years—it feels like they’re all pouring out at once now.

It took me some time to give myself permission to fully follow my own creative instincts. But now, I feel confident in my artistic voice and direction. That realization has been deeply fulfilling. At a recent art show, I loved watching people linger in front of my pieces, each finding something personal in them. The variety of people who connect with my work makes me proud—it seems to resonate across personalities, which I truly cherish.

Your illustrations feel both playful and slightly haunting—especially pieces involving Halloween themes. What emotions or reactions do you strive to evoke in the viewer?

I adore illustrated children’s books, and I think each of my works tells a small story of its own. Even a bird in a nest of flowers has a story in its eyes. My slightly spooky, surreal characters often carry emotion beneath their expressions.

I don’t want viewers to just see a direct meaning—I want them to feel it. The joy is in the mystery. For example, in my piece Born 13, a girl is stuck inside a pumpkin and frowning. When people ask why, I always ask them what they think. I want to spark that curiosity and introspection. I hope viewers lose themselves in the details the way I do—because there really is magic in every line.

Sharon Seidl | Busy Crane

If you could collaborate with any museum, show, or creative partner for a future project, what would be your dream artistic collaboration?

I’m a huge fan of street art, and one of my favorite artists is Swoon. Her large-scale installations blend illustration and architecture in such an inspiring way. I’ve always dreamed of creating an immersive space—an entire room illustrated with my pen-and-ink florals and characters. Collaborating with Swoon on something like that would be an absolute dream. Our styles could blend beautifully.