Each month, we are privileged to work with artists from all over the world. Their unique styles and points of view make for an especially diverse sense of inspiration in the art that arrives in our monthly Holstee Membership. From Austin, Texas to Bunbury, Australia and everywhere in between, each piece of art is a true collector's piece. View past subscription art here. 

The November Gratitude Art is by Brooklyn-based environmental designer and illustrator, Bailey Sullivan! Bailey’s art is heavily rooted in nature and she enjoys going to museums to source inspiration from textile collections and old tapestries.

You might remember her from the 2018 Simplicity Art and 2017 Wellness Art.

2018 Simplicity Art:

2017 Wellness Art: 

For a little more about what inspired this artwork, process, and her life, here's a short Q&A:

Where is home for you?

Brooklyn

What is your definition of a successful life?

This definition is always evolving for me, but for now its a life where I’m working on exciting projects that are pushing me in new ways and maintaining a happy and healthy balance with my non work-related life. That, and having my own studio space wouldn’t hurt! 

Describe your perfect day.

A perfect day would be one where I get to illustrate fun things for fun people without worrying about answering emails or paperwork, get a pizza delivered and have time off-screen to sketch some ideas out all while a Cameron Diaz movie plays in the background and it’s snowing.

How did you get into design?

I used to make awful shirt designs for my grade school groups in Microsoft Paint, so I always enjoyed creating but didn’t quite know how or that it was a viable career. I decided to go to college for Advertising because it was a mix of creativity and business, but ultimately realized I had the most fun when I was making things. I didn’t have a formal design education but was lucky enough to work with some very talented people who took a risk on me and mentored me through the early stages of my design career.

Where do you find inspiration?

Lately it's been going to museums and looking at their old textile collections. I really love the old tapestries at The Met in New York. The designs are inspiring on their own, then adding in the factor that they were all hand woven without any computers hundreds of years ago always blows me away.

What's your dream design project?

Total pipe dream, but I’d really love to design a basketball court

Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you?

Abel Macias, Rose Pearlman,  Laurence Leenaert, Ouizi, Stefani Germanotta and Ellen Van Dusen just to name a few! 

What was the inspiration behind this design?

This quote by Brother David Steindl-Rast really resonated with me, “It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” From there I wanted to put together an assemblage of subtle references to some of the things we can always be grateful for- nature, food, etc. I hope that even if someone is having an off day, they can look at this and remember we still have so much to appreciate.

At the moment, what is your favorite…

Color: Forest green

Food: The queso with guac from Guero’s in Brooklyn! Finally found some good Texas food in my neighborhood.

Song: Happiness is a Butterfly - Lana Del Rey

Quote: I don’t know if this counts but in the Old Town Road Remix when Mason Ramsey says “If you ain’t got no giddy up then giddy out my way” … iconic.