Maker: Becca of Freedom Rise

I’ve watched people draw and create beautiful art on paper and I’m consistently blown away at their ability to do so.  Holding a pencil or paintbrush, and creating anything the looks any good is so beyond any ability that I will ever hope to accomplish.  Short of sitting and working on a color by number, I can’t even begin to understand how people can make these beautiful illustrations.  Becca makes amazing pictures and I can’t help but enjoy spending some time featuring her today.  Meet Becca and check out her art!

~Angie~

Please introduce yourself.

Hi, I’m Becca Stevens the creator of Freedom Rise. I’ve been drawing since I can

remember and it has always been my dream to turn art into something that mattered. I

grew up and still live in sunny Ventura, CA.

Throughout the years I’ve had my ups and downs, but I found that surrounding myself

with nature was the one constant that always calmed me. It’s this feeling that I

want to bring to you in a form you can wear everyday – a little reminder of your

connection with nature and the world around you.

What do you make or do?

I design and create earth friendly apparel inspired by nature. Each shirt is cut and sewn

locally to me in Ventura, CA and made using 100% Organic Cotton fabric.

Where can we find your creations?

You can find my art and clothing line of 100% Organic Cotton Tees and Tanks at

Freedomriseusa.com I also post lots of behind the scenes on Instagram @freedomrise

How long have you been creating and is it your full-time job?

I’ve been creating art all my life but I officially started selling my art and making clothes

about a year ago. Making clothing is really exciting but it’s also a very complicated and

expensive process! So to keep things going I work as a graphic and pattern designer for a

wholesale plant nursery. This work is all about matching color to nature and flowers so it

definitely adds to my creative process!

Is creativity a luxury or a necessity for you?

Putting time aside for creative projects can be tough, especially when your work isn’t in

a creative field, but I’ve found that it’s a necessity for me. The times in my life when I

wasn’t creating were probably my lowest.

Like most people, I don’t always feel inspired – it will come in waves. I think it’s

important to be disciplined to a certain extent with your creativity. A lot of the time I

will sit down to draw uninspired but if I can just get started then things will start to flow.

I love things like the “100 Day Projects” I see going around social media. Even you don’t

do the full 100 days, it still gets the creativity going!

What obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life?

I think one of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to overcome (and am still working on it!) is

comparison. In the world of social media it’s easier to start to think that everyone is

more talented, younger, more exciting, (whatever it might be) than you are. I constantly

try to remind myself of the bigger picture.

Where do you find inspiration?

I always feel most inspired while on camping or road trips. Something about getting out

of your daily routine and creating new experiences for yourself sparks creativity and

allows you to think a little clearer! It’s on these trips that I always come up with the best

ideas.

What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out?

Patience and persistence has been my mantra for the past year. When you’re doing your

own thing there are going be LOTS of ups and downs. One second you feel on top of the

world and the next moment you are completely crushed. You have to commit to the

long haul.

3 Comments

  1. I absolutely adore the CAMP illustration, it’s gorgeous and I’m amazed at how clearly you’ve managed to get something hand drawn onto a printed item like a t shirt.

    Also just visited your Freedom Rise website, which is lovely (fabulous logo) and filled with equally impressive designs. Wonderful creative art work and a fantastic translation of art into garments.

  2. I wanted to know if you are still selling the Freedom Rise Enamel Pin, the blue one with the waterfall. If it is still sold, where could I get from? Thank you much for your artistic work.

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