Meet Gabby McNeill | Illustrator & Multimedia Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabby McNeill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabby, why did you pursue a creative career?
Pursuing an artistic career has always always always felt like the path I was meant to follow. It is a path that I can confidently follow without an ounce of regret, even with all of it’s hills and valleys. As a small kiddo my parents had a hard time pulling me away from the television and VCR because I would constantly be hyper fixated on animated movies and cartoons. I had very little interest in live action media, Totally Spies, Chowder, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, Sailor Moon, Codename Kids Next Door, Inuyasha, etc etc etc. As I got a bit older, the public library really opened to door to my interest in art and storytelling. I fell down the rabbit hole of reading graphic novels and manga. My lil brain was blown away that I could read “picture books” but they are like… not in the children’s section?? Nooo waaayyyyyy! I would doodle constantly in school and at home! Drawing up my favorite cartoon characters, making comics, and creating my own original characters became an escape and safe haven. “Smile” by Raina Telgmeier and “Blankets” by Craig Thompson are two graphic novels that really inspired me to pursue a degree in art. Now I have a Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Studio Practice and continue to draw every single day.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
While I’m more than capable of creating realistic renderings, I am not shy of exploring exaggerated traits and experimenting with textures. I can appreciate how adaptive I have become and am always excited to learn new things. One of my favorite activities to do lately is to hit up a used bookstore, thrift shop, or even an antique mall and find inspiration in the bounty of art book. You will never really know what you’ll find and it can make for a great challenge to conduct an art study from the material. Love the hunt, love the challenge. The journey to get to where I am took a little longer than I would have liked, but that is ok. I am doing the best I can with the cards I have been dealt and it was hard to get to where I am now, but I am here. It took myself awhile to realize that I am worthy enough to pursue my dream despite the pushback and discouragement that was frequently served. It took so much courage to decide to move over three hours away from home to live by myself and work full time hours to be able to sustain myself while being a full time student. That might not seem like a lot to some, but the concept of living for myself and doing something for me felt like going up against the final boss straight out of level one. Moving out of my family home was just the beginning too! I experienced more than just a creative learning environment. I experienced new friendships, how to socialize, falling out of friendships, isolation, falling in love, self deconstruction, losing loved ones, breakups, self acceptance, incredible joy, and so much more. All of that makes who I am as an artist and individual, and it would not have happened if I stayed in that house. Life didn’t end at eighteen or twenty three, and I am glad it didn’t because there is work to do and plenty of joy left to experience. I am grateful for the support system that I have built and look forward to future opportunities. There is inspiration all over, but this world does indeed make it a challenge to fully lean into a full time career especially when you’re trying to pay bills while saving for future investments, but I do love a challenge.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ooooooooooo!!! You gotta hit up Prufrock Coffee Company, they make the best vanilla latte and their downstairs area is perfect for quiet studying. Amelia’s has the most scrumptious bread selection and Rene’s Bakery is the place for sweet treats. La Parada has delicious tacos, Scarlet Lane serves up some spooky drink, but if you’re looking for a more of a backyard barbecue vibe then of course Half Liter has you covered. Now I am definitely more of a long walks and a cozy cup of coffee kind of gal so some of my favorite places to take a stroll would be the infamous Monon trail, beautiful Holiday Park, historic Woodruff neighborhood, or even through the gardens and galleries of Newfields. Kan-Kan Cinema shows a variety of movies from cult classics to spotlighting local films, they always have something out of the box showing. The Indiana Medical Museum offers some fascinating tours and highlights fascinating history of Indianapolis. For thrifting and antique lovers I would recommend shopping around at Broadripple Vintage, Midland Arts & Antiques Market, as well as Zodiac Vintage. Lastly, I’m gonna have to suggest the Indianapolis Public Library. It is right in the downtown area, it is beautiful, and is filled with resources and learning material.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh my goodness, there are many wonderful folks who deserve recognition. I would firstly like to shout out my best buddy Matt Chambers! She is an incredibly talented tattoo artist and a true friend. Matt befriended me in our early years at Herron School of Art and Design and has been there for me in the hardest of times. She is honest, compassionate, talented, and probably the FUNNIEST person I know. You will usually find Matt buzzing away at Mythical Wizard Tattoo Collective, or walking her energetic puppy dog Peaches. Matt, I am grateful for you every single day and deserve the absolute best. Another shout out needs to go to Justin Becht for considering my work for previous and future projects. Working with Indiana Futsal inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and explore athletics, which lead me to join a softball team with Stonewall Sports. Stonewall Sports is a LGBTQ based sports organization that welcomes EVERYONE and is totally a shout out worthy organization. Shout out to Ross Shafer, a talented designer with the most satisfying typography skills. Working on the Bigger Picture Show along side Ross and many other talented artist is an honor and a privilege. Lastly, I gotta give a finally shout out to some special college instructors, Lowell Isaac, Elaine Cardella-Tedesco, Sydney Craig, and Jingo de la Rosa. Thank you all for providing much needed encouragement, patience, kindness, and opportunities. You all are marvelous educators and much admired artists.

Instagram: @gerrby_fish

Image Credits
All images provided are illustrations by Gabby McNeill