Meet MJ Wilkins | Graphic Artist & Illustrator

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

Hi MJ, why did you pursue a creative career?
I began my professional career in a completely different industry and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. It wasn’t until I was given the opportunity to work for a local photographer that realized my love for creativity. That was the first time I was fully submersed in art, all day, every day and I was hooked.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Stubbornness is the foundation of my career. Most people are surprised to find out I started my graphic design career as a dyslexic proofreader. That is a huge oxymoron, I still can’t even spell dyslexic. I was recommended for the job by my college professor and knew it was a foot in the door to the career I wanted. It was misery for the first several months but through pure stubbornness and the desire for a paycheck, I did not quit. I had to find a different way to look at it and I did. Looking at the shape of the word was much easier than checking each individual letter. I kept my head down and read hundreds of church bulletins, legal documents, calendars, and newsletters. I was promoted to a design chair but they never let me quit proofreading. It turned out I was really good at it. That job taught me that there are no limits to what you can do and I also learned that I love reading.

From that point, I started reading everything…books, magazines, and the news. The news was mostly bad and I read stories that broke my heart. I started to question if I could use my skills in some way to help. People who are escaping war-torn countries don’t need business card designs and starving children can’t eat paper, but I wanted to help. So when my sister told me she was expecting a new bundle of joy, I knew I had to do something, I wanted to make a change. With her baby shower quickly approaching I started making donations all over the world in my soon-to-be nephew’s name. While I was making the donations a story started to form in the back of my mind. At that moment Bub Bub Books was born. WORDS CREATE WORLDS, and I knew I could use mine to entertain my soon-to-be nephew and make this a better place for him to grow up in. I wanted to create a personalized children’s book company that made a difference and taught children all over the world the joy and magic of giving.

I started to focus my life and future career in a manner that would give me financial stability and the time needed to build my dream. I resigned from my current “safe” position and started 2 companies. MJ Wilkins Designs and Bub Bub Books. With over 20 years of experience in the art world, I knew my design skills and knowledge would be best put to use in helping other businesses find their target market and communicate their message. This would also give me the time to invest in establishing and developing Bub Bub Books.

I work in many different mediums and focus my art in several directions. I love to get lost on a Saturday with a paintbrush and canvas or spend hours creating a charcoal sketch the world will never see, but Bub Bub Books is what sets me apart and cuts a different path for me as an artist.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We recently relocated to the DFW area and decided to behave like tourists for the first year. It has been a blast to explore the area and all it has to offer. Our top ten favorites are listed below. Tipsy Oak in Arlington for brunch. It has a great atmosphere, mimosas by the bottle and the food is amazing!
Texas Live to catch some football, food and drinks.
The Dallas World Aquarium is an amazing visual treat.
The Kimbell Art Museum and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth have a lot to offer.
Ft Worth Stock Yards for steak and a longhorn cattle drive.
The Riata for rooftop cocktails.
Billy Bobs or the Dos Equis Pavilion for a live concert.
The Texas State Fair for the Red River Shootout.
Woodshed Smokehouse for live music and beautiful views of the Trinity River.
The AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yvonne Sangster is an amazing artist I will forever credit with introducing me to the beauty of color, painting, and the dream of being an artist. From a very young age, I would “sneak” into her studio and stare at whatever she had on her easel. The colors and partial progress mesmerized me. Davy Knapp gave me my first job in the “art world” and taught me everything I know about sales and having confidence in your work. Don Carslie was my first creative director and had a huge impact on my career and general outlook on life. Most importantly, as an artist, I have to give a huge shout-out to “my people.” The ones that supported and loved me along this journey, through college, art shows, competitions, and crappy jobs…they never used the phrase “starving artist” and still to this day believe in my crazy dreams. They know who they are and that I couldn’t survive without them.

Website: www.mjwilkinsdesigns.com, www.bubbubbooks.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mjwilkinsdesigns?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mj-wilkins-designs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjwilkinsdesigns?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissyBeesCreations