Meet Sella Molenaar | Illustrator

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

Hi Sella, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Even though I draw almost every day, one of the most important habits I have is going on creative dates with myself. Sometimes this comes in the form of a inspiration trip to a museum, sometimes this means making new work using a completely new medium than I’m used to. It’s what keeps my fire burning and my creative ecosystem healthy. It’s a blessing to make a living out of something that you love doing the most, but if you’re not careful that thing you love will turn into work, tasks and to do’s very quickly. It’s super important to keep feeding and nurturing your creativity!
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.
I’ve always been fascinated by the female form, femininity, and everything sensual and aesthetic. I like to capture the female essence in all its endless variations. Everyone who identifies as a woman or embraces their feminine sides is an inspiration to me. For me, my illustrations are also a mirror of my own personal search and revaluation of the feminine and in that way very personal and intimate. I like to incorporate feminine qualities not only in my subject but also in the process of making. I like to just flow, be without judgment, enjoying the process, and let whatever happens on paper. I see illustration as a mindfulness practice in which I practice the values I’d like to incorporate into my daily life. I have been drawing my whole life but never thought of making a living out of illustration. Although I’ve started at the art academy in Antwerp studying Fashion, I’ve never finished it. When I moved to Amsterdam I had no money and no job and started making sketches of people for donations at markets and festivals while I was still trying to finish my Masters in Art History. I had no idea what I was doing but had the best time of my life. Maybe I would give my younger self some different advice now, but all the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, the lessons I’ve learned, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! Without knowing it back then, this was actually the beginning of my career. I got picked up by some big brands and have been freelancing and building my brand and business ever since. First as a live illustration, but over the years I have been able to do more and more substantive assignments in collaboration with brands with whom I share a common mission to empower women and make the world little more beautiful and besides that developed a full workshop program to help others to ignite their creative fire. I still try to hold on to that notion of joy and fun of those early days. If it doesn’t make your happy, why do it anyway?
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 are in a middle of a lockdown while writing this so a lot of places are closed, and have been closed for a while and may never reopen. I love to go for a stroll through the city and visit art gallery’s, grab a coffee, visit a market and go for a bite to eat. The neighbourhood around my atelier is the best. It’s close to Vondelpark and lots of nice coffee places and small business are located there. I love to start my day with a coffee at Sam’s Koffie at the Ten Kate market and walk around the area, grab a bagel at Flo’s and buy some natural wines at Fiasco for later that day. During weekends I love to visit the organic farmers market at Noordermarkt. So many good food stalls there! During lockdown going to the market was sometimes the only activity we had and Noordermarkt turned in to a meeting spot for the creative scene. People I used to know from parties and social events, now gather here to buy organic veggies on Saturday morning. O how life can change in only one year! Also a lot of galleries around this area, so after you get your groceries you can stop at Annet Gelink, Maarten van Zomeren or Fons Welters for some contemporary art exhibitions. The first restaurant I would like to eat when they reopen would be Choux; the perfect combination between fine dining and a laid back atmosphere. They are plant based, always delicious and a little funky, God I miss this place!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve recently revisited The Artist’s Way and did some of the tasks from the book again. This book had (and deserved) already millions and millions of shoutouts of course, but for a good reason! It’s the manual of creativity, the basics, and something I come back to from time if I need a reminder of that. One of the tasks I recently did was to list three champions of your creative self worth, so I still have them on top of mind. For me the first person who fostered my creativity was my grandfather who was a painter himself and the first to take me to a museum. He saw my fascination for the visual arts and encouraged, supported and enhanced it. The second was my art teacher in high school who encouraged me to pursue a career in the arts and enrol in an art academy. He taught me a thing or two about art history, how to make your best drawings in only a few lines and letting go of my perfectionism. The last person I like to highlight here is the one who gave me my first paid job for a huge international brand and took the time to mentor me. I had no idea what I was doing back then and it’s because of her that I took my work serious and pursued a career as an illustrator. I feel enormous gratitude towards these and all people that made my career possible and made me who I am today.

Website: https://www.sellamolenaar.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sellamolenaar/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sellamolenaar/

Image Credits
Daisy Ranoe, Celmira Bremmer