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

Hi Olivia, what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by all things dark and macabre, but also all things sugary and sweet. I love the juxtaposition of lightness and darkness, and you see that a lot throughout my work. A tombstone surrounded by lush foliage, a wild beast wearing a bow, a little cemetery worn as a crown – life is all about that balance, and I always try to reflect that in my work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It has been a long journey to build the art career I have today. I graduated with a Bachelor of Illustration from Sheridan College in 2015. It took me a couple of years to find my footing in the art world. In 2016 I was working different part time jobs while doing art on the side. I was primarily doing commission work – pet portraits, people portraits, wedding invitations, with the odd freelance piece for a magazine. Towards the end of 2017, I decided to quit my part-time job and pursue art full-time. I was going to give myself a year, and just see what happened. That October, I stumbled across a big Halloween art challenge on Instagram called Mab’s Drawlloween Club (hosted by amazing Pop Surreal artist, Mab Graves). Through participating in that challenge I found an amazing community of artists, and a bunch of people connected with my work – and the rest history. I have been working as an artist full-time ever since!

Last year, I had some of my biggest career highlights. I collaborated with T.U.K. Footwear to design a pair of one of a kind shoes. I worked with one of my favourite bakeries, Vegan Treats, to illustrate the packaging for their 2023 Holiday Collection. And I had 15 of my illustrations published in the New York Times Bestseller, “Grimoire Girl: A Memoir of Magic and Mischief”, by Hilarie Burton Morgan.

It is absolutely not easy, but the biggest lessons I have learned throughout my career are perseverance & persistence. The key is to just keep making art. No matter what. You have to keep putting the things in your soul down on paper, even when it gets hard, or when you feel discouraged. The more art you create, the more you are building your path, and it will lead you to more opportunities to create more art. If you build it, they will come – I really believe that!

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.
I live in a rural area of Ontario, Canada, close to Lake Huron. I love exploring all of the little towns around here, my favourite being Bayfield. They have the cutest little bookstore, The Village Bookshop. It is in a little old yellow house with a lovely garden, and it is so charming! I love walking around Bayfield, it is a beautiful town with great views of the lake.

The biggest thing I like to do for entertainment in my area is trying out different trails and nature hikes! Or just walking down the peaceful country roads.

I have a wicked sweet tooth, so I must also recommend my favourite bakery in the area, Culbert’s Bakery in Goderich! Established in 1877, they are simply the best! I’m sure I could happily live off of tea and their shortbread cookies.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be an artist today if it weren’t for all of the artists that came before me and all those that have inspired me throughout my life. To name a few, some artists I find most inspiring are:

David Lynch, a true creative genius and master of showing the beauty found in darkness. I love getting lost in his daydreams and nightmares. I recommend seeking out all his film and television work, along with his ever-inspiring book, “Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity”.

Christine McConnell; artist, baker & maker extraordinaire! Christine does exquisitely elegant dark artwork that is otherworldly gorgeous. I am always blown away by her creations. Pristinely crafted and perfectly sweet & spooky – there is nothing she can’t do! I recommend checking out her YouTube channel, Patreon, and her Netflix show, “The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell” .

Mona Awad is my favourite author. Her stories are a surreal swirl of beauty, darkness and femininity. If glamourous horror intrigues you, I recommend reading both, “Bunny” and “Rouge”.

Website: www.oliviafaustshop.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/oliviafaust.art

Other: Portfolio: www.oliviafaust.com

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.