I sit down with Chelsea Wade — a kids' book illustrator known for her love of animals, unique South African wildlife patterns, and vibrant visual storytelling. Chelsea shares her journey from art school to self-taught success, teaching English abroad, and eventually co-creating her first children's book with a writer from across the world.

We dive deep into what it really means to thrive as an artist today — balancing creativity and business, building community online, and adapting to the evolving world of AI.

Chelsea offers practical advice for kids' book illustrators on how to:

• Attract the right writers for collaboration

• Use Instagram as a visual art diary and community-builder

• Leverage Pinterest for discovery and Etsy traffic

• Know when to turn your art into merchandise

• Align your brand with your audience

• Build career stability in the AI age

Whether you're starting out or looking to grow, this episode is packed with insight into the mindset, marketing, and making of a thriving creative career.

Follow Chelsea Wade: https://visualbloomdesigns.com

Follow Andy Marshall: https://andycmarshall.com

Support the podcast on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/c/ForkInTheRoadPodcast

Patreon members receive:

The Scenic Route: Extended 1 hour video interview

The Short Cut: Get to ask podcast guests questions, access to the weekly deep dive blogs and the extended hour long video podcast.

The Artists Highway: Monthly one-on-one video call to talk about ways we can help your art business thrive. Get to ask podcast guests questions, access to the weekly deep dive blogs and the extended hour long video podcast.