Samantha Dion Baker - Independent Designer, Illustrator, Artist
What do after-school snacks, paying bills and a much-needed glass of wine have in common? These ordinary daily tasks and rituals are all things documented in artist Samantha Dion Baker’s sketchjournal. The New York graphic-designer-turned-illustrator began recording the things she sees in her sketchbook and sharing them on Instagram about four years ago, and her career has pivoted and accelerated again from there. Her attempt to get back to the basics and feed her creativity eventually led her self-publish her own book, Draw Your Day, an instructional guide to creating an illustrated journal. Her storytelling through realistic and playful art and unique typography has attracted a huge following on social media, and her supporters are all eager to see what comes next for this talented woman who found her passion in her 40s. While sharing her life publicly was an adjustment for the mother of two, Samantha found that drawing in a journal form personalized her path, while also ridding her of negativity and self-doubt and preventing her from comparing herself to established illustrators. It all started with learning to draw again and keeping a visual documentation of daily moments that’ll serve as sweet memories for her family in the years to come. She’s hopeful that her new book will inspire others to pick up a pen and sketch daily, because for her drawing is a meditative, youthful and purposeful practice - and she’d love to encourage those feeling in others.