Keely Masterson is a self-taught mixed-media artist and illustrator. She’s semi-nomadic with her home base in Los Angeles, CA. This is her second installment in a 4-part series as Artist Strong’s Artist in Residence.

You can enjoy more of her art on Instagram: @wildflowerpantry. Stay tuned for the launch of her website https://www.wildflowerpantry.com

 

Choices, Choices, Choices

I first had the idea for Wildflower Pantry about four years ago. One of the main reasons it’s taken me so long to get started is the sheer amount of preparation involved—the many choices, if you will!

People often say to those with a big idea, “just get started,” and while I agree—momentum breeds momentum, and we learn through experience—for a project like this, I’ve found it is also helpful to have stylistic guidelines in place. That said, I can really take my time making decisions, and the truth is, I just wasn’t ready to make those choices until now.

At the time, I was still in the early stages of rediscovering my creativity, focused on finding my style and developing my skills. But I was all over the place. It was a deeply experimental phase—I spent hours watching art YouTubers, studying art history, taking online courses, and exploring anything that inspired me.

While it was exciting to reconnect with this part of myself, it also became overwhelming. I felt so inspired and saw so much beautiful art that I wanted to emulate, but I struggled to figure out which direction to take. And aside from that, my skill level meant that my work rarely matched the vision in my head, leaving me frustrated and impatient.

Gradually and with experience, I’ve gained clarity. I still love and feel inspired by many types of art, but I no longer feel the need to incorporate everything I admire into my own work. My taste has refined, and I’ve noticed patterns in what resonates with me. Kendyll Hillegas, an illustrator whose videos I used to watch, once suggested that when it comes to style, let what you enjoy doing determine your style, not the other way around. That shift in mindset was freeing for me.

For instance, I’ve realized I’m not particularly interested in illustrating people at the moment, even though I was when I was younger. These days, I’m more drawn to patterns, color, folk art, and the natural world—botanicals, landscapes, still life, food, and animals.

I’m especially motivated by color, using subjects as a way to experiment with fun combinations. And while I admire simple, graphic styles, my natural inclination is toward more detailed work, which I find meditative and immersive. It’s one of the reasons I love drawing and painting so much—it really allows me to “float” the flow state.

To be honest, I did start working on Wildflower Pantry soon after coming up with the idea. I was really excited about it, so I made a list of recipes to illustrate, painted a couple of gouache pieces on watercolor paper, and quickly realized completing everything traditionally would be too much work. I eventually decided it made more sense to illustrate this project digitally, but I still lacked a clear vision, so I set the idea aside.

In the meantime, I spent some years traveling (I was “slow-mading” in search of my new home) and turned my illustrated daily journal into a travel journal, which became my focus for a time.

              

Once finished, I turned my attention to my Vegan Superheroes project, which again took priority. However, both of these projects were essential to my growth—they taught me how to complete long-term creative work, helped me understand my process and preferences, and gave me confidence in my skills. They also allowed me to experiment, which was exactly what I needed before tackling project like Wildflower Pantry.

Now, I’m not saying I have it all figured out—not at all. I still have much to learn, especially when it comes to the fundamentals. And while I want to develop a unique style I love, I’m less focused on that now. I understand that style is an evolution—something that develops naturally through joyful practice and experimentation.

A video I recently watched on the Creative Pep Talk YouTube channel (“How to Find Your Style & Why You’re Making it Harder Than It Is”) offered an insightful perspective on style: it isn’t the source of creativity—it’s a tool that creates an efficient, structured environment where creativity can thrive. That idea deeply resonated with me—it captured something I’d already been feeling but hadn’t fully articulated.

Over the past few years, I’ve experienced a lot of decision fatigue—from travel plans to art choices (colors, mediums, compositions) to the endless options

for buying anything these days to the constant decisions that come with adulting. I’ve been craving simplicity and parameters to work within. For example, recently I’ve been drawn to the idea of creating a capsule wardrobe. And similarly, I enjoy working with limited color palettes—making those decisions upfront allows me to focus on the parts of art-making I enjoy most.

I’ve found that I feel most creative within certain constraints. With my illustrated journal, every illustration had to relate to my daily or travel experiences. For Vegan Superheroes, I committed to a set color palette and specific design elements—like the kitchen counter setup, wallpaper, and the googly-eyed bowl “superhero”—and stuck with them throughout the series. These boundaries simplified decision-making and allowed me to dive deeper into the creative process.

So, with that said, here’s where I’m at with Wildflower Pantry: I’ll be working digitally in Procreate, alternating between a few predetermined color palettes and brushes. And since this is an ongoing project (I currently have over 100 recipes), I want consistency in style but also plan to leave room for evolution as my preferences change. I think this evolution will become part of the project’s charm.

In my next post, I’ll share more details about the parameters I’ve set, what inspires me, and my plan for prototyping four of my favorite recipes.