Spoonie Maker Spotlight: Abi Stevens

In this follow-up to my first Q&A with artist Abi Stevens, she shares the story behind some of her new enamel pin designs. Abi funded her first collection of spoonie pins through Kickstarter, and her second campaign is wrapping up now. She also sells her work on Etsy. Read on to find out what Abi’s been up to and learn more about her new creations.  

Q: What inspired you to create your newest designs?

A: I wanted to represent a wider range of people from the Spoonie community through my work, and expanding my collection of pins and stickers seemed the best way to do that. Enamel pins are little pieces of wearable art. They're an easy visual reference to remind their owner of their own strength and that they're not alone in their struggles. I'd also like them to serve as a bit of everyday advocacy, a reminder that people with invisible illnesses exist, and a conversation starter.

Q: How has the pandemic affected you and your art?

A: It's definitely increased my stress levels, and at various points this has made it difficult to engage with creative work. I was lucky in that I didn't lose any scheduled work due to lockdown, and having external deadlines to work to made it easier to keep creating. Finding inspiration and motivation for my personal work has been more difficult though. I've focused on simpler, quicker pieces that are easier to work on when I'm struggling.

​I only went full-time freelance with my illustration and online shop late last year so it's been interesting trying to grow a business during such unstable times, especially as my business was too new to qualify me for government assistance! 

Q: ​Can you describe your creative process?

A: ​I start by researching the topic I'm illustrating and looking for interesting details that jump out. I like to reference historical aesthetics, so elements of my work are often inspired by stained glass windows, illuminated manuscripts, and historical architecture.

I'll do scrappy little thumbnail drawings in a sketchbook and make notes, then when I have an idea of the direction I'm going in, I'll reference the thumbnails to make digital sketches in Photoshop. If I'm working for a client, this is when I'll take feedback and adjust the sketches accordingly, but if it's personal work I usually have a pretty clear idea of where I'm going with it and sometimes I'll skip straight to outlines.

Abi's new Chronic Warrior pin design

With these pins I already had a style in mind from previous designs, so I looked up various weapons I was interested in including for reference photos, then went straight into Photoshop. My research phase was mostly deciding which conditions I wanted to represent at this stage and discussing the choices and phrases with other Spoonies.

Q: Do you follow a self-care routine?

A: I try to but I have ADHD so I have trouble developing and sticking to routines. A big priority is to make sure I drink enough during the day (which I used to forget to do all the time), so I keep a water bottle at my desk. I have an app on my computer which reminds me to take screen breaks and this helps me remember to eat regularly and get up and stretch too.

When I'm doing better with routines (the lockdown threw my previous self-care routine out the window) I take yoga classes, go to the gym, take hot baths/showers and massage sessions, which help me reduce severe muscle tension which is both caused by and triggers my Migraine attacks. I also do my best to regulate my sleep by going to bed around the same time each night.

My biggest challenges right now are cooking proper meals and sticking to defined work/rest times. I have a habit of letting work bleed into my evenings and weekends.

Q: What advice would you give other creative spoonies who want to share their talents and experience?

A: The most important advice I have is to remember not to compromise your health for the sake of work. When I first went freelance, I set up a timetable that kept my hours to a limit I knew I could manage, but I frequently found myself working into the evenings to 'get more done'. This was almost always followed by a Migraine flare-up that prevented me from working at all for several days.

Abi's holographic Spoonie stickers

I still do this sometimes by mistake, especially when I'm very invested in a project, but it really isn't worth it. Applying the standards of a healthy person's full-time office job to working for yourself while chronically ill is a recipe for disaster. I try to remind myself regularly that I don't have to achieve all of my goals all at once; the only timetable I'm following is my own, so I'm free to create one that doesn't compromise my physical and mental health.

If you want to share your talents and experience too, then go for it! Please be as honest as you're comfortable being, because I think it's important not to accidentally play into the erasure of our struggles, but the more of us out there sharing our stories and our creations, the more we can fight back against ableism and combat misconceptions.