Meet the Creative Kid: Michelle Baron

Today is a most excellent Wednesday because I get to introduce you to one of my dearest and most talented friends, the fiercely foxy Michelle Baron. Graphic designer, illustrator and baker extraordinaire; here’s what she had to say…

What do you do now?

I work as a designer/art director/illustrator-type person at Canvas, an advertising agency in Woodstock, Cape Town. I’m very lucky to work with such amazing people.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A full-time illustrator and book maker with many cats and succulents in my life.

Favourite materials to use?
Pen, ink and my beloved Adobe suite.

Work you’re most proud of?
The books that I completed during my Honours year in Illustration at Stellenbosch. I got to make the worlds in my head a reality

Would you rather have tentacles for ears or an extra-long chameleon-sized tongue?
Easy. Extra-long chameleon tongue. Could steal people’s nutella toast without them realising.

Spirit animal?
The quick red fox.

Where does your creativity come from?
My overthinking brain and restless hands. Having said that, something I’ve learned lately is that creativity/talent is not so much what you’re born with, but what you cultivate.

Creatives that inspire you?
Goodness, so many! Stefan Sagmeister for his different takes on design. Wasted Rita and David Shrigley for their human truths. Oliver Jeffers for his illustrated worlds that I wish I could climb into. Emily Carroll for being who I want to be when I grow up.

Why’s Cape Town creatively cool?
I think there’s an entrepreneurial spirit that’s very inspiring. You can’t go a week without hearing about a new start-up/pop-up restaurant/agency. I love that people are brave and believe in their ideas.

Best cupcake topping?
Cream cheese icing fo sho.

Hobbies?
Letting myself draw badly, listening to podcasts (This American Life has me hooked), talking to or about my dogs and cats, eating hummus and writing about make-up at smudgedbeauty.com.

Tell us a secret…
I wasn’t wearing pants when I wrote this.

Can you draw a self portrait in five seconds?