Artist Spotlight: Meet Kendra Dandy

Palm trees and glamingos and lashed lobsters, oh my! Yes, that joyful artwork now available in Evite-form is from Kendra Dandy, the highly acclaimed and beloved artist whose work you've likely seen already at several other well-known companies. Kendra gave us a little insight into her design process (including her views on digital and traditional painting), so sit back and enjoy learning more about her!

Evite: What inspired you to become an artist?

Kendra: I have always been interested in art and was always the kid who doodled in class on my notebooks and on my arms, so it seemed pretty natural for me to end up with a career in art. After unhappily working in retail for several years, I decided to try my luck with full-time freelance illustration, and thankfully it worked out and is continuing to do so. 

Evite: Which three words describe your design aesthetic?

Kendra: Colorful, expressive and fun.

Evite: You work using both traditional and digital painting. What aspects about each medium do you appreciate? When you're conceptualizing a design, do you know which medium you'll use to bring it to life?

Kendra: Digital art is great because you can experiment on the go with a full toolbox with no limits. You can easily erase or delete something that doesn’t work and work without having to pull out all your art supplies. 

Physical mediums are great because you get to experience the materials, and everything has a true handmade nature to it. There’s also a satisfying feeling holding something you created with your hands and raw materials. I use both mediums interchangeably. Sometimes I have a small doodle on paper that I want to explore more, so I’ll grab my iPad and work with colors/backgrounds/different versions. Other times I’m working on a traditional painting, and I can’t decide how to finish it, so I’ll take a picture of it and work on finishing options on my iPad since it’s easier to play with elements digitally.

Evite: When you have a creative block, what pulls you out of it?

Kendra: I try not to force it. I’ll most likely go off and do something else, including sitting around doing nothing, watching TV or anything else but something creative. If I try to force something out, I’m usually pretty unhappy with the result, so it’s best to just leave it alone for a while. Of course, if I suddenly come up with an idea, I at least will write it down or do a very quick doodle if I don’t have the energy to complete it. That way, when I’m ready to create, I have something I can work on.

Evite: What inspires your work?

Kendra: I am inspired by a lot of modern art, art from the Impressionism era forward and things like nature, beauty, animals and fashion. Current events and things that happen in my personal life and career also serve as inspiration for some pieces.

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Kendra Dandy is the talented illustrator and Philadelphia native behind the brand Bouffants & Broken Hearts. Kendra discovered surface design while trying to find a way to be involved in the fashion world. Surface Design allowed her to combine her love for illustration and fashion to create brilliant and exciting new patterns. Today her work graces many products from apparel to home goods. Her most loved influences are nature themes, fashion, makeup, the 50s and 60s, junk food and animals. Collaborations include Vans, Sephora, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, and Nike. 

Kendra Dandy’s Bouffants & Broken Hearts brand represents a sense of individuality, self-expression, and fun. As a surface designer, Kendra enjoys creating 'simple' repeat prints inspired by many of her beloved influences, but nothing about the brand, or the art, is conventional – the mix of patterns, colors, and subjects is original; designs are loud, and everyday life is reinterpreted in amusing ways. Each illustration provokes a conversation, tells a story, and pushes the boundaries of what is considered ‘normal’-- whether that is seductively winking fries or leopards strutting bright red pumps-- she stimulates the imagination and takes the audience on a whimsical and fun adventure.

You can find all of Kendra Dandy’s invitations right here.