Studio Stories: Krissy Mast

Always Creating and Evolving, an Interview with Krissy Mast

Not many people can say that they’ve built a million-dollar company, let alone early on in their career, but Krissy Mast is a true trailblazer.

Her art has been featured on all kinds of objects, but one of the coolest things has been seeing her kids wear pajamas with her designs. While she’s already accomplished so much, she has plans for so many more impressive projects.

Greetings Island couldn’t miss the opportunity to team up with such a whimsical artist. Read on so you can learn about our invitation collaboration.

On your website, you share that you’re inspired by the following: “My kids, my dog, collections of interesting things, old hotels, and bright, bold colors.” Could you share any memorable moments you’ve had with your kids or dogs that sparked a new art idea? What is the coolest thing you’ve ever added to your collection?

My kids are constantly sharing ideas of what I should draw next, which I love! Right now my daughters are SUPER into bunnies, so I am working on a bunny collection that also coincides with spring and Easter. It’s really fun when I make art that they are into and then that art gets licensed for things like kids pajamas, so they get to wear the art! I did an NYC art collab with a children’s brand here and so they got NYC pajamas, which is really fun because we live just outside the city and it’s their favorite! 

Your Greetings Island collaboration invitations look like a beautiful children’s storybook with friendly zoo animals, a huggable dog, and cakes that you want to pull out of the screen to eat. Which invitation was your favorite to design and why?

My favorite was the party animals (invitation link), no question! I love drawing animals, especially when I can add some silly and fun touches. I want to use that invitation for the next party my kids have!! 

You have an extensive background as an entrepreneur, and you’ve even managed to grow your last business to $1 million in revenue. Out of all of the business strategies you’ve learned, which one surprised you the most in terms of effectiveness?

I think that the most effective strategy is to ditch perfectionism. When something is like 85% good, I go with it. I am constantly putting my work and myself out there, even though I’m never “100% ready.” The thing is that you will always have to adjust and make edits and changes to whatever you are working on once it’s out in the world, so why not just do that last 15% while you are getting real-time feedback? 

You entered the art licensing world in 2023. Could you tell us more about your journey of discovering your passion for art?

I have always been an artist; I grew up in a very creative family. My dad is an architect, and my mom is in the interior design business. My sisters are also both creative! I have loved art for as long as I can remember. It’s always been my passion, and I have had several successful creative careers already!

I was an art director right out of college, then I started a side hustle of wedding illustration, which is the business that I eventually grew to $1M in revenue. Then in 2023, I made the switch to art licensing because that year I became a mom to four little ones all 5 and under, and it’s the perfect balance of work and mom-life for me. 

Your art has lots of clever phrases, such as “Bone Voyage” featuring a well-traveled dog, and “Happy Yee Haw-lidays.” Do you brainstorm these phrases and let the art follow naturally, or do you start with an image idea and a funny tagline comes afterward?

It’s definitely both! Usually I draw something and then try to brainstorm cute phrases to go with it, but occasionally I come up with a really fun, punny phrase and then I design a fun card or something around that. 

If you could create a greeting card or invitation that includes you and your family, what would that look like as far as poses, decorations, and other details? What holiday or event would you design?

Well, it’s barely possible to get all of my kids smiling in the same photo at this stage! I love holiday cards. We send out a Christmas card every year with a family photo and then I illustrate the card design, so it would certainly be that! 

What was it like creating your art course called Art Licensing Unlocked? Did you discover any unexpected hurdles and joys throughout the process?

I am still in the process of finalizing the course and it has been a true labor of love. The main hurdle is just trying to conquer this massive project on the sidelines of my normal artwork load (which is usually done on the sidelines of being a mom)! I absolutely love teaching others and sharing my experience, I have always been that way. 

Your art has appeared on Anthropologie apparel and other cool items, such as phone cases. What has it been like seeing people wearing your art? Are there other items you want to see your artwork on in the future?

It’s awesome to see my art in stores like Anthro, it barely feels real. I would LOVE to do an advent calendar because we are a really big Christmas family and my kids love advent calendars. I would also really like to collaborate with more pet brands for things like dog accessories, bedding, etc. And last, I would love to do a full bedding/kids’ bedroom collection.

As a talented artist and entrepreneur juggling all kinds of projects, what does a typical day look like for you? Do you have any tricks to keep the creativity flowing or to avoid burnout?

I wake up and the first things I do are get the kids all ready for school, feed the dog, and drink lots of coffee. I usually play tennis a few times a week, and always have to do lots of grocery shopping.

I try to fit my work in when the kids are out of the house or napping, so between the hours of around 9 am to 2 pm and after 8 pm. It is actually really hard to not get burnout, and oftentimes I might plan on doing like 3 hours of work after the kids go to bed and then I end up falling asleep in one of their rooms and that plan is out the window. I have learned to give myself grace and I am super selective about the amount of client work that I take on so that I am never feeling too overwhelmed. 

Your art has impacted countless people. Has anyone ever reached out to you to share how your art has touched them? What inspires you to keep creating?

One of my absolute favorite things is how many people reach out to me on social media on a daily basis. Whether it is to share photos of my art on products they found, or just to say that they love a certain illustration, it really adds such a layer of joy to my work. I am just naturally really driven and really creative, so I have to always be creating and evolving myself and my business; it’s just in my DNA. 

Having four kids probably means throwing lots of parties and events! What are your greatest pieces of advice for planning a party?

My kids are little enough right now that we mostly keep it to birthday parties, and luckily two of them are born in January, and then I have twins born in October, so right now we are able to get away with like two major parties twice a year. I am very aware that this will all come crumbling down as they get older and each wants their own parties, but I am embracing the efficiency for now.

My advice for parties is to make it as easy and fun as possible, and to outsource everything you can. At the end of the day, the kids will remember how much fun the party was and how it made them feel, not how perfect the decor was. So I put my focus on being as relaxed and happy as possible, and that makes the day really amazing for the kids as well.

Greetings Island understands that all spectacular parties have to start with equally spectacular invitations. This is why we always collaborate with the most talented artists like Krissy Mast (full collection link) to ensure that you’ll always have access to the nicest cards and invitations for every occasion.

There’s nothing more exciting than having a special party or event on the horizon. Let Greetings Island help you get the most out of your celebration by making it effortless to design and send breathtaking invitations that are perfect for your unique event. Take a look at our party invitations collection to get started.

There’s no doubt that Krissy will continue to create inspiring art, courses, and more. Make sure you follow her on Instagram @krissy_mast_art so you’ll be among the first to know what she does next.