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Creating a Career Without Labels: How Jill Labieniec Cultivates Creative Satisfaction in Multiple Mediums

Feb 4, 2026

Margo is joined by Jill Labieniec, an illustrator, designer, and endlessly curious maker living on Vashon Island in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Working primarily with watercolor, Jill’s whimsical illustrations and patterns have found homes on everything from fabrics and home goods to books, stationery, and editorial projects. Alongside her illustration practice, she has a deep love for working with her hands—sewing dresses, making shoes, and shaping clay—guided by a belief that art should help people create spaces where they can rest, daydream, and grow.

In this episode Jill reflects on her winding creative path—from a homeschooled childhood centered on making, through art school and freelance work, to building a creative career that prioritizes curiosity, balance, and day-to-day happiness over rigid labels or prestige.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Jill’s creative beginnings and how family life and early making shaped her career
  • Moving through art school, freelance work, and product-focused creative paths
  • What it really means to build a sustainable creative career over time
  • Letting go of fancy titles and external validation in favor of daily fulfillment
  • Balancing freelancing, creative freedom, and personal happiness
  • Jill’s thoughtful, intuitive approach to social media and sharing work online
  • Working both digitally and analog—and the joy of seeing art come to life on physical objects, especially ceramics
  • Embracing curiosity, trusting the creative process, and tuning out the noise

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