I introduced art as a facet to my blog a couple of months ago as I launched The Mad Kitchen on Etsy as a means of pursuing my passion for lettering, typography and illustration in the business realm. Well, that wasn’t the start of my artwork in a professional environment.

In 2014, I started working as a pastry cook in Richmond, Virginia for an incredible business and restaurant group called Shyndigz. Shyndigz is a mecca of southern-style desserts and is famous on the East coast for its 5 and 1/4″ tall cakes. While working in the kitchen, my lovely boss, the Shyndigz co-founder, noticed my lettering when writing birthday messages onto cakes. From the first time she asked me to do a chalkboard menu, it was game over. I fell in love with large scale lettering, chalkboard art and murals.

We turned every plain surface into a chalkboard, serving decorative purposes as well as functional. As Shyndigz opened it’s secondary business, a to-go, takeout and gift shop for the desserts and small goods, my work spread next door. About a year later, the owners of Shyndigz and Shyndigz 2go & Market opened a third business – The Fancy Biscuit. Can you guess what happened next?

I am so fortunate to say you can find my artwork in three businesses in Richmond, Virginia. Upon spending time in Spain, I’ve started to go a bit crazy without these artistic projects to walk into each day. I eagerly look forward to the day I’m back in the River City and can continue my work as an artist.

This is why I am taking the step of showcasing some of my professional work and explaining the story of how it came to be. I am seeking new businesses to work with and opportunities to develop my creative pursuits upon returning to the US in 2019. If you or anyone you know in the Richmond or DC area may be seeking a chalkboard artist or creative thinker to contribute to your business or events, please feel free to contact me through email at mpollardva@gmail.com or comment below.

In the meantime, feel free to enjoy the full scope of my artistic efforts by visiting my online portfolio, www.madisonpollard.com ! There, you’ll find more extensive chalkboard art as well as my branding efforts and label design (for Shyndigz), marketing materials, murals, small typography projects, flyer designs for international musicians and fun installations for music festivals and events.

If you get a chance, stop in Shyndigz or The Fancy Biscuit (whose websites I’ve also done) to view my work in person and try some amazing desserts!

 

Additionally, here are a few of my murals, which you can also find at Shyndigz and Shyndigz 2go!