Alexandra Yvette on Venice Beach, Embracing Imperfection and Topless Swimsuits
Words: Tanya Fevzi | Photographer: Williejane Dent | Videographer: Amanda Elman | Hair: Virginie Pineda | Makeup: Arielle Park | Styling: Alexandra Yvette
Make it stand out
Hollywood-based artist Alexandra Yvette has grown a social media following for her chic fashion sense and whimsical, girly illustrations that finds romance in the everyday. Her custom portraits are easily identified by their abstract style, and often capture girls accessorised with bows, blushed cheeks, and martini glasses, unlocking a nostalgia for the idea of adulthood many imagined in the 2000s but never experienced. Growing up as a self-confessed shy girl, Alexandra channelled her creativity into her sketchbook and built a career around her art.
Outside of her original artwork and commissioned portraits she does live illustration events from LA to NY to Paris and beyond, where she sits down with her subjects and captures their essence with her pen and original style. Alexandra describes the atmosphere created at these events as that reminiscent of a 1920s Parisian salon – Paris, after all, being one of her many inspirations.
We were lucky enough to have Alexandra at our E-Girl Summit with Instagram at Susan Alexandra in New York in July, where we celebrated all things digital girlhood. She created portraits of our E-Girls that were taken home and cherished – a reminder of the special night. It is the personalisation of each piece that makes them so special.
We sat down to talk about her early life, staying authentic in a digital age, and all the things that have inspired and influenced her art style, from Venice Beach to having ADHD.
Hey Alexandra! Can you tell me a bit about your Californian upbringing?
Alexandra Yvette: I grew up in Venice Beach, a wacky, coastal surf town meets artist enclave with iconic past residents like Basquiat, Lana Del Rey and Clara Bow. They used to call it the Coney Island of the Pacific. It's an odd, camp place. Growing up, I surfed and skated and loved to go to the beach with a sketchbook and draw and lay in the sun.
Do you feel nostalgic for that time?
So nostalgic, yeah. I still visit Venice, but it has changed a lot.
What were your influences growing up?
Honestly it changed every 6 months! From Celtic folklore to Lady Gaga to Hello Kitty to the belle epoque. This is such an artist cliche but I was an awkward shy kid and I didn't have many friends in elementary and middle school, so my hyper fixations became my world.
How did your creativity and art pave a way to a career?
I always struggled to pay attention in school and I would draw my girls in my textbooks and come up with stories inspired by whatever book I was reading. I continued to draw and evolve my art through the years but it was social media that really helped me make a career out of my art. Until I started to share my work online, there was a gap between what was possible and the state of my art practice. I was creating a lot of work but it was only seen by me. Social media has definitely bridged that gap for me. When I started posting, I realised there were so many others, specifically women, who resonated with my work and understood the aura of what I do.
How did you get to that point? Did you do other bits on the side before?
Yes, oh my god, so many bits. I was a shop clerk at a gift shop, I worked at a restaurant for a while, did social media management, and worked in casting for a bit.
Do you feel like they helped you get to where you are now?
Definitely, I think every single job I've ever had has influenced my perspective. It definitely helps you view things with more nuance when you haven’t done the same thing your entire life. I’m also so incredibly grateful to be able to do art full time, I do not take that for granted.
Social media is amazing but it’s also saturated. Has it been difficult to stand out online?
Yes, it is so hard to stand out in the digital world. Of course It's important to be tapped into the zeitgeist, but I’ve always felt it best not to tune in too heavily to other artists and just focus on my own work and offline references. I do feel that If you're doing something authentically, you're always going to stand out.
Did you go to art school or are you self taught?
Originally I went to school for fashion design but dropped out after just two years. I’m self-taught, and I've been drawing the same way since I was a kid. I just figured out how I wanted to draw what I already drew, so my art practice has been developing and building on my original style from childhood. It was a very intuitive process and I’ve always liked to keep that childlike wonder and line work alive in my work.
How has your art style evolved over the years?
The subject matter and style has been maintained, but I've been able to really hone in on certain details and materials I use. It’s been so fun to experiment and incorporate new mediums.
Do you feel like your influences have changed over time?
They've stayed pretty consistent since my early 20’s. I would say most inspiration for my art is fashion related as many fashion designers are also illustrators. I've always adored the 1920s. I love 60s mod. One of my favorite designers is Rudy Gernreich, who was the inventor of the iconic “monokini” topless swimsuit. I’ve always resonated with his avant garde style, I think he was truly ahead of his time. I love his fast sketches and illustrations.
Can you tell me a bit about what your creative process looks like?
When I have an idea for a sketch, It's usually pretty rapid and onset. There's not a lot of planning. It's very spontaneous. It's like, hand to paper and then just see what happens.
Do you have a favourite place that you like to make art?
My studio apartment is in a 1920’s building where artists and writers used to live. I feel very inspired here and have this beautiful French window that looks out onto the street. I love to sit and work with the sunlight on me. I also love working in cafes, especially a French Cafe with a cute bistro table, that’s my kryptonite. In LA I love to sit and draw at Figaro Bistro, which is the closest we get to Paris.
What do you like to know about someone before creating a portrait for them?
When I look at someone, I can already tell how they want to be seen.
Dream portrait subject?
Chloe Sevigny and Lana Del Rey. A girl can dream!
What’s the most challenging part about your work?
Definitely the business side of things. It is really hard for me because I have ADHD and I'm not the most organized, business savvy person. Being a business owner was a new role for me to step into. There is also so much behind the scenes work that goes into running an art business that I was not thinking about when I chose this path.
In what other ways does your ADHD affect your work?
I know everyone's like, “ADHD is my superpower,” and I do agree with that in terms of sharing my illustrations online because when I started sharing my work, I didn't really care if it was good or bad, because I created my sketches so intuitively and quickly. I would just be like, “I need to make this thing.” And then, “Oh, I kind of like this, let me post it.” I really wouldn't look at it too much. I'm grateful that I'm like that, because I think if I was a perfectionist, I wouldn't have shared a lot of my earlier work, and then I wouldn't have been able to find a community online. So the impulsivity and over sharing paid off!
Are there any other areas that you haven't yet dipped into that you'd like to try?
I am working on products that incorporate my art. My dream is to design a shampoo bottle, lipstick or even pasta packaging!. Packaging and product design inspired me so much when I was growing up in the early 2000s. When I go shopping for anything from groceries to toiletries I’m mainly looking out for packaging that I like, so I’d love to create some fun whimsical stuff.
Finally, what's one thing you want people to take away from your work?
I really don’t think in these terms. I just love creating my art and it feels fulfilling to see how people resonate with it.
