Geek Girls Gab with Karen Hallion Art

I am from a small town in Massachusetts just north of Boston called Nahant.  I went to Ringling School of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA in Illustration.  Up until a few years ago, I was an elementary school art teacher.  Now I am working full-time as an artist. I live with my husband and two small sons who we are raising to be well-versed in all of Geekdom.  I currently live on the North-shore of Massachusetts with my husband, our sons, and our cats, Obi and Kenobi. 

The Nerdy Girlie:  What is your 1st nerd memory?

Karen:  Role playing Battle of the Planets, a.k.a. G-Force in the backyard with my siblings and some neighborhood kids.  I always got to be Princess.

TNG:  How and why did you start drawing?

Karen:  I really started drawing in high school, after I saw the Little Mermaid, and decided I wanted to be a Disney Animator someday.

TNG:  When and why did you decide to start your own Etsy shop?

Karen:  I opened my Etsy shop in 2009. I had lost my job as an elementary school art teacher and decided to give freelancing a try.

TNG:  YOUR favorite Etsy shop?

Karen:  I love Crafty Ginger Mama, who is making some very cool stuff with my fabric from Spoon Flower, as well as aprons, legwarmers, and reusable totes and bags.

TNG:  What is your favorite thing to nerd out about?

Karen:  Disney! I love to know all of the behind the scenes things about the parks, like any insider tips, all about the rides, the history, the food, and the characters.

TNG:  Any tips for San Diego Comic Con?

Karen:  Well, C2E2 in Chicago was my first convention and it was definitely a learning experience.  My tips would be to organize your stock before you go, make sure you are clear about prices, and bring more business cards than you think you'll need!  I ran out of business cards on the second day.  Also, use any downtime you have to network with other artists and talk to people at your table.

TNG:  Girlie things you love?

Karen:  I am addicted to Sephora and nice bags (particularly Disney ones) and recently I am obsessed with nail polish!

Thank you so much to Karen for taking time to answer these questions for us!  Doesn't she have THE best cat names!!??  I first fell in love with her work when I saw some of it on Pinterest.  Her Doctor Who and Disney mashups are amazing and cry out to my nerdy and girlie sides!  She makes the rounds on all the internet t-shirt shops so keep and eye out!  You can also find her:  Etsy: Karen Hallion Art. Twitter: @khallion. Facebook: Karen Hallion Art