Kelsey Mitchum is the illustrator and owner of the small business, Lighter Note. She loves brining to life what lights others up through illustration, and handlettering art. She lives in her hometown, Anderson South Carolina and loves seeing God move in peoples lives there. When she’s not drawing she’s spending time in community.
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Connect with Kelsey
www.lighternote.net
www.lighternote.shop
Instagram: @lighter.note
Kelsey Mitchum is the illustrator and owner of the small business, Lighter Note. She loves brining to life what lights others up through illustration, and handlettering art. She lives in her hometown, Anderson South Carolina and loves seeing God move in peoples lives there. When she’s not drawing she’s spending time in community.
.....
Connect with Kelsey
www.lighternote.net
www.lighternote.shop
Instagram: @lighter.note
Hey, what's up everyone? Welcome to shining light with Nicole, where we are keeping your 24 Golden. I'm Nicole, and on today's episode, we are talking about how you were made to create with Kelsey Michonne. Welcome to season two. Kelsey, welcome to the podcast.
Kelsey Mitchum :Thank you so much. I'm excited.
Nicole Clark :I am so excited today. So you guys, I have to be just like super upfront and honest. I have never met Kelsey before. But I just love the Lord and just love his just divine connections and appointments. And I just think it's so cool. For 1212 we needed just like a T shirt design. And I just happen to come across Kelsey and just again was kind of drawn to Just what she does her art and her vision, and it just was so cool. And so now we work together on two projects. Definitely we'll continue to work together on projects. And I just admire her heart, and just her passion for what she does. Also, she loves Jesus, and is just like excited to create and just share her gifts with others. So Kelsey, welcome.
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, I know, I'm from my point of view. I was. I live in Anderson, South Carolina. And just to go over a little bit of background, and I was just sitting there one day and I got an email from this awesome lady in Texas. And I was like, What in the world I just, it was so cool. And I knew it was from Jesus because I had no connection to Nicole previous. So I was excited to get to work on something and to get to work with somebody who is doing something out of a passion that the Lord gave them. So that was an exciting thing to see. But um, yeah. I'm so excited. This is my very first podcast. So it's pretty cool to get to share today.
Nicole Clark :This is really cool. So Kelsey, before we just jump right in, I just have a couple of Bible verses that I'd love to read. And then we just want to hear from you. So the first one is Genesis one one. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And then Psalm 104 24 says, what a wildly wonderful world. God you made it all, with wisdom at your side, made Earth overflow with your wonderful creations. And then Ecclesiastes, these 910 a, whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. So on the podcast, like we're just talking about creating, I love creating, it's one of my gifts, I think, like I was made to create and encourage. So Kelsey, I can't wait to just dive in. So please just tell us a Little bit about you, and just your background and just all that creating.
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah. So I guess I'll start off by saying, I'm Kelsey Mitchum, probably haven't met a lot of you guys. So definitely go into a little bit of background. So I live in Anderson, South Carolina. I'm 22. And I do. I'm an illustrator and a designer haven't always been obviously because I am 22 since a lot before that. I will say a big part of my journey is I'm a very self taught person. And I like to educate myself, but usually on my own, so I didn't go to college. I didn't go to art school. I definitely don't have a traditional route to getting to where I am. I honestly I started off as a I don't think you know this yet, but I'm going to share it right now. We'll learn it together. I was an actress a lot when I was a kid, so like community theater, and one thing led to another and I realized that I love story and that's why I was drawn to acting in the first place. And then I started writing a lot. So I was writing like, you know, some novel type works and things like that. And then it kind of just continued. And that trickle effect was like, I love stories. I love people I'm passionate about creating, and then all boil down to just that entrepreneurial spirit. And that business minded, that business mind plus creative like working with my hands and being a maker. And I kind of just always played around with the idea of making stationery. And that led to wanting to have an online shop and, you know, all of the avenues I took started as blogs. And that's a lighter note started as a blog. That's the name of my business. And then I was like, but I have to use my hands and I want to engage with people. And so kind of all piece itself together into just being an illustration business, so that I would get to make products that I would also get to like, bring things to life that people loved and like see their vision come to fruition. Stuff like that. So I hope that gives a little bit of background about me. I'll definitely if there's questions and stuff, I would love to share more about it.
Nicole Clark :Yeah, that's so awesome. And so would you say then that you discovered your passion for creating like so through acting? Yeah, I mean,
Kelsey Mitchum :I would say that's kind of the beginning of a creative outlet for me. I was definitely the kid who tried out cheerleading and try not to fantastic. You know, my brother was he was always on baseball teams and soccer teams. And I was like, I don't think I'm the most athletic person, although I have given my best effort because I love being active. So I've done a few things like that, but I just never had my thing and I kind of honestly like if I'm being super all all cards on the table until about a year and a half ago did I put did I realize fully that I could just say that I'm a creator and say that I'm a creative person and that I am an entrepreneur. I think it was scary for me to To say that I have discovered it if that makes sense. I don't know if anyone can relate to that. But sometimes it's comfortable to say that I'm still looking for what my thing is, and I'm just trying things out. But I realized that it was always about making things that made people inspired. And it was always about bringing things to life that people were working on just like the project we were mentioning earlier. If Nicole had a vision for for this new season and new shirt and kind of a brand thing, and I was like, Alright, let's talk about it and get some ideas together and then seeing something that actually worked for your nonprofit and was, you know, exactly the vision that both of us started to dream together. That was kind of the sweet spot. So I discovered that along the way, I think writing played into a lot talking to people about what they're passionate played into it a lot. And then kind of the engine underneath all of the things that helped me to discover what my passion is. And it sounds cheesy, but I'm I'm passionate about Passion. So being more of, I would say that the thing I landed on is being more of a guide than the like hero in the story. I really love that journey of like somebody coming to me whether it's as simple as like a custom portrait of their family that I get to illustrate or a children's book, or hearing that passion and then guiding them to something visual, that's the, you know, end of it. So that's probably all over the place. But that's kind of I speak very circularly so it'll come back around, but
Nicole Clark :no, discovery. I love that. Kelsey, we're totally going to talk offline because I have so many things to talk to you about because, you know, I I started in dance. And so I love this was a professional dancer and then to like, I and again, being super transparent, you know, I I'm approaching 40. And so just even a few years ago, I finally found my thing, you know, so yeah, what you said totally resonated with me. You Yeah, and so yeah, I'm with you and just like how you just love passion you love to create. It's just so awesome.
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a lot of people's wheelhouse as we, we like hang on to that comfort of, it could be a lot of things for different people. But sometimes it's not stable job or whatever it is and be like, we think that we can just and it's okay if our passions our only hobbies forever. I think everyone needs hobbies, and I am starting to have to find hobbies again, because I'm being paid for what I love to do. But it is that like jump to say, No, I do know what God has given me as a gift. And I do know what I'm passionate about and what I want to be doing with my time. And that's not I don't think that's a prideful thing at all. I think it's actually I use this expression with my friends a lot is that's actually like going out in the backyard and like digging up the gifts you might have buried along the way to be more comfortable or just feel safe and Feel like, like you're gonna be able to provide for yourself or whatever the whatever the fear is. There, but But yeah, that's what I would say about that.
Nicole Clark :Absolutely. So have you ever tried or have you ever failed at trying something? You know, have you ever had like a failing moment?
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, definitely in general in life. But yeah, I mean, I would say there's been products along the way that, um, because I think in the beginning, especially in the beginning of a small business and freelancing and that kind of thing, you want to take on all the projects, because, I mean, there's nothing that you can't do until you try it, you can't you know, but, um, I would definitely try to take on little projects and stuff and I realized that they're not my thing. And I'm also you know, especially with illustration, I'm, I don't always do the graphic design thing I'm usually illustrating. So it's digital illustration. For those of you who don't know I process I usually am on an iPad with an Apple Pencil for the Digital Ocean. Should I do? And so you know, I'm not the Adobe girl, I'm not on illustrator online, those kind of things are not my thing. And so projects like that, I definitely have had to say like, this is not mine, I gotta pass it on. But the good thing is I have a lot of friends who can do other things. But yeah, in general and life, though, there's been a lot of moments I was mentioning earlier how I'm not the most athletic, athletic. I tried pole vaulting in high school, and it was fun. But did I fail a million times? Yes, absolutely. So So yeah, I think I think failure is it has such a harsh connotation. It's such a heavy word, but I don't think it's a bad thing at all. I think it's, I think it's a great thing to continuously fuel you to try. And just to be light hearted about when you when you can't do something. That's never a bad thing, in my opinion.
Nicole Clark :Love that. So what's the what's been the hardest thing that you've had to overcome walking out your passion?
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, so let's A really good question, I think it's going to shed light on probably what a lot of people experienced as they're creatives, especially younger creatives to, to speak to people my age is sometimes an older generation, like people, my parents age or older, sometimes don't understand or support or give their full like, I don't know how to explain it, I guess it's just hearing the voice of an older generation sometimes is hard, because you're so excited and you're pursuing things and you're being creative. And a lot of it's online, and you're, you're building this whole world that's like, just a little bit different and not typical, maybe. And it's hard to hear negative feedback of like, that's not realistic. Or, you know, I think the thing too is I have a lot of friends who are also small business owners, and I'll hear this phrase a lot, or like, that's a that's a neat idea. And the truth is, it's not an idea anymore. We're walking it out and we're doing this thing So it is it is hard to hear negative feedback or just people who don't understand. Yeah, I would say that the voice of other people sometimes is really challenging to hear and then filter it through, you know, where they're coming from. And then, you know, take it for what it is.
Nicole Clark :That's good. Kelsey, can you just talk for a moment, you know, just to that person who's out there, who is just searching and searching for their thing, you know, for their passion, and they just, you know, have the heart to create, but just, you know,
Kelsey Mitchum :they're kind of Yeah. Yeah, I. So this is honestly, I think my favorite conversation to have. I'm definitely that person who's at a social gathering or a party who ends up in these conversations over in the corner, just like talking about passion and what it is for that person. And I think, I think to start off is to have people that you can talk to about these things, and like community who could just ask questions and help you process through is really important. But to talk specifically about person, I would say that you're in a really great place to be searching for these things and figuring it out. I think it's an exciting time. And I know that's, maybe you're frustrated, you're hitting a wall. But it's 100% an exciting time because it's, these are the moments before a breakthrough. And I think that's where you're going to find a lot of perseverance as you're trying new things and failing, like we talked about earlier, or you've maybe got more more things that you're creative with. And that's why it's hard to narrow it down. And that's a great problem to have, because then you'll see that to be incorporated later. But I would say continuously be around people who are doing things and being bold with their their passions and their creativity. Allow them to ask good questions and give you truthful feedback. And the other thing I was going to say is, I think Maybe it's contradicting what I said earlier about having too many passions, but I would take a couple months at a time and just focus in on something. So if you are a painter and a dancer, and a graphic designer, maybe pick, pick the one that you this is what I always tell my friends, is pick something that you continuously circle back to. So maybe, maybe you were young, right like a young graphic designer, and you were like, even in like fourth grade designing things online and like, you just understood all those programs inside and out. And if you continuously circle back to something that take note of those patterns, but to continue my example if the if graphic design is something you're noticing more and this time or in this season, just kind of really double down on it and just take time each day, or each week or however much time you have and just practice it, just make it part of your part of your schedule and put time there. And I think that's going to help when you're focused in on one thing for a longer amount of time. Because then you'll see like, after a couple months, you know, is this my thing? Or am I really growing weary of this and it's not fun. It's more more hard work than it is enjoyable. And yeah, so I hope that's practical. I think those are some things I worked on is putting myself in circles with people who are going to encourage me, ask me incredible questions. Be truthful with me with what I'm working on, you know, and some, you know, not all feedback is exactly what you want to hear. But some of it's really helpful. And to be coachable like that, and then to spend the actual time working on something and growing something, and then you'll start to see over time, what you know, and even when someone just asked you questions about like, what do you love to do? It'll usually be the first thing that you say as a response. That is what your thing is, you know? So that's, I guess that's all I got for that one.
Nicole Clark :That was great. Thank you for sharing. Now tell us all about lighter note. Like I just want to hear all the things Because really I love your work. And then too, I have to tell you, because you guys, I talked about this earlier that, you know, Kelsey did this design for us and Kelsey, I just loved it so much. And it just was so powerful. Like, that's been our theme for the year. Yeah, I hope is alive is just like what, you know, we everything that we do this year, it's called hope is alive. And so I love you know, you're just so awesome. Okay, but yeah, go tell everybody about.
Kelsey Mitchum :Um, so I guess I'll start from the top. I told you a little bit about the Genesis story of it. But it's, it's an illustration company, I guess you could say. I'm still not sure if one day I'll call it a illustration studio or whatever, have space for it. But um, yeah, so it's called lighter note. I'll kind of dive into the name a little bit and then tell you what I do with it. So when it was still a blog, and it was not a company, it was nothing. I decided then it took me a long time to see I've the name because I wanted it to be something I could grow with instead of just, it made sense for a blog and then it you know, wasn't what was in season anymore. But it's, I always say when people hear it just to help them have any recognition of it is it's the same as the phrase on a lighter note. But the true like, meaning of the name is a little bit deeper. So, we hear the word gospel a lot in Christian circles, and that translates to or we can say that it translates to is good news. And so it's the similar idea of, of bringing a lighter note or better news or a better word to the world which we usually hear more negative words or it's just, I say it all the time. It's a bringing a lighter note to a heavy in a noisy world. So when you're usually hearing something a little bit heavier or noisier and not necessarily noisy in a good way, I wanted to bring a lighter note to something that was refreshing and light and do that in the way that I interact with clients and people who are I'm working with and do that in the way of the things I designed on my own are just really playful and fun and like easy on the eyes and that kind of thing. But what I do, actually, as far as the projects that kind of work on is, I work on. Sorry, I open this little door. I work on all kinds of products. So anything that's illustrated as far as like children's books, and I've worked on a coloring book for somebody. I'm trying to get some good examples here. Definitely logos I love working on logos. Product Design, like the T shirts we were talking about, or if you have like a market tote idea. And then I also do things for the individual. So if you have an idea of a special like, project that you want for somebody like you want to design a you want a poster designed or a custom picture of your family are that kind of thing. So I work on products for our projects for companies and individuals. But then I also, this is the design part of it. And this is again, this will fall under the lighter no umbrella, I do some UI UX design. And I work with a software engineer just designing websites. And so that's a little bit of the other part of it that I don't show as much just yet. But for the most part, it's just any illustration projects, really. From brand stuff to all the way down to like if you wanted a picture of your pet, I would totally do that. So yeah.
Nicole Clark :That is so cool. Well, Kelsey, tell us like where can we find you online and your socials?
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, so I have a website that features more of the design work. It's www dot lighter note dotnet. And then I don't think I honed in as much about the products that I make for my own brand. But I also make green cards and prints and that those kind of things, enamel pins, and that's on www dot lighter note dot shop. But both of them are linked on the dotnet web address, but I'm also on Instagram at I think it's at lighter note underscore illustration. And then my personal is I'm not honest much but it's I'm at Kelsey dot PPT because I thought it was funny. that's similar to a PowerPoint. But anyway.
Nicole Clark :So this is great. Yeah. So you guys, we will drop those links in the show notes for sure. So you can connect with Kelsey and her amazing business. But I have your final two. Because all right. This podcast is all about Matthew 516, and just letting our light shine for the Lord. And I just truly believe that God uses our story to change the world. So how did your puzzle pieces lead you to where you are today?
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, I think a lot of what we were talking about just First of all, I think I would say, loving Jesus has taught me to love people. Because I don't think I would have as deep of a well to love people if if I didn't know what his love was, and then I would say leading that into like loving people's stories and loving to connect with people. And then I'm so sorry, my cat is knocking on the store. Open the store. Yeah, and then understanding that my like desire to create and I guess to create wasn't, wasn't being like prideful or arrogant, but was truly submitting to what God had for me. And then, yeah, just surrendering it. So I'd say love of people love of their stories, wanting to work with them, and then surrendering all of that to the Lord to let him do what he wants to do with it has actually been the catalyst for like, I think any success I found and it's been it's been for me surrendering it and giving it to God for him to do what he wants. So I would say those are puzzle pieces. Yeah.
Nicole Clark :And I just think you do such a great job of just shining bright and not hiding your light for the kingdom. Have you always been that way? And what can you share with us just to encourage us and help us?
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, I in some ways, I would say I have, but in some ways not. So I started a relationship with Jesus at six years old. So I would say a lot of it has been developing along the way. But I definitely struggle with that Tim is like spirit just not wanting to fully like you said, walk in the light that I feel like God has put in me, just because of fear and what people would think. And, you know, I kind of realized at a young age that each step of your life leads you down a path and you're kind of building a path you're gonna walk in, and I think I was always scared to take big leaps. But then, I feel like God continuously filled me with confidence and courage as I asked for it, and so yeah, I haven't, I would say Like I said, in some ways I have in some ways I really have had to trust God each each step of the way. And as I've gotten older, to be bold and to continuously, like, share, share more of who he is through different avenues like creativity.
Nicole Clark :I just think that that's so awesome. Kelsey, thank you so much for being on the show today.
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah, absolutely. I loved it. I love getting to share.
Nicole Clark :Yes, you are so great. And you're so awesome. Thanks for sharing today.
Kelsey Mitchum :Yeah. Awesome.
Nicole Clark :Thanks for tuning in. To learn more about shining light with Nicole, or to get involved with 1212 ministries, visit 1212 ministries.org. Now go out and let your light shine for the kingdom. And remember, you shine so that others can see you being you and they can do them. Keep your 24 golden and I'll see you next week.