Meet the Creative - Beth and the Introvert Drawing Club

Welcome back to The Stress Less Pencil’s “Meet the Creative”, where we get to meet amazing people who have made art and creativity a major part of their lives. Today we talk to Beth, who is an artist, illustrator and who hosts the Introvert Drawing Club, a safe space for people to get together and draw.

Tell us a bit about your background. Who are you, where do you come from, what are you doing today and how did you get here?

I’m an illustrator with a work background in graphic design and photography. I studied journalism in undergrad and never really stopped writing, so I suppose it’s all blending together. Today I’m working on character development sketches. I got here through a lot of mindfulness practice, a super supportive spouse, and real love of drawing.

What role have creative hobbies played in your life as you grew up?

I didn’t have much support to pursue creativity as a youngster, but knew that writing gave me a magical feeling like nothing else. I left home at 18 and worked in coffee shops so I could manage to go to journalism school. That’s when I started drifting towards design and photography. My drawing practice sprung up after that.

How did you get into drawing and illustration, especially animals? What is different about it than the other creative hobbies you've tried before?

I’ve had a deep love for rescue pets since I adopted my first dog Lisa, in 2009. She was a mean old street dog who taught me a lot about myself. I started working with rescues and shelters as a volunteer, designing illustrated flyers and logos for their events. That’s how I learned that I liked drawing animals. Rescue pets are the most inspirational creatures to me. I feel like I relate to them so much. I felt unwanted and neglected growing up and they bring out a softness in me that nothing else ever has. They’ve helped me stay present and learn to feel empathy for myself and others.

How has your life changed since you’ve been doing illustration? What is the relationship between your creativity and your mental health?

My drawing practice has helped me slow down and see things from new perspectives. Instead of seeing other artists as competition, now I feel like we’re on a journey together taking different paths.

What inspired you to start the Introvert Drawing Club?

I knew I loved hosting drawing sessions but always felt shy about showing my work in other people’s meetups. I still have moments like that! I imagined others might share that same feeling. I thought it could be cool to start a club where we don’t share or chat and just draw.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting to explore their creativity?

My advice would be to join and practice at Introvert Drawing Club! And start a journaling habit. Learning about yourself is such an important part of your creativity, so you’ll know what lights you up. Focus on that, instead of trying to get the perfect line or proportions!

So what's next for you, where do you want to go from here?

Short term I have some fun drawing sessions exploring negative space and animals this month! Look out for my author/illustrator debut picture book, publishing in Spring 2025.

Thank you so much! If people want to find out more about what you do, where can they find you online?

I’m at introvertdrawingclub.com and bethspencer.art. Thank you for asking!