Artist Grace Miceli About Her Collab with Indonesian School Children

Every start of the month brings a brand new Face This collab! And this month we’re proud to announce we have collabed with one of the “9 Funniest Cartoonists and Illustrators on Instagram” according to Vulture! Grace Miceli is an artist and author living in NYC and works across multiple mediums, including illustration, animation, comics, product design, and murals. Her playful and self-reflective work has been featured in over 50 galleries and museums worldwide.

Some of Grace Miceli’s clients include The New Yorker, UGG, Apple TV+, Nike, Russell Athletics, Supergoop!, Warner Bros, The New York Times, Urban Outfitters, Instagram, Marc Jacobs, Coach, Adidas, MTV, Polaroid, GIPHY and Adobe. 

Face This: Can you tell us something about your cultural background? Where did you grow up? Did you always like to draw? 

Grace Miceli: I was raised in a creative family, my mom is an artist and dad is a musician so creativity was always encouraged. I grew up in the suburbs without much art or culture around so I think that inspired me to move to NYC where I could visit museums and spend time with other artists. For years my main medium was photography, I didn’t start drawing regularly until I graduated college. 

Face This: Are there specific moments in your life that made you decide to become an artist?

Grace Miceli: Art has always felt like the most authentic way for me to communicate. I’ve always been an artist but a lot of luck, connections, and dedication helped me turn it into a career. 

Face This: What is the biggest challenge for you, being an artist?

Grace Miceli: The financial challenge is real. Art is not valued as a form of labor in lots of cases and clients often take advantage of artists knowing that.

Face This: As an artist, do you have any dreams? Are there some goals you would like to achieve? Is there something you’re building up for?

Grace Miceli: I’m currently going to grad school to become an art therapist and mental health counselor. I have a dream of stability and of creating art as an expression and not as a way to pay my rent. I plan to continue my art practice but I’m really excited to start helping people in a different way and renegotiate my relationship to creating. 

Face This: You designed an artwork by using some of our Indonesian childrens drawings. With the proceeds of your artwork, we will be able to provide the kids you’ve collabed with a playground. How important is playfulness for you as an artist? 

Grace Miceli: I think it’s really important. Humor and play are great ways to feel comfortable enough to access more difficult emotions or to balance out the everyday struggles we face. 

Face This: When we reached out to you, what made you want to join?

Grace Miceli: I always want a portion of my work to be in service of others and I love art made by children. 

Face This: When you received the drawings, what was your first reaction? What did you see in them? Can you describe them a bit for us?

Grace Miceli: They made me smile and become curious about what the kids were thinking about and expressing.