WITH

Bil Donovan

The talented fashion illustrator and longtime friend of South Coast Plaza sat down with us for an exclusive conversation in his Brooklyn-based studio. 

Bil’s watercolor portraits caught Dior Beauty’s eye in 2009, when he was made the brand’s first-ever artist-in-residence — a role he still holds today. He continues to craft live portraits for the house’s clients alongside his many other artistic pursuits.

Watch to learn about his approach to his South Coast Plaza-exclusive illustrations, advice he has for young artists and more!

 

@bildonovan

What is your favorite thing about doing live portraits?

I don’t know how to explain this, but I fall in love with every person that sits across from me. I just fall in love with them. I just look at them and I see their beauty and I see sometimes they’re a little shy about it. Most of the women are just magnificent. You know, regardless of the age and looks, they all have this presence and mystique that I love capturing.

What is your advice for aspiring artists?

It’s important to challenge yourself and to push yourself. If you have a gift, then it’s your responsibility to nurture that. Nurture it and share it. When I teach, I’m sharing what was taught to me.

 

Walk us through your creative process for the South Coast Plaza exclusive illustrations

To me, it’s high fashion, and it’s about elegance and sophistication and the woman is chic, she’s confident and she knows where she’s going. I want to communicate that power and that mystique of the South Coast Plaza woman. That’s my intent. So, I create these scenarios in my head of where they’re going. Maybe the viewer doesn’t realize it, but to me it’s like a history that when I’m making the illustration it’s not a vapid look. There’s some sort of spirit and core and I think that happens when you create a narrative around who that person is.

 

@bildonovan

 

Watch the Full Interview on Instagram

Watch Interview