Hi! I’m Alli K!
Q: With over 85k followers on Instagram, you are one of the most fun, followed and well-loved Dallas (and far beyond!) mural artists and illustration authors. Tell us a little about yourself and your brand!
A: I’m based in Dallas, TX, and am the founder behind Alli K Design. I create custom murals for businesses around the US and have collaborated with brands and artists such as LuluLemon, Kacey Musgraves, and Kendra Scott. Alli K Design was a happy accident. What started as a side hustle during my free time while I was interviewing for corporate jobs, Alli K Design ended up turning into my full-time job.
In my head the plan was: go to college, get married, work a nine-to-five job, have babies, and become a stay-at-home mom. It’s what I saw my mom do and all of my friends’ moms do. I thought that they had the life, but that “high” — the high of making something with my own two hands and someone wanting to pay money for it — got to me. I could set the rules and I could sleep in and stay up as late as I wanted. I bought craft supplies, not just because I wanted to, but because I needed to. I couldn’t shake it. I remember bargaining with my husband to let me make this my job. My husband was a by-the-books guy — the “what about insurance and 401k” kind of guy. He saw it more of a hobby instead of a job, but gave me six months to show him I could bring in more money than I was spending on art supplies — if I couldn’t, I needed a nine-to-five. Well, challenge accepted. That six months has turned into ten years and Landon has retired from by-the-books thinking and the corporate world and works with me!
Q: In some of your reels we see your husband, Landon, painting alongside you. How and when did you meet and expound a bit more on the process of the two of you moving into the art world?
A: Landon and I have known each other over half our lives at this point. We met at church camp the summer going into high school, started dating when we were 14, and have been together ever since! We have both always been artistic. I sometimes joke around and tell people that Landon is actually the better artist since he was in AP Art in high school. During high school neither of us saw art as a viable profession/business, so Landon went down the “corporate” path and worked for Amazon as a Project Manager for seven years. Eventually he started to get burned out from the corporate grind and saw me enjoying every day while growing my business. One day he came home and said he was quitting Amazon to come work for me. I really thought he was joking, but five weeks later he joined Alli K Design.
Q: I love the fact that you mentor and encourage others to create and seem eager to offer very specific instructions and inspiration. How many illustration books have you written?
A: Same! Mentoring, helping others, and being an example to the younger generations is what fuels my fire! I have 12 books total and am currently working on four more! I’m always brainstorming book ideas so I’m sure I won’t be stopping anytime soon.
Q: Your latest book, Love in Bloom, was just released a few weeks ago…and wow…you certainly know how to throw a celebration party! Swag bags, live music, beautiful food and florals, an art table full of Alli K coloring pages, a bracelet and a coffee bar, a sticker “gumball” machine, a pop-up shop with your merch….and plenty of photo ops. So many smiles and happy vibes! What inspired this book and where can we find it?
A: Hosting and giving gifts is my love language! Love in Bloom is a coloring book full of love and I hope that people can feel the love throughout the pages! Signed copies are available on my website (allikdesign.com) or unsigned copies at Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Q: Love watching your reels and you seem to be having fun in all that you do! Is it scary up on those scaffolds? Share a little about one of your most challenging and yet favorite projects.
A: Painting from swing stages or 40ft boom lifts can be a bit challenging yet thrilling. A six-story mural (this issue’s cover art) in LA required us to use a swing stage (think window washer basket) that is held up by a single, small wire cable in the middle. It was a balancing act the entire time since my husband, who is twice my size, was in the basket with me. Any step left or right would cause the basket to lean so we had to call out any big movements so the other person could act as a counter balance. This was one of my favorite projects not only because of how it turned out, but because it forced me to do something outside of my comfort zone.
Q: Your work and your wardrobe have a cohesive vibe. Tell us about your unmistakable personal style!
A: Can you believe that I used to wear hot pink and glittered nails?! Working by yourself, you are alone a lot. I didn’t have to pick the right outfits to fit in with what the cool kids were wearing. I found out who I was as a person and with that, found my artistic style: minimal black and white. A lot of it also comes from having decision paralysis. I am making allllll of the decisions in Alli K Design, so when it comes to my wardrobe, wearing all black is a no brainer. Black is also my favorite color so that helps in the obsession!
Q: You seem to be continually blooming as beautifully as your work! Tell us how you’ve grown as a Creative.
A: My dad has always told me, don’t worry about creating something better just as long as it is new. I know it sounds silly but the minute he said that the pressure was lifted. I’m able to just create without putting too much pressure on myself to make something perfect/better and I think that has been a huge factor on how I have grown. My Dad is full of wisdom! I am excited to re-launch our podcast in the summer. We’ll record every Saturday so we can share more wisdom nuggets to whoever wants to listen. It is called Breakfast With Sis!
Q: It’s easy to spot your work in Texas, especially around Dallas, but how many states are your murals currently in? What are some of your bigger projects in the near future? We’ve heard there’s a secret you’ve been keeping…is it out…and can you share?
A: I currently have murals in eight states with the goal to add a new state each year! In March I will be painting the entire month in Florida for the outside of a hotel! I can’t go into too many details just yet, but it’s going to be so much fun and I will be sharing the entire process on my Instagram, so please join me for the creative adventure!
BE INSPIRED @ALLIKDESIGN
