Laura El is a New York City-based artist and the founder of Stellar Villa, a fine art prints company. Known for her distinctive line work and narrative-rich illustrations, Laura's art evokes a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, often depicting vibrant cityscapes and the people within them. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, her work has captivated audiences worldwide. She has exhibited at NYC galleries and internationally, been featured in major publications like Forbes, graced popular book covers, and sold at Sotheby's and Christie's.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I’ve loved drawing for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would get lost in my imagination, and art allowed me to create different worlds which I could escape to. When I moved to Ireland as a teenager, I didn’t speak a word of English. School was tough as I worked to learn a new language, but art class became my refuge—there were no language barriers there, and I was able to excel. My art teacher became my mentor and encouraged me to constantly push myself and continue developing my talent.

Many years later, when I moved to New York City, I was told that being an artist wasn’t a practical career path. People suggested I find a "real" job, and unfortunately, I listened to them. I worked in various roles, including at an animal hospital, a law firm, and in real estate, trying to find a career society labeled as worthy. However, no matter what I did, I always felt like something was missing. Eventually, on New Year’s Eve one year, I made a resolution to return to art, my passion, and never look back.

What inspired you to start your business?

After trying to work in a number of different fields, I simply wasn’t happy. That alone was the inspiration I needed to go back to doing what I loved. Returning to art after a few years away felt like finding myself again. I knew in my heart that being an artist was my true purpose in this life. So, I left behind traditional jobs, took a part-time waitressing gig to help pay the bills while I found my footing, and focused every spare moment on my art. That decision changed everything; it brought about a happiness I thought I had left behind in my childhood for good. I finally felt fulfilled and knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Where is your business based? 

Stellar Villa is based in New York, but since my work is primarily digital, my studio can be anywhere I go, as long as I can carry my iPad with me.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took? 

It all began with a leap of faith. After deciding to pursue art full-time, I started offering commissions on Etsy, focusing on pet portraits. When the COVID-19 pandemic started just a few months later, I organized a fundraiser for a local animal shelter by offering illustrations of people’s pets. I wanted to lift people’s spirits during this dark time and do something to give back to my community. People really responded positively, so much so that I raised over $10,000 for the animals at the shelter.

My efforts ended up going viral, which led to local media coverage and a continued influx of commission requests, even after the campaign ended. Inadvertently, this fundraiser put my work in the spotlight, and people really loved what they saw. After meeting with my lawyer and filing the necessary paperwork, Stellar Villa was officially incorporated, and I launched my very own website. Initially, I focused on commissions, but over time, I transitioned to offering fine art prints on my website. When it comes to my art business, that has expanded too to include selling original works and more recently, licensing. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

Social media has been the most effective tool by far to raise awareness and grow my business. Instagram, in particular, has helped me build a community of over 100,000 followers. By sharing my art, revealing the process and stories behind my work, and regularly engaging with my audience, I’ve created a real connection with my followers. Social media also opened doors for commercial work, gallery exhibitions, media features, and licensing opportunities. Beyond Instagram, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have helped me build deeper relationships with art collectors thanks to the conversational focus of the platform, and I’m excited to expand my presence on Pinterest in the coming year.

I believe my success on social media is, in part, due to my consistent posting and taking the time to have real conversations with followers, even if it’s just responding to their comments. The actual content you share, in this case my art, is of course very important too, and so I’m always working to improve my work and become the best artist I can be.

What have been your biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them? 

The biggest challenge was the uncertainty of pursuing a creative career in the first place, especially in an expensive city like New York. The pressures of financial stability led me to put art on hold for a few years. I eventually overcame this by trusting my passion and taking a part-time job to ease financial concerns in the early days of my career.

Starting out, nearly all of my income was a result of commission work I created for clients. After doing commission work for a couple of years, I got burnt out from it, as the art I created was always at the direction of the client and half of the work involved was just back-and-forth communication. As much as I am grateful and enjoyed commissions for some time, I wanted to create art on my own terms and embrace full artistic freedom so that I could express myself.

It was challenging, but eventually, I shifted away from commission work. Today, I only do commissions on rare occasions. It was hard initially because I had to replace this income source to continue earning a living from my art. That’s when I started selling original works of art, focusing more on fine art prints, branching out into licensing opportunities, and creating my own intellectual property. I even authored and illustrated my own book, The Lurkers. By diversifying my offering, I’m in a much better position to create the things that I want to create. I think it’s most artists’ goal to get to this point, and I’m very grateful.

How do you stay focused? 

I maintain a routine that balances creativity and business tasks. Certain hours are reserved for creating new artwork, while others are for operational tasks such as processing orders, managing my social media, responding to emails, and scheduling upcoming projects. I also make time to recharge, whether that’s taking a walk around the city or visiting museums or art galleries. I make sure to take longer breaks as needed, like week-long vacations, to restore my creativity. I’m naturally a driven person who is always striving to improve, which helps me stay focused even when things get tough.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

As an artist, my work is unique, so I don't see other artists as my competition. However, I can tell you what might set my work apart. I enjoy telling stories through my art, and my illustrations often evoke feelings of familiarity or nostalgia (or so I’m told!). My style originated from simple one-line drawings, where the pen doesn’t lift from the paper until the work is complete. Instead of sharp corners, these drawings are composed of a swirling line. Although my style has evolved over the years and is now full-color and much more detailed, these swirling, flowing lines are still present in my work. I also vary the thickness of my lines by changing the pressure on my pencil as I draw on my digital drawing tablet. This style that I developed sets my work apart, giving it a unique and recognizable quality. My work has often been said to have some characteristics of Art Nouveau due to the line work.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy? 

The most effective strategy has been leveraging social media platforms to build a loyal following, trying to let my personality shine through, and building real relationships. By sharing the inspiration and process behind each piece, I create a connection with my audience that goes beyond just selling art. Collaborations with other businesses and organizations in the art world and features in well-known publications have also played a crucial role in expanding my reach.

The real key to sustained growth, however, is investing in myself—whether by taking online classes, studying other artists, or experimenting with new techniques. I recently completed a class by one of my favorite artists and am excited to apply what I’ve learned to improve my work. Great work will, in a sense, market itself, so creating the best work possible is always my primary goal. The better my work, the easier and more effective any marketing strategies will be.

In addition to working hard to grow my presence on social media channels, another highly effective strategy has been growing my email list. The downside of social media platforms is that you don’t own your audience. That means you are at the mercy of the platform and their ever-changing algorithms when it comes to actually reaching the people who follow you on them. Being able to reach my fans as needed through email helps solve this.

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? 

Trust your instincts and be willing to take risks. The journey will be challenging, but perseverance and belief in your vision are what create success. Don’t let external pressures or naysayers steer you away from your passion. Everyone needs to earn a living but keep your focus on your passion instead of just fixating on money, and the rest will fall into place with time. Follow your dreams; you only have one life!

What’s your favorite app, blog, and book? 

My favorite app is Procreate, which I use for creating my illustrations. It has a wide range of tools that help bring my visions to life. As for books, I’ve been enjoying the fantasy novels of Sarah J. Maas—they’re an incredible escape and a great way to recharge my creativity. I don’t follow many blogs consistently, but I enjoy browsing various art and design blogs from time to time.

What’s your favorite business tool? 

My favorite business tool is Shopify, which I used to build my website. It’s user-friendly (enough so for an artist) and highly customizable.

Who is your business role model? 

Currently, I would have to say Lois van Baarle. Lois is also a digital artist, and I admire the way she has built a global following of over 2 million followers for her art. In addition to sharing and selling her work, releasing books, and working with major brands, she also offers many tutorials to help other artists. It’s really admirable what she has been able to accomplish.

How do you balance work and life? 

Balancing work and life can be tough, especially when you love what you do. I set clear boundaries, making sure I have time to decompress—whether it’s spending time with my dog or taking a walk in the city. Setting small goals helps me stay productive without feeling overwhelmed. And to be honest, this is one area where there’s still room for me to improve.

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

Exploring New York City with my Labrador Retriever is my go-to way to relax. It clears my mind and sparks ideas for new artworks.

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

I have quite a lot of projects I’m currently juggling. I’m working on a new series of artworks, but how I release them is still to be determined. I do plan to expand my art print selection on Stellar Villa, and if you know me, you can certainly expect more work inspired by New York City. One of my dreams I have yet to achieve is creating a cover for The New Yorker magazine, so I’ll continue to put myself out there, hoping to one day catch their eye!

In other news, I have some products coming out soon featuring my art, thanks to several licensing deals. You will also be seeing my work in bookstores around the world, as I’ve been busy working on cover art for some great upcoming releases.

How can our readers connect with you? 

Readers can connect with me on Instagram @iamlaurael or head over to Stellar Villa and browse my latest selection of wall art prints.

Laura El
Stellar Villa
W: https://stellarvilla.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iamlaurael