“There is such a wide variety of museums. The building is very much their identity and I love drawing buildings. For the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts, I illustrated the facade of the building and then illustrated pieces from the museum’s model ship collection to go on the ceramic pieces for its gift shop.

“I do all of my illustrations by hand,” Maizie says. “I use the tools I started using in college  — old-school drafting tools, a T-square, a triangle, a compass. I use an illustration block of 300 lb. cold-press watercolor paper and Micron ink pens. I sketch out my design in pencil, ink it in with the Micron pen, and then paint it with watercolor. I use the Winsor & Newton professional line of paints.”

“It’s not all about the illustration only, but how the illustration can enhance the shape of the piece,” she says.

Maizie’s latest collection, inspired by the Far East, features blue elephants and pagodas. An earlier collection sports horses with colorful horse blankets. Just right for those with equine sensibilities.

Maizie shoots for three to four new collections a year and a few mini collections. Next up: a Moroccan-inspired design with colors of pink and salmon, black and white, and images of camels and desert tents.

Her day-to-day is spent filling orders, getting them out the door, planning new collections, and talking with retailers. “I try and guard my time for working on ideas, but 50 percent of my time is dedicated to the business of running the business and the other half dedicated to creating artwork.”

What works for this working illustrator?