“My hope is that everyone who sees this piece can connect with it and recall their own memories of being in a beautiful mountain landscape, taking it all in.”
Lisa McCormick, Illustrator & Designer.
We first passed the pen to illustrator and designer, Lisa Marie, back in ‘22 when collabing on the Friday Collective graphic. This recent collection tows the same path, taking a slight detour towards the retro-inspired, with daisy chains, sunbeams and mountain peaks in frame. A nod to festival posters, big skies and the amber haze of summer caught on 35mm.
To ramp up the ‘Seasonal’ collection’s release, we caught up with Lisa on her craft, thoughts on creativity, natural inspirations, and studio soundtracks. Here goes.
"I love capturing the essence of a mountain range, a coastline, or even the color palette I saw on a hike."
How did you land in the illustration and design sphere? What is it that drew you in?
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved drawing. One of my earliest memories is of being four years old, sketching horses and dogs in my playroom. As I grew up, I balanced my time between soccer practice and art classes. When I got to college, I decided to pursue graphic design because it seemed like a "stable career” that still allowed for creativity.”
We’re big fans of your personal style. Where is it you look first for creative inspiration?
“Visual joy, hand-drawn, vibrant, and quirky, embracing personality over perfection and always experimental. I draw inspiration from everywhere, especially when traveling. I love capturing the essence of a mountain range, a coastline, or even the color palette I saw on a hike. Cities also inspire me; I enjoy documenting my favorite moments from urban adventures. This passion for travel fuels an ongoing personal project series of travel posters featuring my favorite places.”
“One of the best feelings is being in a creative flow state where the art just flows out of you.”
What part does illustration play in your well-being?
“I believe we were all made to express some form of creativity, whether it's drawing, cooking, singing, dancing, arranging a room, or something else. Illustration is my favorite creative outlet. One of the best feelings is being in a creative flow state where the art just flows out of you. It's soothing and exhilarating at the same time. It forces me to slow down, focus on one thing, and get lost in it.”
Talk us through the designs for Passenger’s Summer range - Your 'Seasonal' Graphic
“This piece was inspired by a personal project I did called "The Great Outdoors." I aimed to capture the essence of my memories of mountain landscapes at sunset—the golden hour light, the warmth of summer, and a picture-perfect scene."
"I wanted to create something that transports me back to those special moments, whether they were in Colorado, Montana, Utah, the Canadian Rockies, or Switzerland. My hope is that everyone who sees this piece can connect with it and recall their own memories of being in a beautiful mountain landscape, taking it all in.”
How big a part does nature play in your work? Do you feel yourself pulled to outdoor spaces when thinking up new ideas?
“Nature inspires me a lot. When I first started freelancing, I primarily worked only with outdoor brands so I could draw as many mountains, trees, and oceans as possible. Not to be cliche, but I believe God is the ultimate artist and I’m just trying to capture glimpses of the beauty that’s all around us.”
And finally, what tracks are you playing on repeat in the studio?
“It's literally always changing, but if I had to give a lineup, I would say: Goth Babe, Natalie Bergman, James Blake, Khruangbin, Lauryn Hill, Vampire Weekend and SZA.”