Who's that Gal: Courtney Drake, Artist and Architect at Lunch City Studio

Name: Courtney Drake
Occupation:  Artist + Architect
Hometown: Sunderland, MA
Current Location: Somerville, MA
Currently reading:  Outlawed by Anna North
Favorite quarantine activity: Facetime movie nights with my sister and making up names for all the dogs I see from the window. 
I never leave home without____: Chapstick
Favorite music to dance to: Pop. I become a wacky wavy inflatable tube man.
Dream vacation: Norway, Sweden, and Finland
Best place in Boston to go for a walk:  The North End is one of my favorite neighborhoods to revisit. I lived there with my sister and the streets are full of memories. I also love the Arboretum. 

Tell us a little about your work? How did you get interested in illustration?

I create building portraits, cityscapes, maps, and color palettes. Every piece is designed to connect people to the places they love. I have always been an artist, even if it wasn’t my job. Growing up, I took art classes in and outside of school. Eventually, I was encouraged to apply my creativity to a more lucrative career path. First this was interior design, then architecture. As I worked through my Saturn Return (IYKYK) I started weaving art and architecture together. Now I feel much more aligned with my true purpose. 

You also have a background in architecture. How does that impact your work? 

As an architect, I’ve spent 10 years creating drawings that are constructed. That requires a level of planning and precision that my art does not. While I still draw buildings with a degree of accuracy that’s probably not necessary, I’m trying to loosen up and exercise artistic license.

Your business is called Lunch City Studio. How did you decide on that name? 

Lunch is my dog, Lunchbox. A lot of my inspiration comes from our walks around the city. As an art and design student, I spent hours working in various studios. If you’ve ever worked in or walked through a studio, there is a creative energy that is different from a classroom or an office. I want my workspace to feel that way. 

Do you have a favorite piece you’ve created? Can you tell us about it?

I’m not sure if I have a favorite, but I had a lot of fun making my “Dogs in Windows” illustration. Spotting dogs in windows is one of my favorite things. While living in Washington, DC, I left the house to go to work 5 days a week. Lunchbox spent her days looking out the window waiting for my return. Over the years, friends sent pictures of Lunchbox sightings. One morning, I forgot to open the blinds. I came home to find Lunchbox chewed a hole so she could see out.

We love your color palette prints! How did you come up with the idea? 

Thank you! I’ve always loved how color palettes make you feel things. Everyone has some kind of reaction. The same is true for places. I started to wonder if I made a palette for a place, what would it feel like? And how would it vary from place to place? I wrote the idea down on my project list where it sat there for over a year. When I finally made my first palette I really enjoyed the process and it was well-received. As the series grows, I can’t believe how long I sat on the idea!

How do you decide what colors to highlight for a given city? 

I actually start by determining the icons. I ask my social media community what their favorite things are about the city. Once I narrow it down to 25 things, I use photographs to choose a color for each. I’m never sure what I’ll end up with--sometimes I end up with too many shades of one color (like sand for San Diego). There’s always fine-tuning.

You have color palette prints for a bunch of different places. Are these all locations you know well? If not, how do you learn about these places? 

I started with cities I’ve lived in, then cities I’ve visited, and now by popular demand. If I haven’t been to a city, I count on everyone’s help. I use their suggestions and turn to the internet to learn more. I look at photographs, maps, articles, and local blogs. I want to understand each place as best as I can. 

What do you love about your job? 

I have a lot of different interests so being a solopreneur let’s me exercise all those muscles. I like the variation in my tasks and projects. It’s creative or clerical. It’s thoughtful or mindless. Depending on how I’m feeling, I can find work to fit. Or take the day off!

What’s hardest about the work you do? 

You have to make each and every decision, big and small. It can be pretty tiring and I often have a hard time making decisions outside of work. My anxiety can discourage me from new projects. When you work alone you can talk yourself out of anything and there isn’t someone to hold you accountable. 

What skill is most important for you to be successful? Why? 

Authenticity. It’s a skill you have to practice. It’s not always easy to see when you’ve gone off course. I have to check in with myself regularly. Any time I’m influenced by someone else, my work falls flat or feels out of place. When your work is unique to you it’s easier to maintain a consistent brand. As you evolve, so does your work.

How can JUGs readers support you and your work? 

This Spring I am opening my first studio and shop in Somerville! Visit our online shop (lunchcitystudio.com) to support our new brick and mortar. You can find us @lunchcity on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tiktok.

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Lindsay Gardner is an Instructional Designer living and working in Boston. You can follow her on Instagram @lindsaygardner09.

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