Vernon formerly resided in Bloomington but moved away with her family this past summer for her husband’s job at the University of Wisconsin Madison. While they may have left Bloomington, she said her family still appreciates all it has to offer.
“There’s not even an Indian restaurant here,” she said with a laugh. “We love Fourth Street, and we really miss the people, too.”
Despite her leaving Bloomington, Vernon’s work has a lasting presence in the city. She designed the logo for a local shop in the downtown area called Gather, which sells independent and handmade goods. Talia Halliday is the owner of Gather and has worked with Vernon on multiple occasions.
“She’s just such a pleasure to work with. She’s a hugely popular artist in this town,” Halliday said. “A lot of people come in specifically to find her work. A lot of people also recognize our logo.”
Vernon’s art has not only been featured locally, but it was also featured on an episode of HGTV’s “Secrets From a Stylist.”
“It was my two seconds of fame,” she said. “It was so exciting. There’s an overabundance of people showing their work online, so it’s really exciting and encouraging when someone does actually find you and wants your work.”
That was not the only time Vernon’s work has been viewed by a mass audience. She also designed art cards for the furniture company IKEA.
“I had friends texting me photos of my cards in different IKEA (stores) around the country,” she said. “It’s weird to think of how many cards were made and how many people got to see them.”
She may have started locally, but being featured by both IKEA and HGTV has given Vernon the exposure she said she is very thankful for.
“I’ve been really fortunate to have this exposure,” she said. “Part of me doesn’t even know how all this happened.”
While nature may have a strong influence on her work, Vernon said she also draws inspiration from her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Juniper — or Juni for short — whom she and her husband hope to bring on their adventures once she gets older.
When she is not spending time with her husband and Juni, Vernon is busy working on her art and illustrations.
Growing up with a grandfather as an architect and a mother who had a knack for crafting, Vernon said art has always played a significant role in her life.
“We had full range to just be creative. It was a really great way to grow up, and it just kind of stuck with me. I’ve always wanted to be an artist,” she said.
