Hello, I'm Inanna.

My Story

I grew up all over the United States, the daughter of hippie parents who never stayed in one place too long. That early life on the move gave me a lifelong love of travel, new people, and especially other creatives — and it set the stage for pretty much everything that followed.

I studied fashion design and art history at Moore College of Art and Design, graduating in 2008. My first job out of school was designing children's wear for Target Corporation at their headquarters in Minneapolis. After a few years in fashion, I needed a change and found yoga — which turned into a seven-year career with CorePower Yoga, eventually leading me to Los Angeles and then across Southern California as Director of Operations. I spent those years managing teams, leading yoga teacher trainings, and running retreats.

Eventually I knew it was time to strike out on my own, so I set off on a three-year journey around the world: a year in Asia (including India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka), a year traveling through Europe, and a year split between Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., and Canada. On March 15, 2020, I was on my way back from India to visit a friend in San Francisco for two weeks before heading off to lead a women's travel group through Africa and Portugal. I caught the last flight out of India before the world shut down. That two-week visit turned into several months living with my friend in Marin, and eventually we moved south to San Diego, where I spent six years living in La Jolla.

It was during that time that I built my live illustration business. I'd always done graphic design, watercolor, and fashion sketching — even throughout my years of travel — and I was inspired to turn it into a business by my college roommate and dear friend Ivy, an incredible fashion illustrator in the Midwest. My first event was a wedding in Napa, and I was instantly hooked on the energy, joy, and creativity that live illustration brings to a celebration.

Over the past four years, I've grown that business doing live event illustration and custom commissions across the United States and Canada, as well as international events in Saint Martin and throughout Europe. My favorite part of the work is the connection — photographing guests at weddings, corporate events, bat mitzvahs, and birthday parties, then turning that moment into a custom piece of art they'll keep forever. It's more than a fun favor to take home; it's a live experience that brings joy to everyone in the room.

These days I live in Carlsbad, California, right by the beach, with my boyfriend and our dog. When I'm not working, you'll find me surfing, gardening, traveling for fun, or working on my own personal artwork. This career has given me the perfect combination of everything I love — creativity, connection, and the energy of a great event.

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What Sets My Work Apart

While live illustration and live art have become more popular at events over the past several years, I believe what I offer is genuinely different. My illustrations draw on editorial fashion illustration and fine art — pieces meant to be treasured for a lifetime, framed and displayed in someone's home, not just a fun memento from the night. I also love doing pet portraits, capturing the personality and spirit of animals, since I've always had a deep love for them.

One of the things I take the most pride in is the detail in my work. Each portrait takes about eight minutes per person, because I include full facial features along with the small details that make a piece feel truly bespoke — hair, lace, embroidery, prints, and patterns. Those details matter to me as much as the likeness itself.

Beyond the artwork, I take real pride in my relationships within the community — being easy to work with, having fun with the teams alongside me, and building strong partnerships with venues and planners.

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