Meet Madison Cantrell | Creator & Pro Doodler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madison Cantrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madison, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I started my professional career as a graphic and textile designer in fashion at the age of 17, so I really grew up creatively inside a corporate environment. It taught me discipline, structure, collaboration but it also shaped the way I saw creativity – often through the lens of productivity and deadlines. For years, my sense of ‘work life balance’ came through company perks.. the free lunches, lax PTO, free gym, the “creative culture”. It took me nearly a decade to realize that real work life balance meant something entirely different.

Now, coming out of the corporate world and working as a full-time freelancer, work-life balance means something entirely different. It’s not about benefits or amenities; it’s about presence. I now have the mental and emotional space to show up better for my family, my friendships, and my craft. I get to be home with my kids. Creatively, I get to choose the projects that align with my values and energy. Im freer, more intentional. I am realizing that creativity doesn’t just feed work; it feeds life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art lives at the intersection of storytelling and design, where emotion becomes tangible. After more than a decade designing prints and graphics for global brands, what sets my work apart is that I don’t design from trend; I design from intuition. From joy, nostalgia, connection.

Getting here wasn’t easy. I started young in corporate fashion, where creativity often lives within boundaries of structure and ego. I was told by managers “you don’t have a future here” or that I was “too passionate” because I questioned critique. But I stayed persistent. I refused to let someone else’s fear or agenda steal my joy. Over time, I learned to hold onto my authenticity and protect it fiercely because that’s what keeps your art honest. When you hold your integrity close and your intentions pure, the right people will always find you.

Leaving corporate life to launch my own design agency was both terrifying and freeing. It was a leap toward creative and personal honesty. Le Studio is the result: art with purpose, shaped by intuition and gratitude.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that talent opens doors, but integrity and intention keep them open. I want the world to know that art isn’t just what I make.. it’s how I live, how I connect, and how I show gratitude for this gift I’ve been given in this life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you’re spending a week with me – there’s definitely no itinerary!

I’m a homebody at heart. So if my best friend came to visit, we’d probably spend most of the days how I live.. in our comfy clothes, ordering take-out, lounging on the couch getting ambushed by tiny humans. There would definitely be drinks, the deepest of all conversations, probably a stand-up on TV. And in true San Clemente fashion, a spin on our golf cart at sunset!

It’s most important to me for others to feel at home and fill up their cup – not camera roll.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout is for the people who have poured into me over the years. To my husband Thomas and our two little lights, Vincent and Lou, you are my ‘why’! To the women who have spoken creative direction into my life: April Liewer, Christine Adolf, Francesca Ng, and Allison Roberts, your influence has been a compass for my artistry. And to God, who works through my hands and heart, giving purpose for the work I do.

Website: https://mjcantrell.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mj_cantrell/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-cantrell-5a61542b/