The artist responsible for Paper Fashion’s stunning shadow dancers reveals the 10 things she can’t live without

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Every time I write a “10 Favorite Things” article, the song “Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music gets stuck in my head, but Maria’s list is never in tune with the one I’m writing. That is until I decided to feature Katie Rodgers. The woman behind Paper Fashion, Rodgers is responsible for the stunning illustrations of shadow dancers that have been commissioned by the most discerning clients. Although Rodgers was born and raised in the rugged Georgia countryside, her proclivity for drawing high-fashion women in dresses led her to become one of the most sought after freelance illustrators in the country. In fact, Rodgers artwork has been commissioned by the likes of Cartier, Kate Spade, Alicia Keys, and Stuart Weitzman, just to name a few.  

This leads me to believe that like Maria, girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes might actually be one of Rodgers’ favorite things. Okay, so maybe Rodgers prefers drawing girls in Valentino dresses with Swarovski crystals, but you get the idea.

With a few sweeping strokes of her hand, Rodgers creates gorgeous shadow dancers out of everything from watercolors and gems, to pancake batter and sand. Despite the medium she uses, Rodgers’ artwork always pulls people into a world of fashion, whimsy, movement and fun. There’s no better proof of this than her booming social media following (i.e. 591K Instagram followers). With a long list of impressive commissions ahead of her, a wallpaper line with Hygge and West coming out in January, and a Paper Fashion pajama line debuting next summer, Rodgers is pretty much unstoppable. To learn more about the creator of the famous shadow dancers, Urban Agenda had Rodgers tell us her list of 10 favorite things. Spoiler alert: Aside from girls in white dresses, mittens, snowflakes, and kittens may have also made it onto her list.

Music

“I’m inspired by music in my work, especially film scores, and I’m always curating playlists online. It is a huge part of what I do; I need sound when I paint, and the music often guides my work. Right now, I’ve been listening to the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack by composer Danny Elfman. The music is beautiful, but also in a way, creepy.”

Wandering Museums Alone

“I hate going to museums with other people. I’ll do it if a friend asks me to come with them or something, but I realize that I just can’t focus and feel calm walking through a museum when there’s something else I have to pay attention to. I love museums and spending as little or as much time as I want there – at my own pace – not distracted.”

A Great Cup of Coffee

“I’m so obsessed with trying different methods of brewing at home. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect coffee. I work from home, so I usually make it myself. Right now, I’m into the Bialette Moka Pot. It’s very simple and easy.”

Quiet Painting Nights

“I love painting at night when everyone has gone on to do their own thing. At the end of the day, I’m not worrying about work stuff, and I love to paint personal things at night with music. That’s when I can just kind of let it happen.”

Being Surrounded by Nature

“I think because I grew up in the country - in the middle of nowhere where I used to just roam fields – that I need nature, especially after being in NYC. I love to travel to places where there’s nothing around, whether it’s on the countryside or simply walking through a field.”

Fireside

“I love fires all times of the year. Bonfires, winter fires…there’s something that it does to a group of people hanging around it that’s really special. It’s beautiful.”

Snowy Weather

“Because I grew up in the south, I love snow so much. I think that when it snows, I’m outside more than ever. I get like a little kid. It’s really ridiculous, and my NYC friends are waiting for their dislike of snow to rub off on me, but since 2008 I’ve been obsessed - walking in the snow, putting on all the gear. It’s just so peaceful.”

Sailing

“I lived in Boston for three years and learned to sail in the summers. I would do it in my spare time, and I thought that it was the coolest thing ever. I’m so in love with the act of it and fascinated by boats and how they work. Being in the water, controlled by the wind, it’s really special. Unfortunately, I don’t get to do it as much now that I’m in New York.”

Animals

“I am an animal person, and I always had animals growing up. I love them so much. I had dogs, chickens, a duck…I feel like they’re so fascinating and make people happy. I don’t have any pets right now because of my schedule and the limited space in my apartment. It’s not the same as being able to have your dog run around in an open field like where I grew up.”

Art Supplies

“Art supplies go hand-in-hand with what I do, but I love them. I could spend forever in art stores. I feel like I can stare at art supplies all day – picking new colors and new mediums.”