Recently I had the opportunity to be interveiwed by CanvasRebel Magazine. I'll link the official article for you here when it is published. In the interview we cover some really core themes around finances, social media and culture changes, and the search for meaning.
CanvasRebel: Tell us about who you are as an artist and what type of work you create.
Me: I'm an intuitive artist and I paint contemporary florals that spark nostalgia and belonging. I graduated from Savannah College of Art & Design in 2010 with a B.F.A. in Painting & Graphic Design. I live in Greenville, South Carolina with my supportive husband, three beautiful kiddos, and adoring scruffy rescue dog.
My work evokes feelings of safety, healing, and hope. In the midst of the chaos and struggle that life often presents us, there is still so much goodness and beauty to be found if we choose to see it. My work is an invitation to process our fears and any grief that manifests in this wild and wonderful life; but we don’t get stuck there, my work helps usher us into a place of joy and resolve.
I want my art to feel like the best parts of childhood, to bring that freedom into adulthood and onto your walls. The older you get the more you appreciate and long for the simpler times, when the world was light, your responsibilities were minimal, and (hopefully) you had a safe and loving home to run back to at the end of a long, hot summer day – if that wasn’t the case for you, I want my art to inspire and empower you to create that safe and loving home for yourself.
I work in two main mediums: watercolor on paper and acrylic on canvas, although I’ve been enjoying playing with mixed media this year. I offer original paintings and fine art prints, and I recently designed, illustrated, and authored a sweet book called “How to Draw Flowers Like An Artist” where I take you step-by-step how to draw 50 different flowers using simple line drawings. I'd be honored for you to check out my work!
CanvasRebel: Are you happy as a creative? Do you sometimes wish you had a regular job?
Me: This is an interesting question – I am an artist, but I also have a "regular" job (a few if I'm honest) that sustains me financially. Getting these side jobs helped take the pressure off of my creative practice to provide for me financially, which in hindsight really impacted the quality of work I was creating.
I'm fortunate enough to have manifested very creative jobs; I work as a content and community director for a well known artist and I also really enjoy email marketing so I have a few clients that I organize and design campaigns for regularly.
I think it's time we normalize artist's getting side jobs. We live in an era where the definition of artistic success has meant becoming a famous social media influencer (speaking for myself here, but also many other creative friends and colleagues.) Thankfully this is shifting as social media evolves. The algorithms are making it more challenging by the day to get our work seen, and also 'follow' culture had changed drastically. Even if your art is seen on these apps, people are much less willing to hit that follow button because we're all safeguarding our attention and willingness to be influenced.
Getting back to art for art sake has been a really meaningful shift for me. Of course I'm still pitching my work, applying to shows, galleries, and grants, but I'm not relying on my art to feed or shelter me because I know those funds are coming from other fulfilling avenues.
my walking pad desk set up
CanvasRebel: What's a lesson you've had to unlearn as a creative?
Me: Creativity is cyclical, like the seasons, so at some point, you will find yourself in the midst of a creative winter and that's absolutely normal. (see this blog post from 2023)
Social media is really counter cultural to this truth. Social media is a highlight reel and with everyone putting their best foot forward, it's only natural that it appears as though nobody has creative blocks or lows. But the reality of the matter is that we're all humans and just like the earth we have seasons. Especially creatives who are particularly in tune with expressing their inner landscape in a very outward, visual way.
Being in a season of low creative energy and output feels completely antithetical to the life path of an artist, but this is where a mindset reframe needs to come into play. We are not meant to always be "on" – while there's something to be said about being disciplined in your practice – I'd like to suggest that embracing your natural cycles of creative rest will only amplify and strengthen you and your work.
see more about this topic here
CanvasRebel: What's the most rewarding part about being an artist?
Me: The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I'm given a platform to translate these inner intuitive pings and urges into visual subject matter that others can view and receive from. Art has this stealthy way of moving beyond the protective barriers we erect around our delicate hearts and transforming us from the inside out. By changing our perception, art changes lives. Whether we're talking about more over art activism, or the subtle meanings tucked into a quiet floral painting, it's all saying something, and that satisfies our age-old search for meaning.
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