Advice for Students and Artists

I get a lot of e-mails from students and artists who are looking for advice, interested in doing interviews, or coming by the studio to talk business. I decided to create this page to answer questions that come up frequently and also link to some of my favorite resources. While I'm not able to meet with everyone in person, I hope these answers are helpful and provide a guide for artistic endeavors!

1. What medium do you use?

I mainly paint with acrylics, neo-color crayons, and gouache on wood canvases and paper -- I'm always mixing it up! I get the majority of my art supplies from Artist and Craftsman in Charleston, SC. Everyone that works there is amazing and is always recommending something new for me to try. Be sure to check them out in Charleston, SC as well as their other stores across the country!

2. When did you decide that you would mainly paint florals?

My first love is color and florals have been such a fun avenue for me to explore colors! I talk about my earlier work and use of color here. I also feel really inspired by looking at other florists' work and am always searching for innovative floral arrangements.

3. Have you always had a business mindset?

Not necessarily and I definitely feel the creative side out weighs the business side! I started small and my business slowly grew, so I feel like I’ve learned a lot over the years. My business sense has really just developed over time, on an as-needed basis. It wasn’t something that came naturally to me, but, little by little, I’ve just grown!

4. What is your best advice in terms of generating a large social media presence?

In my mind, this is something that is always evolving and changing, so it is pretty difficult to give concrete advice on the subject. When I first graduated, blogs were huge and I was fortunate to be featured on a few like Design Sponge, Oh Joy! and Oh Happy Day. Currently, my main focus is on Instagram and it's such a great platform where I can keep my audience informed of what I'm working on everyday. Don't be afraid to send samples of your work to bloggers, magazines, and larger companies that you would like to collaborate with. Creative Inc. is another great book with a lot of practical advice about how to start a business as a freelance creative. I care a lot about the content I show on my social media/website and the quality of the images I post. Since I don't have an actual "storefront", I consider my social media platform and my website my cyber storefront. I want to keep it clean, well curated and fresh!

5. What are you inspired by?

My inspiration comes from all over the place – from all the things I’m attracted to: other artists, other brands. I try to create the type of artwork and products that I want to own!

6. What advice would you give to someone just graduating?

The Redux was and has been a major influence in my growth, both as an artist and as a business owner. My best advice would be to surround yourself with some type of community that can encourage you on a regular basis. Previous artists there took me under their wing and taught me how to promote myself. I attribute much of my success to the creative community in Charleston.