This week we are continuing our series from the Positively Creative Summit with our Keynote speaker Thomas “Detour” Evans. Detour shares his journey to discovering art and how he developed his unique style. From there, he takes us through how he set up his business as an artist. During his presentation, he shares videos and images of his work. Be sure to follow him on Instagram to get a feel for his murals while you listen!

About Thomas “Detour” Evans:

Thomas Evans, a.k.a. Detour, is an all-around creative specializing in large scale public art, interactive visuals, portraiture, immersive spaces, and creative directing. His focus is to create work where art and innovation meet. A born collaborator and “military brat,” Detour pulls from every conceivable experience that shapes his landscapes and perspectives. Explaining Detour’s work is no easy task, as ongoing experimentations in visual art, music, and interactive technologies have his practice continually expanding. With his ever-evolving approach to art, Detour’s focus is on expanding customary views of creativity and challenging fine-art paradigms by mixing traditional mediums with new approaches—all the while opening up the creative process from that of a singular artist, to one that thrives on multi-layered collaboration and viewer participation.

Website: https://www.iamdetour.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detour303/

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

Have you ever felt alone as a creative entrepreneur? On this episode, we bring you another presentation from the Positively Creative Summit back in September. Founders Shelda and Allie share about the Hive Collective and why community is important and can help you grow your business. They also share the ins and outs of the Hive Collective and why you may want to join if you are in the Memphis area.

About The Hive Collective:

Shelda Edwards and Allie Mounce are Memphis based designers, each working with local agencies. In 2017, they became the founding members of the Hive Collective, a collective of creative entrepreneurs who aim to improve our industry through education, community, and solidarity.

Website: https://thehiveclctv.com/

This week we are continuing our series from the Positively Creative Summit. What does fiddling have to do with photography? This is an awesome and inspiring talk from Rachael Boer. She started her creative journey as a musician and soon found herself holding a camera instead of a violin. Rachael shares how she learned the difference between pricing and value and how she began charging more while also growing a business that can support her family. 

About Rachael Boer Photography:

With nearly a decade of experience in the portrait and wedding industry, Rachael brings creativity and vision to every photography session. Together with a small team of support staff, she has photographed hundreds of portrait sessions and weddings, and her clients are consistently thrilled by her stunning imagery high quality artwork. 

Rachael's passion is giving families tangible memories of their most precious days together with the ones they love. She wants each family to leave their session with beautiful images on their wall and in their hands, not stuck on a hard drive. For that reason, she partners with the best professional printers and craftsmen in the world to create exceptional pieces of wall art and albums for her clients to treasure.

We had the amazing privilege of hearing from Sara Trail of the Social Justice Sewing Academy at the Positively Creative Summit. This is an amazing talk on the power of creating to spark conversations that need to happen. She also shares why it’s important to question and put in the work to identify your place within your creative practice. This is a powerful talk and I’m so excited to share it with you!

About the Social Justice Sewing Academy:

Founded in 2017, the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA) is a youth education program that bridges artistic expression with activism to advocate for social justice. Through a series of hands-on workshops in schools, prisons and community centers across the country, SJSA empowers youth to use textile art as a vehicle for personal transformation and community cohesion and become agents of social change. Many of our young artists make art that explores issues such as gender discrimination, mass incarceration, gun violence and gentrification. The powerful imagery they create in cloth tells their stories, and these quilt blocks are then sent to volunteers around the world to embellish and embroider before being sewn together into quilts to be displayed in museums, galleries and quilt shows across the country. This visual dialogue bridges differences in race, age and socioeconomics and sparks conversations and action in households across the country.

Website: http://www.sjsacademy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjsacademy/

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

Meg Sutton of Belle & Union Co. is on the podcast today! Meg started her business by jumping into wholesale at the National Stationery Show. She shares her journey and what led her to pursue that path into the product world. Meg also shares the decision to open a brick & mortar and the challenges and triumphs she’s experienced since opening her store. She even shares a little but about what is to come for Belle & Union Co.!

From Meg Sutton:

A little bit sweet, a whole lot sassy, Belle & Union is the creation of Meg and Josh, two honeys known for cookin’ up all sorts of homegrown goodness with their whimsical writings, wrappings and wares.

It all started in 2012 with a relationship: a Southern art student and a Northern soldier fell in love along the sandy beaches of Tybee Island and the shady moss-draped oaks of Savannah, Georgia. But life took us from Georgia to Texas, where we now have our very own brick and mortar in sunny San Antonio. The shop, just like our own collection, only carries 100% made in the USA wares for gift and home.

Website: https://www.belleandunion.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belleandunionco/

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

Proof to Product: https://www.prooftoproduct.com

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

I discovered Dionne Woods while planning my baby’s nursery! Dionne shares how she started her business in furniture artistry, how she discovered DIY paint and how they helped her business evolve. She also talks about how she learned to overcome her fears of doing Facebook lives and how by sharing on social media, she discovered her love for teaching and mentorship. Dionne shares so much wisdom and enthusiasm, you will love this episode!

From Dionne Woods:

I am a mom, wife and online creative business owner living in Oklahoma City, OK.  Eight years ago, I decided to open my Etsy store selling vintage home accessories, hand painted furniture and other handmade items. Since then, I’ve shipped several hundred pieces of furniture all over the country.

My original artwork consists of a full color palette. I am a lover of all things colorful and find my inspiration in nature. I love to help you find the perfect art or furniture piece for your home. My style can be described as rustic boho with a side of turquoise. My work can be identified by many layers of color and textures. I believe we should decorate our homes with what makes us happy, ignoring trends, and creating a style that belongs to us and us alone.

In 2017, I became are DIY Paint retailer selling my DIY tutorials online, started a membership group for furniture artists and developed a love for teaching. Since then, I host online paint classes/courses and paint workshops. I am proud to say I’m a cheerleader to so many creative entrepreneurs. Encouraging women to dig deeper and reach higher has become a true love for me.

When I’m not painting, you can find me at a baseball park with my husband, Matt, watching one or both of our sons, Elijah and Holden.

Website: https://www.theturquoiseiris.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/TheTurquoiseIris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theturquoiseiris/

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

Come to the Positively Creative Summit on Saturday, September 21st! Head to arrowcreative.org/positivelycreative to purchase your ticket today!

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Kate Waldo. We met by chance and connected in an Uber on our way to Alt Summit. Kate is an organizer for influencers, bloggers and creatives. She shares how to get started creating systems, why CRMs are so valuable and what some of her favorite tools are for streamlining. Kate also tells us why going paperless is a must! This is a must listen and will inspire you to start working on streamlining your business!

From Kate Waldo:

Hi, I'm Kate!

As the Professional Organizer to Bloggers and Influencers, I provide the tools for you to streamline & organize the “behind the scenes” admin of your business so you can focus on doing what you love.

It lights my fire to help influencers focus on what they actually want to do by eliminating the stress of the stuff that has to get done. I've been organizing, streamlining and automating all the icky admin work since the day I became an entrepreneur.

Kate Jones is the Founder and Organizing Cheerleader at Kate Waldo + Co., and the Creator of The Organized Influencer Academy. She is a professional organizer and a Savannah, Georgia local and has always had an eye for order and the most effective way to organize and streamline a task or process.

Website: https://www.katewaldoandco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katewaldoandco

Best organization apps for influencers: https://www.katewaldoandco.com/influencers

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

Come to the Positively Creative Summit on Saturday, September 21st! Head to arrowcreative.org/positivelycreative to purchase your ticket today!

Try out Station by visiting https://getstation.com/.

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

Today we are talking about live painting! Jennie sat down with me to share her process for live painting and the types of events she paints for. We also talk about how she schedules these events, what travel looks like and which supplies are her go to's for live painting. If you've ever thought about live painting or wondered what it's like, this is the episode for you!

From Jennie Lou Tucker:

While studying graphic design at Baylor University, I began painting to escape the dreaded hours making art with a computer. I had not picked up a paintbrush since elementary art class, but blending colors came easily, and organic shapes appeared before me on my canvas.

Since then, painting has become a quiet expression and gentle release from everyday life. After graduating from college, I immediately set out on a grand adventure as a Teach for America corps member teaching middle school world history in a rural town near Charleston, South Carolina. As my short teaching career came to an end, I was not quite ready to set my roots in one place. So I hit the road again, only to find myself destined for fresh mountain air.

Originally I was born and raised in Austin, Texas, but currently, I reside in Denver, Colorado. The mountains and the great outdoors inspire me every day and remain a constant reminder of the natural beauty all around me. 

Technically, I initially began using oils, but have since realized how acrylic’s fast-drying nature is more conducive to my quick painting style. Head over to my Commissions page to ask me about personalized paintings. We will find a size that fits both your budget and your wall space. 

Specifically, I am most passionate about "live wedding paintings", and specialized commission pieces, but my main concern is equipping you with a timeless piece of artwork to hand down for generations. 

Thank you for your interest in my artwork, and I look forward to hearing from you!

xo

Jennie Lou

Website: https://www.jennielouart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennielouart/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jennielouart/

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

Come to the Positively Creative Summit on Saturday September 21st! Head to arrowcreative.org/positivelycreative to purchase your ticket today!

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

Today I'm in the studio with Whitney Winkler. We talk about how motherhood was the catalyst for starting her painting journey. Whitney shares what inspired her early designs and why partnerships are important. She also shares how she's developed and shared a diverse product line.

From Whitney Winkler:

Hey! I'm Whitney Winkler. I hail from the heartland of the US, but currently call Memphis, TN home; and a good home it is! I have a steady, gem of a husband, and three little babies who stole my heart and ran away with it. I have always loved to create. I've been a songwriter since I could talk, and I’ve always been a bit heavy-handed with the glitter, if you know what I mean.  My sister calls me the "more is more" girl, and it couldn't be more true. As I've grown, I am learning that more of most is more, and that sometimes restraint is the loveliest. 

I've always been passionate about beauty and truth. To me, the combination of those two elements is unstoppable. Painting has come along later in life. I am finding that it is another way to question and answer; express emotion, muddle in, and settle into process. It is like no other medium I have encountered. I always walk away from a paint brush energized and refreshed.

My love of beauty draws me primarily to the design aesthetic of art. My favorite design elements are the modern and whimsical. I am always drawn to blues, greens , greys, and pastel everything(s). Natural elements such as florals and rocks can be found in my work, paired with wafty brush strokes and ink bleeds. Soft and clean lines are best when paired. I love bold and feminine; neutral and geometric. 

An extrovert at heart, I am most inspired when in community. I am so very inspired by the Memphis and online art community, and how much thought is put into the other. I want my (and all) art to be a spring board for the good of a broader collective, and a boost to the individual heart to boot. Thanks for checking out Whitney Winkler Art. My heart beams and bursts that you came!

Website: https://whitneywinkler.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneywinkler_art/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitneywinklerart/

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

Come to the Positively Creative Summit on Saturday September 21st! Head to arrowcreative.org/positivelycreative to purchase your ticket today!

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!

Do you ever think about what kind of experience you’re providing to your customers? Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with Kimberly Sundt on how to add value to your customers. We talk about the feeling we want our customers to have and how important it is to share your story as an online shop owner. We even chat about vision boards and how helpful they are in creating a positive customer experience.

About Kimberly Sundt:

Based in Atlanta, Kimberly helps hospitality-based businesses bring together marketing, customer experience and execution. In boutique hotels and other spaces, she focuses on customer experiences that affect the way guests feel, lead to stronger relationships, and is seen in customer chatter. This results in a brand that resonates, has a soul, and lives throughout all parts of a business.  Her blog, Pineapple Ponderings, is Thoughts on the Style and Business of Hospitality

Website: https://www.kimberlysundt.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlysundt/

Blog: https://www.pineappleponderings.com

Links:

To get 50% off your first year with Honeybook, go to positivelycreative.net/honeybook!

You know I love sharing resources that I’m using and one of those is Constant Contact. Head to positivelycreative.net/resourses to start your free trial!

About The Positively Creative Podcast:

The Positively Creative Podcast was created by Dorothy Collier, artist of Dorothy Art, for creative entrepreneurs. When Dorothy started having a positive outlook on every aspect of her life, including her art career, the creativity and opportunities started overflowing! Join her as she chats with other small business owners, discussing the ins and outs of how to run a creative business and how they make it in their respective fields.

To learn more about The Positively Creative Podcast, visit our website or head over to our Patreon page! You can also find Dorothy on Instagram at @positivelycreativepodcast and @dorothyart!