Positively Creative

On this episode of Positively Creative, Evelyn Henson shares about developing products & figuring out how to ship them. Evelyn also talks about the pros of dropshipping products, how she leverages her shopify store, and the trial and error of being a business owner and how she uses her mistakes to grow!

About Evelyn:

Brushed with a love for all things creative, I grew up in Columbus, GA. After my 3rd grade teacher pulled me aside for writing "too small" (I had just made tiny handwriting the classroom trend), I probably should have known I would be an artist of some sort, but it took me about a decade after that day to finally pick up the paintbrush.

I first discovered my love for painting when I attempted a floral still life as a Mother's Day gift in 2012 after two friends kindly gave me an old box of paints they didn't want. I honestly haven't been able to put down the paint brush since---there's something about art that brings out my happiest, brightest self.

I started selling my work in May 2013 following my college graduation. At the time, I didn't know what I was going to do with my life, so let's just say I'm very thankful that my art business turned out to be more successful than my post-grad job hunt. It started with just a few art prints on Etsy, and has slowly evolved into a colorful & happy brand that has been seen in Glamour, Domino, Redbook, People, and more.

I'm currently based in Charlotte, NC.

Led by the mantra "painting is a celebration of life" I seek to create stylish art that's uplifting & bright. My happy palette finds inspiration in the colors and patterns within everyday life. Picasso said that "inspiration exists, but it has to find you working," &, thanks to countless hours spent with a paintbrush in hand, art's taught me to recognize appreciate the little things. Through this colorfully inspired lens, I hope to create pieces that brighten your day and bring sunshine to your home.

Website: https://www.evelynhenson.com/

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/evelynhenson

Links:

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

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!

On this episode of Positively Creative, Maggie Covert LeBlanc of Walking Man Studios talks with us about being an artist in New Orleans, keeping her business going while experiencing a family tragedy and how her art helped her heal after the loss of her niece. We also chat about her custom work and her adorable dog series!

About Maggie:

Maggie Covert received her Bachelor's degree from Maryland Institute College of Art in Interdisciplinary Sculpture with a Concentration in Book Arts. She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her home has made a huge impact on her art, as the culture, vitality, and architecture are hard to escape. Since Hurricane Katrina, Maggie has been exploring the ideas of losing the contributing factors that make a place home. She has been drawn to the repetitive nature of disastrous events along with the governmental, social, and geographic reactions to these.

Her most recent work channels the whimsical nature of New Orleans' architecture and characters. She continues to be drawn to details in the buildings and landscape of her hometown. Seeing the beauty and tireless work in each structure, She creates a connection to each establishment through the recreation of these in architectural drawings and paintings.

Maggie currently works with multiple local realtors and real estate companies providing personalized illustrations and paintings for them to gift to sellers or buyers at closing. Creating connections with others who love architecture and real estate is continually inspirational to Maggie's craft and business growth.

With her studio on Magazine Street in New Orleans, Maggie continues to work on Custom Home Portraits - for locals and many from other states such as Maryland, New York, Oregon and even receiving requests from the UK. Gaining experience with multiple commercial property drawings as well as album art and wedding invitations, she has branched out to stationary work allowing her to create custom notecards, postcards and custom wedding invitations.

In addition to the architectural work, Maggie has begun a series of "Walking Illustrations". Each walking piece is meant to provoke a feeling of movement (physical, emotional, spiritual, mental)- growth in one's life and development. With these illustrations, Maggie hopes to portray a joy that much art, culture and people are missing in modern times. Focusing in on joy with a little whimsy and maybe even some historical or spiritual undertones, Maggie aims to show that "everyone walks the same path."

Website: https://www.walkingmanstudios.com/

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

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

Links:

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

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!

On today's episode of Positively Creative, Taylor Lee walks us through her struggle with an eating disorder, her experience with art therapy, and finding community and her voice through art. We also talk about how to learn from others without copying and how developing your style is an ongoing process.

About Taylor:

Taylor is a self-taught artist who inherited her love for painting from her grandmother. She was born in North Carolina, but is currently on a road trip across the United States with her husband and their pug, Frida. Her second love is writing and she is currently working on a book to release in 2018.

She struggled with an eating disorder for over ten years, and surviving it has made her strong in ways that she never imagined were possible. Body positivity is a major theme in most of her work, especially her portraiture and floral pieces. Her paintings evoke emotions that we feel every day and each piece has a story and is created specifically to awaken the soul within.

Website: http://www.taylorleepaints.com/

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

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

Links:

Tara Leaver

Abstractify

Positively Creative Episode with Emily Jeffords

Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

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

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!

We are kicking off season 2 with Molly Hatch! Molly is a full-time, studio potter whose work has been seen in stores like Anthropologie, Land of Nod, and Target, just to name a few! Her designs have expanded beyond tableware to a variety of lifestyle products and Molly's collections of home goods are bringing her modern yet traditional designs to the contemporary home.

In this episode, we chat about how Molly started working with Anthropologie and how she's been able to grow her brand while licensing her work.

About Molly:

Born the daughter of a painter and an organic dairy farmer, Molly was raised to be creatively industrious. Using her imagination and love of drawing to make everything from her well known idiosyncratic ceramics to quirky pen-and-ink drawings. Molly's craft is finely honed, her designs whimsically literal and pop-culturally on-point.

Working from her home studio, Molly began making her living as a full-time studio potter in 2008. Her formal education in ceramics and drawing resulted in the development of her signature style. Making contemporary ceramics inspired by history, Molly's career as a studio potter quickly garnered a loyal following. Molly's designs have expanded beyond tableware to a wide range of lifestyle products and Molly is actively growing collections of home goods to bring her modern yet traditional designs to the contemporary home.

Website: https://mollyhatch.com/

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mollyhatch

Links:

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

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 the last episode of season 1, I am sharing my "aha" moments and reflections of 2017. I have so many things mentally on my plate that I need to purge the physical things around me. I share my struggles of being my own boss, how I happily don't get everything done each day, and why I share my daily journal in Instagram stories. Much much more as well! I'll be back in early January 2018 with many new interviews for you! Happy holidays, y'all!

www.dorothycollier.com

On Today's Show:

(2:00) Make what you want to make.

(7:00) Why am I doing what I'm doing? "I'm not myself when I'm not creating." - Dorothy

(10:30) Emily Jeffords' episode on her lifestyle

(12:00) Being your own boss and thinking I can "do it all"

(14:00) Andy J Pizza Creative Pep Talk

(15:00) No one knows what all you didn't get done that day

(16:00) It takes a village

(19:00) For me to be the best mom that I can, I need to be creating.

(22:00) Emily with EmKat Design

(25:00) My Dorothy Art Instagram Stories - daily journal

(26:30) Liana Kangas

(31:00) The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

(35:00) The KonMari Method with Emily Wickliff of The Methodical Life

(35:00) The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

(39:00) Working in batches

(41:00) On Positively Creative Podcast

(45:00) On being the Memphis co-leader of Rising Tide Society's Tuesdays Together - Our local website, our local facebook group, Rising Tide Society website, Rising Tide Society Facebook group, Founder Natalie Franke

Dorothy sits down with Maria Brophy, an artist consultant and author of Art Money Success. Maria has dedicated her life to figuring out the strategies on how to make a good living by being an artist. Maria shares with us how to bring your thoughts back to what you want, and to not focus on what isn't serving you.

For more Maria Brophy:

http://mariabrophy.com/

Shop the book, Art Money Success

Drew Brophy's Artwork:

http://drewbrophy.com/

On Today's Show:

(4:00) Maria's background and book, Art Money Success

(5:00) running your art business like a business

(8:30) "money is a form of love"

(11:00) commission policies and systems in your business

(15:00) positive thinking and protecting your mind

(24:30) Bob Proctor, You Were Born Rich

(26:00) pursuing ideas and goals

(30:00) getting what you want plus some

(35:00) unconventional ways to sell your art and getting paid for charity

(40:00) streams of income

(46:00) email marketing and seo

(50:00) reproductions

(53:00) What's your business model?

(58:00) price quotes

Dorothy speaks with Carolyn Keating of Wholesale for Creatives, which offers support, strategy, and systems for product based business owners. We dive in with wholesale pricing, working with rep groups, and chat about how many products you need to start a wholesale line.

For more information:

http://wholesale4creatives.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thewholesalecollective/

On Today's Show:

(6:00) how she started in the retail world

(13:00) is your business set up for wholesale?

(14:00) Wholesale for Creative's offerings

(14:30) Perfect Your Pricing Course

(16:00) Wholesale Pricing

(19:00) Wholesale Terms to Know

(32:00) How many items do you need to start wholesale?

(35:00) Wholesale shows and walking them first

(43:00) Working with Rep Groups

(51:00) Sourcing

(58:00) Nicole Schwartz - lawyer for product based businesses, Heather Crabtree's Savvy Group, Creative Biz Rebellion

Dorothy had the pleasure of sitting down with sisters Katherine Vergos Riederer and Anna Vergos Blair of The Art Project to talk about their brick and mortar business, an art studio for kids! They share how the idea came to be, getting started with building the studio, and the day to day activities and events they offer.

For more information visit:

http://www.artprojectmemphis.com/

"MAKE ART. LEAVE THE MESS. Paint. Glitter. Glue. Chalk. Sand. Classes. Retail. Digitization. Coffee. Snacks. Beer." -The Art Project

On Today's Show:

(6:00) How the idea for The Art Project came to be

(7:00) From working at the Rendezvous in Memphis https://www.hogsfly.com/, fashion design assistant at Ralph Lauren, and being an attorney

(11:00) The Art Project's location in Overton Square

(12:00) Researching with artists, art teachers, parents

(13:00) Blueprints with intention of what the children will be doing in the space

(16:00) Coming up with crafts and art projects, themes of the week and process based projects

(19:30) the layout of the space

(26:00) Art Free Play

(29:00) staffing their business

(30:00) Art Show featuring The Art Project staff

(39:00) Being a working mama

(43:00) Baby Art

(45:00) working with family

(49:00) hosting artists to teach

(51:00) Kid Art Lit and Artful Parent

Dorothy had the chance to sit down with Beth Winterburn, an abstract fine artist and discuss how she started creating abstract thanks to a friend's request. Beth discusses how she prices her artwork and how she releases collections online, which helps with seasons of creating, packaging, uploading online, and helps give herself breaks.

For more Beth Winterburn:

http://www.ebw-artwork.com/

(3:00) Art 101 elements and principles of art as her guide

(5:00) @ebw_artwork

(6:00) Beth's art background

(17:00) growing her studio from kid mode

(19:00) her first abstract piece 4 years ago

(20:00) started selling from Instagram, her online portfolio

(26:00) using acrylic inks

(31:00) starting to sell at festivals, Double Decker, Memphis Maker Market

(33:00) went to workshops and one-on-one online classes, learning taxes and being a small business owner

(34:00) good advice on pricing her artwork

(36:00) on selling artwork at restaurants, currently selling her artwork at Catherine & Marys, River Oaks

(37:00) Falling into Place, Pickering Boxwood, selling wholesale to France

(40:00) on releasing collections online

(46:00) Crosstown Arts, Ken Hall curating, Janet Smith, Kat Gore, Lisa Williamson, Grit

(49:00) how she creates commission pieces

(54:00) collaboration with Artfully Walls and getting into Anthropologie

Dorothy chats with Jessica & Clifford Huizenga of The Confetti Bar on how Jessica got the ball rolling so quickly, transitioning to The Confetti Bar as her full time career within 6 months. Clifford is a digital wiz and has created a wonderful site with great SEO. Clifford is a "personal believer in that a lot of the web field should be demystified and there's a lot of things people don't realize what they could do if they spent a little time learning how things work."

For more Confetti Bar:

https://www.theconfettibar.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theconfettibar/

On Today's Show:

(9:00) Jessica's creative past and present http://jessicaserrahuizenga.com/

(11:00) Cliff's role on the backend of the site and heavy customization with gravity forms through Wordpress

(15:00) Custom confetti vs ready-made and seasonal mixes of confetti

(18:00) The Confetti Bar's Instagram and streamlining with Planoly

(23:00) Ranking high in Google

(29:00) Creating styled photos for Instagram with confetti & writing notes for ideas

(32:00) The Confetti Bar's daily schedule

(39:00) on wholesale and National Stationery Show

(48:00) Maria Brophy Art Money Success

(50:00) on creating fine artwork

(52:00) on telling people you create custom confetti at a cocktail party