Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Golick. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lauren, appreciate you joining us today. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?
I used to have this thought that asking your friends or family for help or support was kind of, I don’t know, taboo..? I was never one to ask for help, and I do still struggle with that sometimes. But in the case of my artwork, being primarily a commission-based artist, I don’t mind asking friends or family to follow me on Instagram, or to perhaps put a good word out if they know of anyone who may be interested in having a portrait done. I would personally never point-blank ask a friend or family member to buy my work, or ask that they have me commission something; I’m not trying to solicit anything. But if they genuinely like my artwork, I feel that a gentle, “I’m always accepting commission requests if you’re ever interested,” or a, “If you know of anyone who may be interested, they’re welcome to reach out to me,” is appropriate. After all, word of mouth is often the best way to spread knowledge about a business. There have been quite a few cases where I draw a portrait for a friend, and someone they know sees it, compliments it. Next thing I know, my friend is asking if they can give my contact info to their friend. And then that person tells someone else about my work. To me, as an artist, that is the ultimate compliment.
Lauren, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I have been drawing most of my life. I started when I was young, as my dad would frequently draw something for me and ask that I try to copy it. Or my parents would give me a coloring book and crayons to stay busy. I wasn’t the best student in the world, but found that I excelled in art and photography; anything creative, really. It wasn’t until my later school years, when I started drawing portraits to gift to family members, when I really thought, “Maybe I could do more with this.” I’ve always worked full-time jobs in between, though. So this has never truly been a full-time thing for me, though I may like it to grow into that. Right now, I am primarily a commission-based artist, specializing in black & white pencil portraits of people and pets. Having worked in the veterinary industry for the last five years, I found a little niche there, drawing memorial portraits of friends or coworkers’ pets. But whether it’s a senior dog, or a portrait of a friend and their boyfriend, the feeling of happiness I get when I see my client’s face light up when they receive their portrait is the same; it’s a great, fulfilling feeling.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of what I do is when my client receives the portrait I’ve created for them. Knowing how happy they are to have something to commemorate a special moment, or a close family member of theirs, or a pet who’s no longer with them, just makes all the work worth it.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
When I decided I wanted to do commission-based work, social media was really just starting out (remember MySpace, anyone?) Now, social media is everywhere. You have people selling their work online, sharing how they create their work, and influencers can play such a big role in others’ decisions to purchase something or follow someone. Though it can certainly be very overwhelming seeing so many other creatives out there, I think that social media can be a huge help in getting your business seen, when utilized properly. So, although it would have been helpful to have things like Instagram or TikTok earlier on, it’s nice having them now.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @marsroadartistry