We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allison Pence a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

For most of my life, I don’t really consider myself to have been much of a risk taker. I lived more conservatively, more afraid of the possible outcomes of any risky decisions. But five years ago, something changed. I was so unhappy in my profession (teaching), and my passion, creating art, was a burning fire within me that needed to take center stage. So I quit my full time, stable career, and jumped feet first into the creative life. It was scary and exhilarating all at once. Not long after, I faced several more changes in my life, and made a couple more risky choices that led me out of my comfort zone. With each new road, it was like a whole new life became unlocked for me. I’ve learned now that “taking a risk” really means facing your fears. When you’re faced with a big decision, and it seems just too scary to jump, THAT is when you have to. Or you’ll be stuck on the ledge of your comfort zone forever. Once you jump, it’s like all the answers become clear, and you figure out how to make it work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been a creative person most of my life… From drawing and painting, to knitting or making jewelry, ive always felt the need to be creating something. When I first started selling my paintings professionally, I knew this was the avenue I had to take. After some time, I had the opportunity to work on my first mural – a crosswalk. From there, businesses in my community started reaching out to see if I could do a logo, or paint a wall on their building. It exploded over the next couple years, and I have now worked on well over 150 murals or specialized projects for businesses and residential sites. I’m not really known for one specific style, as I can generally paint a very vast range of subjects. I’ve done postcard murals, many sets of wings, giant graffiti walls, and tons of flower themed murals. I paint the insides of businesses as well, from child care centers to companies looking to brand their image. Although I’m based in Mansfield, Ohio, this past year has found me traveling more, from Brecksville, to Medina, Wadsworth, and Crestline, to name a few. I’m hoping to broaden that range even further in the future.
I’m so fortunate to be able to call my passion my full time job, and I never take for granted how rare and amazing that is. When a client comes to me, sometimes they know exactly what it is they need, and sometimes it’s just a vague idea… Either way I’m able to devote the time needed to work with them to create the vision, and bring it to life in the time they need it done. I’ve formed some really great relationships with many of my clients, and often get referrals this way. There’s no better feeling than being able to continue my craft because people believe in me and recommend me down the road to a new person.

How did you build your audience on social media?

For me, Facebook proved to be a huge asset in expanding my footprint. As much as some people are against social media, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without it. Some artists have more luck with Instagram, and I’ve followed a few that I’ve seen grow from just a few hundred followers, to now being recognized all over the globe. When it comes to posting on Facebook, I try to take the best quality picture I can, so that when the audience sees it, they say “wow!” I try to do a mix of posts… Sometimes a longer story, and sometimes just a short one liner. And I don’t usually show progress pics, because the audience is immune to the final picture and you don’t get as much interaction.
With a business page, the key is interaction. You’re not trying to get likes just for the sake of it… The more likes you get, the more your page gets seen by people who may not even follow you. The more you get seen, the more shares you get, and even more people see your work. And the whole point of that, for me at least, is that’s more potential business. About 90% of my business has come from someone seeing my work on Facebook.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I have message after message of people I don’t even know, writing to me to thank me for doing something pretty in their town, or sending me pictures of their kids enjoying the paintings I’ve done. It’s extremely rewarding to know that this niche I have carved out for myself is not just a job I can enjoy, but something that thousands of people can enjoy and appreciate, hopefully for many years down the road.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Allison Pence Art (Instagram.com/allisonpenceart
• Facebook: Allison Pence Art (Facebook.com/allisonoence215