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

Hi Dani, thanks for joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

In 2020, I started painting flowers and animals and uploading pictures of them to social media. I painted a lamb, an opossum, a wren, a barn owl–and then my mind wouldn’t stop churning. I’d lay awake at night thinking “Oh, I could paint that. Oh, I could paint that, too. And that.” At the time, I had a very niche Etsy shop, where I sold handmade literary cards. I started to wonder if anyone might be interested in purchasing prints of my paintings. But I had no idea how to go about making prints of them. I tried making them myself first. I took some less-than-stellar photos of the paintings on my i-phone, bought some fine art printer paper, and printed them out on my little home printer. To put it bluntly: they were terrible. They were very poor representations of the original pieces, and I didn’t feel good trying to sell them to anyone. So, I started to do some serious research. I found an online printshop that specialized in fine art reproductions. I ordered paper samples, worked on getting better photos of my art, and eventually, I ended up with prints I was happy with. I put them on Etsy, and I also started doing very small craft fairs and farmer’s markets. In 2022, I came up with a name and a logo that I felt reflected the feeling and focus of my art. Since then, I’ve just allowed myself to keep asking questions, keep researching, and keep trying new things–both in terms of my business and my craft itself. I’ve added new products, and I’ve actually come full circle by learning how to make quality prints myself (hint: you need the right equipment).

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

My name is Dani Gorin, and I’m the artist behind Fox & Thistle Studio. I officially launched the business in 2022 about three months after my first son was born. I have always loved drawing and painting, but all of the change and upheaval that comes from being a first-time parent is what I think gave me the mental shift to consider pursuing it more seriously.

While I enjoy playing with a variety of mediums, I am primarily a watercolor artist. My work is heavily focused on and informed by nature. My childhood was filled with hiking and playing in the creek, collecting feathers and bones, planting flowers with my mother/grandmother/grandfather–and reading every animal book I could get my hands on. I am still fascinated by the natural world, and my hope is that my work will connect people to their own curiosity about nature. I think curiosity is often the first step towards getting people to care about things.

Over the past year, I’ve really been focusing on shaping Fox & Thistle into a business that reflects my environmental interests and concerns. I’ve started using biodegradable cello sleeves for my greeting cards and printing them on recycled cardstock or paper embedded with wildflower seeds. I’m currently working on a plantable desk calendar that highlights Native IL plants. These are small steps, but they make me excited for the future of Fox & Thistle.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

It was a substantial pivot that actually resulted in the creation of Fox & Thistle. Before I had my first son, I was an adjunct writing instructor at a local college. On paper, it was a logical step in the path I’d been walking. I’d gone to undergrad for Creative Writing and started teaching as a TA in grad school to pay for my schooling. Post graduation, working as an adjunct writing instructor made sense. But I was miserable. I loved connecting with students, and I loved feeling like I had helped them gain more confidence in their writing abilities, but I was suffering from chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and bouts of depression. Beyond that, I felt aimless and uncertain about my choices. I’d gone to school for writing, and I’d somehow written myself out of the uncomplicated love I’d had for it when I was younger. I had my son during fall semester finals, and went into my maternity leave with the intention of returning to teaching in a few months. But those few months gave me enough time to reflect on what I wanted my life to feel like. I started painting again, and it became clear that I needed to follow that.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One thing I had to unlearn was the notion that you have to have a specific educational background or credentials to call yourself an artist. I had to practice what I preached to my writing students: Do you write? Then you’re a writer. Good, bad, boring, exceptional, predictable–those are all just descriptors. If you make art, you’re an artist.

I’ve struggled to call myself an artist, because it felt like a title I was giving myself as opposed to one given to me by an institution or other authority. But I think the titles we give ourselves count, and what matters much more is the “doing” and “practicing.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FoxThistleStudio
• Instagram: fox_and_thistle_studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoxandThistleStudio/