We recently connected with Grace Davenport and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have so thankfully been able to sustain myself with the creative work I do both as a makeup artist and more recently creating content online.

When I first began with makeup, one of my goals was to find ways to have a flexible schedule while still being able to enjoy the work I do and let my creativity flow. Being a makeup artist was one way to do that, but I knew I wanted to stretch beyond that profession and tap into the other parts of my creative brain.

After graduating college with my BA in Film, I realized I had the potential to start creating content online in addition to my freelancing as an MUA. I began researching what makes content marketable, and how to share online in an effective way. I’ve always had a knack for knowing what people enjoy, so building off of that understanding to create content was fairly easy.

Once I began making my own content, I started looking into jobs that might offer me a more stable salary while also giving me the opportunity to be creative and flexible. Funny enough, the perfect job landed in my lap, and I almost didn’t apply for it because I wanted a friend to apply for it! I decided to apply for the position and put my whole being into the interview process.

Fast forward, and I’m now creating content full-time for my alma mater, Georgia State University, and it is the bets job I’ve ever had. My staff is incredible, work flow is flexible, and I’m still able to work as a freelance artist when I want.

My recommendation for anyone looking to start their own projects up is to do the research and take the risks. Long gone is the need for a 9-5 job, and you can absolutely sustain yourself with your creativity. It does take time and knowing you will risk some security, but having control of your time and imagination is truly freeing.

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

My name is Grace, nice to meet you! I’ve been a makeup artist for almost 8 years, and more recently I have taken on the role of content creator. I have always been very invested in entertaining and creating for the enjoyment of myself and others. That has led me to pursue various avenues throughout the years: theatre, dance, film, art, etc. As I’ve grown as a person, I’ve learned what skills I have that best suit both my creative energy as well as the people I end up collaborating with.

I started practicing makeup at a very early age and began really perfecting the craft around age 15. Makeup was a form of expression in a way that also allowed my personality to shine through. I eventually began taking courses to improve my techniques and learn about products, which led to me to receiving more formal education through Industry Makeup Academy here in Atlanta. Since then (2020), I have continued to take on clients for weddings, editorial publishing, and headshots.

As for content creation, I have yet to take on clients other than my full time job, but it’s something I look forward to doing in the future. I hope to expand my own services to brands in order to make their accounts serve a larger purpose than just communicating information.

I think what sets my work apart from others is the level of discernment I carry from client to client. No two people are the same, and I want to honor the uniqueness of each person I work with, while also giving them a great experience. I encourage those interested in working with me to peruse my website, socials, and reach out to me with questions. My counsel is always free.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

With any social media platform, your goal is always to hone in on your audience. Your business should, in my opinion, not only serve you, but serve a demographic you want to target. Early on with any project I create, I try to determine who my audience will be so that I can make all of my decisions based around those parameters. I believe a strong social media presence comes from knowing your clientele and curating content to grab their attention. Whether this be through color choices, wording, photos- all of these details are crucial to your presence.

Additionally, it’s important to know what you, as a brand, are after. Are you interested in gaining followers? Interested in producing quality content? Focused on responses in your comment section? These are all important questions to be asking as you begin to create pages. Your platform should have purpose, otherwise it falls flat and fades into the abyss of Instagram pages and dead Facebook ads. Do your research to make your platforms have meaning and use available tools to achieve your goals.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

One of the toughest things to convince my friends who do not fall onto this atypical journey is that the risk is worth the reward. While to some the unpredictability of a creative pursuit might be daunting, it is everything to the individual. The thing about being creative is that you cannot compartmentalize it away from your soul as you would with a normal job. Being creative is engrained into your personhood, and thus, your career journey will not look the same. Taking a chance on your art though you may not be making much money is worth it. Working weird hours of the night to finish editing a cut is worth it. Putting yourself on TikTok for the public eye and scrutiny to entertain is worth it. Because the heart is involved, there are many lengths people go to in order do what they love.

If any one is struggling with this concept or wants inspiration that they can make their dreams a reality, I recommend Making a Living Living by Nina Karnikowski. After reading it, I had an entirely different outlook on the way I pursue my goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://made-with-grace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madewith.grace_/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracedavenport

Image Credits
Joe Burns – Main Headshot JKash – Podcast Shot cocomxs- Brooklyn Bridge Shot