Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Hutchens

Hi Brooke, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I started Redbud Pigment Co. in 2021 as a way to bring non-toxic art supplies into my creative studio. Being an Artist for over 20 years I realized a lot of the products that I was using in my daily art practice were full of toxins. After doing research and a lot of trial and error I started making my own oil paints and watercolors from earth pigments and natural binders. Hand-mulling my own colors using natural pigments quickly became an obsession. This happened to be how Redbud Pigment Co. was born.

What started as a way for me to watch what I brought into my studio turned into a super love for the process of hand-mulling and opened my eyes to the infinite colors the earth provides. I wanted to share the love of handmade paint with other artist’s and raise awareness that using non-toxic materials in your studio is important and eco-friendly.

Redbud Pigment Co. is now 3 years old, and creatives all over the world use our watercolors. It’s amazing to see what others create using our art supplies, and being a part of their creative practices!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

For the most part it has been rewarding on many levels. The trial and error of providing a product is a learning curve for sure. Being the person that wears all the hats can be pretty overwhelming, but taking things at your own pace, and remembering that no one is perfect helps that aspect.

Some of the biggest struggles to navigate are staying relevant to your customer base. Coming up with new ideas, and new ways to engage are challenging, but also fun. I believe that when we’re challenged a lot of new things come from brainstorming, and experiencing what worked and what didn’t. Staying true to yourself is most important when it comes to a product based business. A lot of the times people tend to just push sales, and that seems too pushy. Connecting with people and artist’s are what’s most important.

As you know, we’re big fans of Redbud Pigment Co. . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

Redbud Pigment Co. is a handmade watercolor business. I hand-mull all of the watercolors using raw pigments and natural binders, leaving you with a non-toxic watercolor paint.

I specialize in single watercolors, curated travel palettes, hand-built ceramics, and other art supplies! We’re mostly known for our handmade watercolors, and our monthly curated Travel palettes that artist’s can take on the go!

What sets us apart from other watercolor companies is that all of our pigments are foraged and sustainably sourced throughout the world. Each batch of watercolors are hand-mulled with natural non-toxic binders giving artist’s an eco-friendly alternative in their creative practice. We offer an extensive selection of single half-pans, along with curated travel sets, online classes to follow along with, and in-person events and classes!

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.

I think taking risks, whether in personal life or business, is sometimes necessary for change. As an artist for over 20 years taking the risk to start Redbud Pigment Co. came at a time during the pandemic. The risk to start something new in the middle of a global shut-down was a huge risk.

However, the need to stay inside, and limit your outdoor exposure is a great time to settle down, take things slow, and maybe create something new! I don’t view myself as a huge risk taker, but I’ve been known to make spontaneous decisions, and when they feel right, and you’re passionate about them you should always go for it.

Pricing:

• $4-$75

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.redbudpigmentco.com
• Instagram: @redbud_pigment_co

Image Credits

All images were photographed by myself.