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

Seth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

I’ve been sketching and doodling since I was a kid. I remember thinking at a very young age ‘I want to be a professional artist when i grow up.’ I never thought that was possible so I never pursued it.
When I was a teenager I had a few family friends who commissioned me to do murals but those just seemed like odd jobs here and there.
During the pandemic I began thinking about ways to work remotely and thought I’d make art and start selling on Etsy and Red Bubble. I began painting movie characters in my cartoony, whimsical style but the images got taken down for copyright issues. After that I decided to only create original art.

I began painting local architecture and original whimsical characters. When I began posting those images on Instagram, a local coffee shop reached out to me and asked if I’d like to display some art at their shop. I hung a few paintings and posted my contact info. Not long after that someone reached out and asked if I could do a house commission. I agreed, and a short time later someone else reached out about a commission. Gradually people started reaching out to me more and more as I took on more jobs and posted the images.
It was the first time I felt like making a career out of art might be a viable option. I was thrilled that people were enjoying my art and enjoyed making the personal connection and being invited to tell people’s stories through images.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up sketching and doodling but never took art very seriously. I had heard the trope about ‘starving artists’ and told myself it would be impossible to make a career as an artist. I also didn’t like my art and thought I moved too slow.
I always wanted to go to school for art but talked myself out of it. I was partly afraid to learn from someone else, thinking that their instruction might influence my style.

In 2016 a friend introduced me to watercolors and I began dabbling with them. In 2018 I took a trip to Japan with some friends and in our down time I’d make quick, stylized ‘sketches’. Before those sketched I had always taken a lot of time on my drawings and tried to get them to look realistic. I found that I really liked the chaotic style of the sketches, especially in tandem with the looseness of the water. In 2020 I began playing more with watercolors and leaning into the chaos of the water. I found that the less I tried to control it, the more I enjoyed both the act of creating, and the results.

In 2021 I was working at a car dealership and a coffeeshop was being built across the street. Once the coffeeshop was finished I decided to try to do a quick sketch of it. What resulted was what is my favourite painting to this day. I had no idea what I was doing but the chaos of the ink lines and the looseness of the water, the vibrancy of the colors, and the little dashes of complimentary color here and there all looked so deliberate. I began trying to reverse engineer the process and tried to create more paintings using similar techniques. I eventually got close enough, and I still find that the quicker I work, the happier I am with the results.

Once I started selling commissions I began to dream of having a storefront in my town, Waynesboro, PA. I never thought it would be possible to have my own storefront so it remained a dream. In 2022 I began selling at farmers markets and teaching classes. Around December 2023 an unexpected opportunity opened up when I was made aware of a storefront for rent in downtown Waynesboro. I began renting and rennovating in January 2024 and opened my doors four months later.

At my store (Holmes Watercolors) I sell original art, prints, apparel, stickers, notecards, postcards, tote bags, a book I illustrated, and teach classes.

I’ve built my brand on meaningful connections and story-telling. I genuinely enjoy speaking with everyone I meet, hearing their story, and capturing people’s personalities and stories in my commissions. I enjoy adding whimsy to images and creating art that inspires people to view the world in a new light.

My relationship with Jesus is a huge part of my business, how I interact with others, what goes into my art, and how I do business. Artists are often very open with their beliefs and what they value, and the art they create is a reflection of those values and beliefs. People often describe my art as ‘happy’, ‘joyful’, they say it makes them smile, some pieces have deep meaning and significance to them, when I tell stories through paintings I try to capture the uniqueness of individuals and I’m always flattered when someone cries upon receiving a painting of a family home or a captured memory.

I want my art to reflect joy, hope, peace, meaning, and individual value. Just as a painting doesn’t appear without an artist, so the people I create art for aren’t just accidents or coincidences. There is a creator who loves us, and I want to express that through my art.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

There have been a lot of discouraging moments in my business. There have been plenty of times where I’ve thought about giving up, taking a steady job, and leaving painting behind as a business. Ever since I started my business I’ve prayed, asking God that if it’s something He wants me to do, He’ll have to provide and make it clear, and if He has a different course for me to pursue, He’ll have to remove all opportunity and make it clear because I can be dense and stubborn.
Even in the midst of challenging times or the times when I’ve worried I might not be able to cover all my bills, He’s provided and continues to provide. I’d like to get married and have a family and I’m now facing the reality that I need to take charge as a business owner, and not merely as an artist. It is possible to ‘make it’ as an artist, but it’s not easy, comfortable, or quick, and it takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Even when people don’t purchase me art it’s been hugely helpful when they share posts, tell others about my business, leave reviews about any experience or interaction we might have, and share, comment, and like posts. Of course, attending classes, bringing friends, buying prints or paintings for gifts, telling others about my commissions, and buying stickers all help a lot. I’m sure it’s the same with other artists and creatives.
One of the things I’m aiming to do to create a thriving creative ecosystem is encourage others through classes and on their own to get a sketchbook and just create! Good, bad, ugly, whatever. If you have pets, sketch them. If you have kids, sketch them. Try capturing their life through cartoons.
Don’t criticize your ability. Just enjoy the creative process. I also want to host creative maker days when people are invited to just come and create with me for an hour or two. We can talk, not talk, work on something collaboratively, alone, whatever. I just want to provide a space and opportunity for others to feel relaxed and enjoy being creative.
Frequently just being creative leads to conversations and friendships. We miss out on a lot when we isolate out of embarrassment or expectation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.holmeswatercolors.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holmes__watercolors/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Holmes-Watercolors/100070542224488/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/holmes-watercolors-waynesboro?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Image Credits

Rebecca Werk IG @ rebecca_werk (the photo of me plein air painting at sunset)