We were lucky to catch up with Audrey Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Audrey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I think about this question a lot as I slowly grow older and enter into the professional/adult world. I ask myself, if I pulled out now before I invested all my time and money into this, “Will I be better off with a smarter career that will make me more money?” — but I always end up circling back to the most important question: “What makes me happy?” Sure, I could go to college and get a degree in business or finance or anything that would pay the bills, but I know that I would be absolutely miserable every second of every day working a job like that. It doesn’t require anything from the side of my brain that I love to utilize. There is nothing wrong with that being your profession, but for me, art has simply never felt like “work”. That’s why I choose it. Even if I have a deadline for a piece, I still receive that rush of dopamine when my paintbrush hits the canvas- it’s the excitement of being able to create something that no one else has ever created before. Every time, no matter how I try to picture it, I always come to the same conclusion with myself: I would rather be broke and do what I love than make good money and be discontent. I am so lucky to have been born a creative and I want to take as much advantage of that as I can. God has blessed me with this gift for a reason, so I am going to continue on this path as long as I feel lead!
Audrey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an eighteen-year-old artist living in a small town called Franklin, Tenessee. I have practically been an artist my entire life, but I truly started pursuing and investing in it when I was thirteen, and I’ve been at it ever since! My dream is to one day become a 2D animator, or a book illustrator. As of right now, however, I am mostly a freelance artist, living commission-by-commision. One thing I have had the privilege to do for about three years now is paint specials board menus for coffee shops! I really enjoy incorporating a theme each season and getting to have the creative freedom to go crazy. (You can see my boards every month at The Coffee House Franklin)! Besides making boards, I am usually filming and posting content for my Instagram to hopefully gain new followers, and along with those, new clients! I think nowadays it’s really important to have an online presence as an artist, so I’ve really been investing a lot into that. My favorite mediums to work with are watercolor and gouache paint. I enjoy painting and drawing portraits, fruits, landscapes— you name it. Looking back, I’m very grateful that my mom pushed me to experiment with so many art mediums growing up, because now I am able to have a very wide range of skills as an artist. I think not being attached to a specific medium makes it easier for me to create, because I’ve disciplined myself to try anything and everything. I wouldn’t give it up for the world!
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think a big issue in this day and age is purchasing copied art or AI art on online websites like Amazon, simply because they’re cheaper. We as a society have definitely lost the appreciation for art that we used to have. I believe that art is something to be valued and acknowledged, not copied or faked to in order to “save money”. Personally, I think art is the thing I would want to invest the MOST money in, because I know it is an original creation, made by someone with a dream and a drive to change something in the world— it’s a beautiful thing. I don’t think I’ve ever regretted purchasing an art piece from a small business or artist and I will always believe it’s worth the extra potential money that it may cost. We need to be supporting the creatives as much as possible, especially now.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I have always known that this would be my eventual career path, but I am still constantly learning new things every day. I think that is what I love the most about having an art career— it’s constantly shifting and changing into something better and more beautiful. I have always felt called to make a difference with my art, but even now I’m not entirely sure what that looks like yet. I’m not concerned because I know I am where I need to be and the opportunities will come! I suppose from a dream standpoint, I would love to have my own art studio one day where I can just paint freely. That may not be necessarily realistic, but it keeps me going! I think I am most driven by other artists. Seeing what other people create always gets me in the creating mood myself. I love having friends who are artists too, because having a community of people who encourage you to make something new is always a good idea. One of the main ways I keep up with art is through Pinterest or Instagram, where I’m able to see what everyone else is coming up with and maybe gain some inspiration!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felicitykay_art/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FelicityKayArt
- Other: email: [email protected]
