We recently connected with Roxanne Grooms and have shared our conversation below.

Roxanne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew at a very young age that I wanted to be an artist. In fact, I was in first or second grade when my grandmother recognized my talent. She encouraged me by always having art supplies available for all my projects. I remember making a lot of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards. I experimented with construction paper, watercolors, colored pencils, and crayons. It’s probably where my love for mixed media started!

As the years passed, I wanted to go to art school, but it was financially out of reach for my family. Then, as luck would have it, my high school held an assembly—and at that assembly was an Army recruiter. I had no intention of joining the Army, but by the time I finished talking to the recruiter, I had learned about a job as an illustrator, and I was intrigued.

Next thing I knew, I was enlisted and serving at Fort Bragg, NC. I served three years as an illustrator, received an honorable discharge, and set my sights on art school.

Roxanne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

After I graduated from college with a Fine Arts degree in Drawing and Painting, I was fortunate to gain gallery representation and a job at a major corporation. I worked my way through the ranks of the company and eventually achieved the role of Director of Creative Services.

However, I always kept my fine arts practice active. I continued to participate in shows and projects, balancing both throughout my various career roles. The combination of my fine arts background and corporate responsibilities instilled in me a strong sense of discipline and accountability to my passion.

It was a very rewarding path, and after 40 years, I retired in 2021. I am now pursuing my art full-time while staying active in the art community.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to transfer my thoughts and emotions into my art. It serves as a powerful way to let my voice be heard while sorting through emotional journeys. These journeys often become intuitive environments that allow me to escape.

For the viewer, I invite them in to explore and get lost in the many layers of the painting. Some have commented that they feel as if they can roam around inside one of my paintings and become like a character in a story.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

A very influential book I’m reading right now is Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now.
It’s about staying present and not letting the future or your past become your identity. Of course, it’s much more than my explanation—and more complex—but I’m really trying to stay in the NOW and enjoy the freedom and creativity that exist in that moment.

As a matter of fact, I’ve noticed that while I’m doing my art, I’m typically able to stay present, and time disappears. Not being constrained by time is another aspect of the book and I truly appreciate the gift of those timeless moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.roxannegrooms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxannegrooms/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/roxanne.grooms.1/
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/roxanne-grooms-1185312
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OHGOl5SPSRS35ZKdgqCuE