We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Briar McMahon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Briar below.

Briar, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I was building my freelance video production presence when the pandemic started in 2020. All the jobs I booked were canceled and I had to pivot fast. I decided to get a part time job to pay the bills and wait out the pandemic (little did I know). I ended up working there full time for the next five years. It kept me on my feet but it wasn’t what I really wanted to be doing. It was during this time that I was using all my free time to make art and really starting to question if the video world was for me. I started building my brand and tabling at markets consistently in 2023. I quickly realized that running my business was fulfilling in a way nothing had ever been for me. My job started to become a source of stress and anxiety and all I wanted to do was make art. I was also starting to burn out since I was working 5 days a week and selling at markets on the weekends. One day in the summer of 2024 I woke up and decided I was quitting to pursue my art career. I usually agonize about these types of decisions but it felt like the right thing to do. It was one of those moments where I felt certain this was my time. It was a huge financial risk and things certainly were up and down for a bit. Quitting allowed me to take the time I needed to really focus on my goals and make more art. Now I am working on my business full time and I have a part time remote position that pays well and helps supplement my income while I continue to establish myself in the art community.

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

My name is Briar (some of you may also know me as Holly) and I am the owner and artist behind Holly Berry Art. I have been making art for the past 10 years and I have been developing my small art business since around 2021. I specialize in gouache, watercolor, and digital paintings. I actually went to school to study film and I wanted to work in the industry before I decided painting was more my speed. I was always captivated by the artistry behind movies that I obsessed over. I took an oil painting class senior year to fill a credit and was taken aback at how much I came to love it. I do want to stress here that I was really bad when I started out. There seems to be a misconception that you are either born with artistic talent or you are out of luck. I remember being so frustrated with the paint and wanting to give up. It took a lot of continually showing up before things started to click with the basics of color theory and composition. It would take about ten more years of painting and teaching myself to get to the spot where I am now. I like to say my brand is “weird art” and I have embraced that label wholeheartedly. I walk the line between cute and creepy/unsettling with my original paintings. I tend to focus on using bold colors and fantasy/sci-fi themes, but I also do pet portrait commissions and dabble in watercolor landscapes. My work can be found at my local farmers market and a few retail locations in the capital region. I am currently accepting commissions and they have ranged from pet portraits to window paintings to a design for trading card sleeves. I have an online store and an Etsy store that I have been growing for the past few years. Every order that shows up makes me smile and every package is prepared with love. I am passionate about what I do. Running this business has brought more joy and purpose into my life. I’m really proud of the growth I have made in my art abilities as well as running my business, especially since I quit my day job and decided to go all in on my business. I am also proud to be visibly and loudly queer in a world that wants us to shrink ourselves to fit a specific narrative. Nothing brings me happiness quite like seeing another queer person appreciate my art and connect with it. This year I am working towards growing my business and art sales so I can comfortably continue to create without financial stress.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Support human artists. Stop using AI, and encourage anyone you know to stop as well. Trying to navigate selling art in an economy that is unstable is hard enough without our work being run through AI algorithms and stolen. The arts are a vital part of a healthy and thriving society. Go to art shows, give a like or follow on social media. I always encourage people to buy through my website instead of my Etsy so I can keep more of the funds. Understand that we are not Amazon or Temu. My stickers are $4 because I hand print, cut, and personally inspect each one. Also I need to eat and pay rent. Buy art as gifts for birthdays and holidays!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I am on a mission to put weird art out into the world and get more art into homes. I make a point to provide a variety of products for sale in person and online. If someone can’t afford an art print or an original they can always walk away with a sticker or button with some of my art on it. Art should be enjoyed by everyone regardless of income. I have a few overarching goals for my business in the coming years. I’ve been doing well at anime conventions and spooky night markets, so I would like to apply to more of those types of events. I do have a shop on the popular wholesaling site Faire, and I hope to acquire a few wholesale orders this year. Running a business is expensive and I had to deal with some of the up front costs the last few years. This year I finally have a lot of things in place that have taken some time to get set up. I think most importantly I want to be known for being a loud and out queer artist who uses art to speak out against cruelty and bigotry, and lifts up my community. I’m currently donating a portion of sales to our local mutual aid fund in an effort to give back to the community and help keep our neighbors safe.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hollyberryshop.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holly_berry_art
• Other: https://shophollyberry.etsy.com

  https://hollyberry1.faire.com

Image Credits

Claire McMahon