Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shelby Hamilton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shelby, 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 have known my whole life that I wanted to be in the creative field. I started a side hustle in college doing small pieces of art here and there for friends and family and it slowly grew as I graduated and started working. I moved to Charleston to work as the Graphic Designer for RMS Beauty, a clean cosmetics company, while maintaining my art business on the side. Eventually it became hard to balance the two and I decided to make the leap and start my own business as a full time artist & graphic designer. I thought, if not now, when?

I have always worked at kitchen tables, in garages, on porches and I still owe all of my college and post college roommates for allowing the chaos and mess! It has been a really fun road and I am so glad I took the risk because I have learned so much in the last 3 years on my own. Yes there are days that are hard and I struggle a little wearing so many hats but I am taking one day at a time and doing my best! There is so much creative freedom that comes with being an artist and that is exactly what I crave and what fulfills me. I am so thankful for my friends, family and husband for encouraging me every step of the way, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

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

My name is Shelby Hamilton and I a Charleston-based artist and graphic designer. I graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in Graphic Design from Lamar Dodd School of Art. My focus is on graphite drawings of dogs, houses and wildlife, and acrylic and oil paintings of the lowcountry and abstract compositions.

I pay special attention to detail and focus on light, shadows and color. My drawing style is detailed and clean and my paintings are impressionistic with visible marks, brush strokes and texture in my finished paintings.

Something I love about my commissioned pieces is that most of them have sentimental value. There’s something so special about having a custom piece made of your childhood home or your family dog that brings you memories and smiles. I love that I get to create art that brings joy and happy memories into peoples’ homes.

As if I don’t already do enough, I also continue to take on small design projects on the side of my art. I do anything from logos and branding to invitations and stationery. After all, my degree is in graphic design and I don’t know if I will ever be ready to let go of the digital side of the creative industry.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the reaction of the client/collector. To see a smile on someone’s face when they finally receive their piece they commissioned or find something you’ve made that they’ve fallen in love with makes me happy. Yes, part of that is validation that you’ve done a good job, but a majority of it is that I always want my clients and collectors to feel positive and excited after working with me. To know that you’ve made someone happy even for a minute is priceless.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am currently reading The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield. I have not finished it yet but I can already tell you that it’s a must read.

I suffer from creative blocks all the time and this book has really opened my eyes. It made me reevaluate my day to day and take small steps to improve my productivity.

For example: It is okay to take breaks and do things that will help you get back into your “zone.” I have finally gotten past the guilty feeling of working for myself and building a schedule that works best for me. I had this feeling that if I am not up and working by 7AM, I am lazy and not doing enough. Everyone else in the world is awake and on the way to work so I should be too. But while I was doing that, I would get burnt out by 1:00 and not get as much done as I wanted to, then starting the cycle of hard work, creative block, stress, break, guilt.

Learn yourself, learn how you work and what makes you the most efficient and productive, and run with that! And read this book.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shelby-hamilton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__shelbyhamilton/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelbyhamiltonart

Image Credits
Headshot: LCS Studio, Laura Saur, Charleston Photographer Curated Events tux photo: Curated Events Photographer All other photos taken myself