We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara Marie E.B. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sara Marie, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I believe that this process is something not only every artist, but every entrepreneur faces. It can be so daunting to have a dream that you have held so dear. When you are finally able to see the path to bring your dream to fruition, it can be terrifying. You are faced with of all of your fear and self-doubt. Will I be good enough? Can I actually do this? To all those who face this dilemma, the answer is yes. You can do it. Now that isn’t to say that it won’t be challenging or that you won’t have to pivot your idea or focus a bit, but I think the lie that so many people succumb to is that their dream just isn’t reachable. They may believe that it’s doable for someone else, just not for them. They don’t have the education, or the funds, or the network. And while all of these things certainly make starting a business easier, it can still be done without them.

I had always known that I wanted to be self-employed, and though I have always painted, drawn, and written, there was a part of me that believed it had to be harder; that I had to work more for it to happen. In high-school, I began painting pet portraits. I sold quite a few. I knew that I could dive headfirst into my career early, but something kept me from dedicating myself fully to that pursuit. I felt that I was too young. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand if I “made it”. So, I cut back. I focused on school. I still wanted to be an artist, but fear kept me from giving it my all at the time.

Fast forward to the end of 2019. I had graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design, I had worked in a gallery, and faced the reality of adulthood. I chose to take a desk job, the one thing that I promised myself I would never do. My mental health was horrible, but the pay was worth staying. The security was worth staying, or so I told myself.

Then 2020 began. I had made the decision to finally pursue my dreams. I officially opened Sublime Sip Studio in February of 2020. My very first shop release was the day that the news announced the mysterious sickness that had plagued the world and made it to America. No one purchased a thing from my shop. Not one sale. It was disheartening to say the least. That year was difficult, but because people were not buying artwork, I was able to shift my focus to completing my first novel, The Moon and Her Sun, which was another dream I had since childhood. In the years since beginning my business, I have shifted my focus, tried new things, struggled, battled fear and imposter syndrome, and found absolute fulfillment because I know that this was what I was put on the earth to do. Do I make as much as I did at a desk job? Not yet. But I am confident that with time I will.

So, if you are questioning whether or not to take that leap, launch that business, or create that product, do it. It’s worth it.

Sara Marie, 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?

As I mentioned in the previous question, I am an artist and a writer. I have always pursued both, in varying intensity. However, because I let fear and insecurity drive and paralyze me from fully pursuing my career, I dedicated myself to many mediums.

I have always painted with watercolor and acrylic, but just before college, I dove into the world of oils. I absolutely fell in love with them. Most of the time, that is my chosen medium when painting, whether for abstract or realistic works. I do still offer pet portrait commissions. They are ever so dear to my heart still, since that is what I first began selling. I offer graphite, colored pencil, scratch board, watercolor, and oil portrait commissions. I also offer abstract commissions, which I very much enjoy.

Growing up with a father who was a Graphic Designer, I also learned to use digital media to both create work and market myself. I created and operate both of my websites, as well as some other artists. I also offer Graphic Design services, primarily web development and logo commissions.

In my career, I have dabbled with printmaking, ceramics, and other sculpting media as well. From time to time, I will offer hand built mugs and small baked clay sculptures, which I like to call Sublime Sips. I sell my artwork on my artist website, and have periodic updates there, though most of my focus this year is going to be on the release of the sequel to my first novel, The Moon and Her Sun.

I think my dedication to multiple mediums is what sets me apart from other artists. I used to believe that it was my weakness, that I didn’t have an obvious brand or “style”. And though this has made it more difficult for me to market myself, I am learning to embrace my many facets and offer my entire breadth of knowledge and skills to my customers.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This is a hard one. I think the primary lesson I had to unlearn, was that if you do everything “the correct way”, you will succeed. Let me explain. I kept myself from fully delving into my career as a high schooler because I believed that I wasn’t ready. I was too young; I need that college degree to become a full-time artist, or I won’t be able to keep up. I believed that I needed the Art Club President title, the accolades from my teachers and piers, the degree from an art school, and all those other educational “necessities” to become a true, professional artist.

But as I did all these things, the steps I was “supposed” to take, I began to lose my creative voice. By the time I graduated from SCAD, I had lost most of artistic confidence, though I gained immense artistic knowledge. I had lost my creative voice. It was years after graduating before I made work that I actually liked. I had done everything by the book to cultivate my success and yet I still had not “made it”. However, I saw other artists and creatives who had no higher education absolutely dominating in their field. For a while, I was frustrated and confused. But the lesson I learned from this was powerful: You are capable of achieving your dreams as you are now. There is no need to wait.

Sure, my education helped me in many ways, but in it I also lost my creative voice for a while. It took time for me to get back to the confident, idealistic artist I was in my youth. I am not saying to forgo higher education. I believe that pursuing skills and knowledge concerning your field is important. However, don’t let the things you learn dampen the things you know. Stay true to yourself in your pursuit of wisdom. That has to be the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my career thus far.

Have you ever had to pivot?

This is an easier question for me, as it happened more recently in my career. As I mentioned before, in 2020 I shifted my focus from my artistic endeavors to my written work. Though I had always written, I believed that my focus would always be on my artwork. After all, I had trained to be an artist. I have no credentials to be an author, aside from my high school AP literature course. But instead of digging in my heels and continuing to pour all my efforts into my paintings, 2020 allowed me to complete my novel and pivot my path.

When I had begun The Moon and Her Sun, back in 2016 or 2017, it was a personal piece, not meant to be read by anyone. It was my muse, my therapy, my escape. When I completed my novel and showed it to my husband, he pushed me to have it published. He was certain that it needed to be shared. It was a terrifying and exhilarating thought. I had always wanted to publish a book, but it was another thing that I believed I was too young to accomplish. I had no credentials to back up my writing, no degrees, no publisher, but this time I decided to go for it. I decided to focus on getting my book published, and as I did, things just fell into place. I found a small publishing company in my area, I self-published fifty illustrated hardcover versions, and I found that this was my greatest creation to date. I am absolutely in love with writing, with the universe I’ve brought to life and discussing it with people who have embraced my strange little world as their own escape.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sublimesipstudio.com (artist) and https://www.authorsmarie.com (author)
• Instagram: @saramarie_artist and @authorsmarie
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saramarieartist