We were lucky to catch up with Annie Rumohr recently and have shared our conversation below.
Annie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
My business name came from a rebranding. As an artist I’ve gone through a couple name changes trying to find what felt right. I used my name as is often recommended but then my name changed.
I needed a rebrand at a time when my life was thrown into a time of change and a lot of unknowns for me. I went through a divorce after 11 years of marriage and decided I wanted to pick a name with meaning. I wanted something that wouldn’t change as I did. I began searching names with meaning behind them and comparing them to company searches.
I found Esmeray (Ez-mer- ray) to be not beautiful, but also uncommon.
Esmeray means Dark moon. It is the Dark ess before a new beginning. As shown in my logo of the moon.
I threw everything I had into this business in one of the darkest times and it’s blossomed into the most beautiful new beginning. The lotus flowers in my logo are also a symbol of this as they are the only flower which grows from the mud and darkness. I am excited for the future to see where this takes me as I’ve grown and continue to grow as a person, an artist, and a business owner.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Absolutely! I am a full time artist currently living in Fargo, North Dakota. I want to create art that empowers people, but specifically women to be their best most authentic selves. I love working I. Watercolor, acrylics, and digital. But I will try and medium and collect all the supplies. I have a passion for portraits of people and animals. I lost my floofy girl this year after 14 years with her and it connects me on a deeper level to pet portraits. If I can capture your loved one in a magical way it makes my soul sing. I love my art to have a splash of magic. Something that sparkles or just gives it life. I try to make all my bodies as realistic as possible. I want everything that makes humans beautiful. I draw you as I see you in every beautiful moment. I am working as an artist full time because I am a disabled woman. I have fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, severe allergy asthma, and a laundry list of issues but being able to spend my time creating is such a blessing.
I currently do 4-8 Art shows a month but it is my goal to become mostly an online seller with occasional shows. I have big dreams to open physical locations but those are not in the works right now. I am excited to take my work on the road.
Stay tuned online and on socials. You might see me on in your area soon!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Face to face. Getting out to vendor shows and art shows and meeting people. There is nothing that bears the personal connection and the hands on the product for clients. I think the next best thing are platforms like tiktok and Instagram IF you are posting regularly, going live, and following up with comments. But it’s a false sense of connection. You feel connected to people who might not really know you. That is not always the case, but I’ve seen and felt it myself.
How did you build your audience on social media?
My social media following is small. But I wanted to give a view point from that. I don’t stress about it. As an artist we cannot expect to create something new to post everyday. That pressure is insane. It might take us days or months to create a piece. I share when I think about it. It’s not regular, I don’t pay attention to followers. It’s just a place for people to find me. I know I could use these tools better but that’s also a stress and anxiety that takes away from creating. It is my goal this year to improve how I use my platforms. But I am never focused on follower growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.esmerayart.com
- Instagram: Esmerayart
- Facebook: Esmerayart
- Other: Tiktok @esmerayart
Image Credits
Artist Annie Rumohr (all images)