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

Catherine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I am a painter who works in primarily watercolor & gouache. The name of my studio is eclectic inc. studios and I am based in Boulder County, Colorado. I operate outside of the industry standard in several ways. Something that I do differently at eclectic- separate from many other artists, is the fact that I am not primarily selling work in a gallery setting. I paint on commission, paid in advance and also offer free consulting services every step of the way. My pricing includes shipping and I ship throughout the both the US and abroad.

Specializing in custom abstract painting, I work closely with clients in order to determine size and color scheme in advance. I have many versions of my abstract work in my portfolio and clients often remark on a specific pieces of my inventory which is helpful in planning each individual painting for clients.

In addition to custom abstract work-I paint reproductions from photographs of places, things and art.. Here- I require a quality photo of subject matter, a picture of the space and location-as well as requested size prior to framing and I will quote pricing accordingly which also always includes shipping.

Through this consulting process, I am able to quote a price.

The main difference in operating this way, compared to most painters- is that I am paid upfront, prior to working, and my clients don’t see the finished product until it ships and is received on their end.

Another thing that is unique to my business is that I do not have a website and I utilize social media and referrals to attract and obtain future clients.

Catherine , 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?

Until March of 2020-I was working as an event planner when Covid struck. My Grandfather- John Rogers Cox, was a notable painter and I’ve often wondered if I inherited any talent myself. When the first stimulus check was received, I invested in an art studio and began teaching myself to paint while under quarantine. I live alone and painting was a fabulous way to keep my mind occupied and sharp.

I then started to create paintings for family and friends and posting them to Facebook. Friends and acquaintances took notice and I started painting for those that contacted me on a commission basis. Joe Hebert, a family friend was my first commissioned client and I thank my family & friends for supporting me along the way.

As my work improved, my prices increased and I became a full time artist!

Now that “all things Covid” have died down a bit, I’ve made the decision to forego a career as an event planner, and to continue down life’s path as eclectic inc. studios.

In addition to working on commission, I have exhibited as one of four abstract artists in a local gallery, and my work can be seen at Western Stars Gallery in Lyons, Colorado

Still- my primary business model is painting on commission- just as I began.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

The best way that I have fostered loyalty, secured referrals and created brand awareness for me has been by far: social media. I began posting my work on Facebook but success on other sites has been undeniable. I have secured clients and productive business relationships on Nextdoor and Alignable; in addition to running online advertisements.

I also created a small business page on Facebook. My followers get updated as paintings are completed and received by each individual client. It’s amazing the amount of support I have earned along the way!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The number one lesson that I have learned is that good art is knowing which mistakes to keep.. Primarily working in watercolor, many mistakes are made and over time- I discovered permanent white gouache for corrections. I now paint in a combination of the two.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Http://www.instagram.com/eclecticinc.studios/
• Facebook: Https://www.Facebook.com/eclecticinc.studios
• Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/catherinecox
• Other: https://shoutoutcolorado.com/meet-catherine-cox-painter/

Image Credits

Profile photo credit Richard Cummings, Boulder, Colorado www.rickphoto.com

Permission to reproduce “Little Havana” collage to watercolor- Markus Lewis