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

Alright, Abigail thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Growing up, I had always known that I loved creating art. While most kids dreamed about playing professional sports, becoming doctors, or being scientists, I had always dreamed of creating art that was impactful and made the viewer feel something. My senior year of high school, my AP Art teacher encouraged me to apply to the Savannah College of Art and Design. After I applied and had gotten in, I began classes in the fall of 2018. I went in undecided, because while I loved creating art, I couldn’t decide on one singular medium. To begin my sophomore year classes, I had to declare a major, but I was still unsure of what my passion was, and what I wanted to study. During one of my foundations classes, I sat down with my professor and she encouraged me to think about what I gravitated towards when I thought of starting a new project. The answer was paint. I loved the process of using it, the different techniques, and how it could effect the mood of an art work. I then declared painting as my major, and began my introductory classes during the fall of my sophomore year. The first class I took was called “Oil Based Techniques.” I had never used oil paint before, and admittedly was very intimidated by it. But, I was lucky enough to have an incredibly knowledgable professor, Robin Johnson, who encouraged us to explore the full extent of oil paint. We studied traditional art practices, learned how to work with the paint, and how it is one of the most versatile mediums in art. From the moment I finished that first painting class, I knew that a career as a fine artist, specifically an oil painter, was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Abigail, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up in a small city in East Texas, it was hard to break out of the mold. I knew from a young age that I did not want to follow the same career path as my peers. The high school I attended was a college preparatory school, but I knew that my path in life would not lead me to a traditional higher level education. After being accepted to the Savannah College of Art and Design, I followed my dream of being and artist all the way to Georgia. During my time at SCAD, I met so many other creatives that helped me on my journey to discover that I wanted to be a painter. I credit a lot of my success in school to the amazing group of people I am fortunate enough to call my friends. After completing my degree, and graduating in June of 2022, I relocated to Portland, Oregon where I have been completing an internship with Oregon Contemporary under the title “Curatorial Assistant.” Currently, I am most proud of completing my degree, and moving to a city I have always wanted to live in. I believe the thing I would like potential clients to know is that I love to create work that evokes emotion in the viewer. My art is an extension of myself, and I hope that it resonates with people.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I believe one of the best ways to support artists is to not purchase mass produced art in stores like Target. While it is a cheap alternative to original pieces of art, it makes it harder for small artists to gain clients and have their work publicized. The demand for original art decreases when large companies mass produce original works of art. The best way to support small artists is to purchase directly from their website, regularly attend art shows and exhibits, and keep the conversation going about the work they create.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think there is still a stigma around choosing a creative career. Wether its film, ceramics, performing arts, or fine art, there is a traditional way of thinking that discourages young people from pursing a career as an artist. However, the act of creating art is a practice that has survived hundreds of years. Artists are the story tellers of society; we strive to create work that is more human than human, work that brings light to our hopes and dreams, work that is inclusive of people from all walks of life, and work that speaks words we cannot say. The journey of an artist is not one without struggle- but creating art that reminds us that the human experience is meant to be lived fully and authentically, thats what its all about.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abigailmilawski.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigailmilawskiart/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-milawski-52a57b184

Image Credits
Hannah Agueci