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

Anna, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve been on the path to making this a full-time career for many years. My business began in 2018 and continues to grow annually. As the primary breadwinner in my marriage, stepping away from my job to pursue my art hasn’t been an option but, I continue to work towards that dream. This business has become such a passion for me! I love the joy of seeing people admire my work and am often humbled by their compliments. My goal is to continue building this business over the next five years so I can retire early (at 62) and rely on the income from We Shell Overcome to carry us through.

Anna, 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?

My grandmother was an artist and a teacher and inspired me when I was a child. My journey into my business began when I found a painted rock (part of the Kindness Rocks movement). I has having a horrible day and there it was – a rock painted with the words, “you’ve got this”. It helped me get through the day. After that, I began painting rocks and hiding them. My son made a comment that my rocks were so pretty I should sell them. I live on the coast and the climate here can be brutal during the summer months so I used resin to coat my rocks thus the start of my resin art journey. When the pandemic hit, I was holed up at home with my introverted husband and nothing to do and nowhere to go so I started relying on my artwork to get me through a scary and boring time. My work evolved so much over that one year period.
What sets my work apart is primarily my dedication to using repurposed and responsibly sourced items whenever possible. I collect many of my shells right here on the Carolina coast. I also hit thrift stores and yard sales to gather materials.
I’m very proud of my Etsy shop and the fact that I’ve been a five-star seller for many months. I’ve got an average review rating of five out of five stars with over 2,300 sales. It’s hard not to be proud of that!

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

I’ve been creating and selling for over four years now and I am still humbled that the pieces I create are on display in peoples’ homes. That may sound odd but it is so uplifting to know that my creations are treasured! Most of my selling is done online (Etsy) but I do some in-person shows. They are so much work but also rewarding because I actually get to hear what people think of my art. I love having that one-on-one interaction with people and hearing them talk about how pretty my creations are.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal is to build my business to the point where I can “quit my day job”! This is a lofty goal since I’m the primary breadwinner in my relationship but it’s one I continue to strive for daily. It is my dream to be able to pursue my craft full-time and have my earnings pay our expenses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://weshellovercome.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisananna13/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisanAnna
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@artisananna13