We were lucky to catch up with Annette Coleman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Annette, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In my art career I have continued to take risks. I’ve excepted work that I only had a fraction of the knowledge needed to complete the project. From an informational video for a client to a large stained glass installation. I acquired the skills on the job from hiring a coach to instruct me in video editing skills to investigation of methods for a 20 foot by 24 foot stained glass on glass installation. I knew I would succeed by sheer determination, collaboration with other creatives and hard work. And, the best part is that I would have additional skills to bring to the next project.

Annette, 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?

I work in many different communities with other creative types. I love coming up with creative ways for the public to engage with my art installations. I add voice files that explain the work from the inspiration to the materials used to create it. The last installation is always my favorite and the next one is a joy to look forward to. I usually have a set budget to work with and need to make sure that I too make money on the project. This is a constant dance of how big, how expensive the materials can be and by the hours to make the work. Since each project is very different from the last I have tried to make sure to over estimate materials and hours. During the pandemic material costs jumped so high that I had to go back to the client for more funds or shrink the sculpture to the size of a brooch. I love, love color and serpentine shapes and abstract nature forms from water and weather to flora and fauna. I also look to the heavens and into tide pools for additional inspiration as my forms take shape. Creating a work of art for a specific location and community is very rewarding.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I do believe that everyone is creative but maybe they have not yet found their medium yet. Creatives are some of the hardest working people I know. Artists create the work promote it to be able to find their market and then sell it, and yes write about it. Selling beauty, an idea or inspiration for others to enjoy is harder than it looks. Art is so subjective not all work is created for all nor should it be. We all come to the art from different backgrounds and that uniqueness is what is exciting to me. Each viewer brings something to my work, you can love it or hate it both are valid and honored by me. The conversations among the viewers are always of interest and inform my work going forward. Tell me what you think is a great question to always ask as an artist.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love each day working or thinking about a project. Each day is different, some days it’s all day in the studio. But more often that not I have what I call several hours of administriva. Phone calls to clients, asking for quotes from suppliers, consulting other creatives for solutions to a problem, billing, ordering hardware and making sure to schedule installation help and so on. But if I can get to the studio to work by 10:00 am its a good day. And at the end of the day I always look forward to the next day. I get to play with color and shapes and light and form just like the joy experienced from an early age coloring and sketching and dreaming of an artist’s life. I’m living it now.

Contact Info:

• Website: AnnetteColemanArtist.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annettecolemanartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annettecolemanartist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-coleman-artist/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnetteColeman
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt1LUszCY7ETFalSOR43Crg
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/annettelcoleman/

Image Credits
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