We were lucky to catch up with Annie Griffeth recently and have shared our conversation below.

Annie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I love being a creative and would not trade it for any other job in the world, but being an entrepreneur and making that your career is a hustle that is not made for everyone. If you’re serious about it you’ll need to master your skills, do market research, learn the social apps, acquire basic marketing skills, and maybe learn some graphic design. You’ll need to photograph your work well and edit those photos, so they are true to the piece. A good website and video editing knowledge would be a plus. You’ll also need to be able to talk about you, your work, and what it means to people that ask.

On top of that, you’ll need to make time for practice and play, as well as production. You’ll need to pursue opportunities by applying to shows, participating in competitions, and networking at art and social events. And when you’re uninspired and don’t know what to paint or make, you’ll have to show up anyway and allow your mind’s interest to lead you to the work that needs to be made. When you’re nervous to go to the networking event alone, you’ll have to dig deep and find the courage to go. If you want to make money or a name for yourself, you’ll need to work hard.

At a regular job there are different challenges, but usually someone else is in charge and you just show up and do what you’ve been trained to do, and you get paid. It’s a sure thing. Simple and easy. I do wonder what a life like that might feel like, but my desire to create leads me to this other path.

Ultimately, I believe the true work of any artist or entrepreneur is to know themselves, to discipline their minds, learn how to access their flow state, and to follow their desire. It is a path of challenging and courageous acts for those souls brave enough to choose it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

His pinky finger was crossed over his ring finger as his hand lay motionless on the bed. I picked up the pinky and uncrossed it, laying it neatly in line with the rest of the hand. “That’s better.” I thought. Now both hands were in symmetry.

My dad died at 54 years old, and was lying before me, a beautiful, motionless angel, sending his most powerful message ever: LIVE YOUR DREAMS…before it’s too late.

Until this point, I was a bar manager working my way through college, with hopes of becoming a nurse, because my stepmom was one. But what I truly wanted was to paint, draw, create books, and write stories. I wanted to be an artist! After realizing this was my only chance to make that real, I began taking steps to make that happen.

Like my father before me, I taught myself everything I needed to follow my dream. I learned to draw, paint, use different materials like wood, canvas, acrylic, resin, and oil, and I worked on having a disciplined mindset about the worthiness of my desire and ideas.

I began small, listing a few things on Esty, and when they sold, I took it as a sign from the universe to KEEP GOING. I kept creating, eventually ditching Esty and building my own website where I started selling online. I painted all day and all night until I was good enough to apply and be accepted to shows. I did every show I could and built a social media account sharing my life and my work.

In 2019 I became a Resident Artist at the ALG Collective, an artist studio and showroom in Dallas, Texas, with 3 other talented artists, Christi Meril, Melissa Ellis, and Anna Curnes. My residency lasted for 3.5 years and during that time we connected over our love for our community and used our platform to support several charities, including Dwell with Dignity, Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, Diffa, and Equest.

Giving became the message of my life and work, as I started creating pieces of art and fashion featuring images and messages of empowerment, encouragement, hope, and love. Through my work, I address the victories and failures as well as the magic and mayhem of living.

My style is influenced by vintage and retro artwork, and features a limited color palette and my own unique hatch-style of drawing. You can see it on display at the Greyhound Gallery in Amarillo, TX or at the Deep Ellum Art Co. from March to May 2024.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

My paint brush was loaded with black paint straight from the tube. The kind I had been told to never use in my work, otherwise it would look “bad”, “flat”, “amateur”. According to the artists I knew, the right way to paint with black was to mix your own using red, blue, and yellow. I tried this for a while with unsatisfactory results, so here I was in front of my canvas, brush loaded with the unthinkable, ready to break the rules. I laid down the first stroke of “work ruining” black paint, and then another, and another and I thought, “Finally, I have the color I want!” Dark midnight black. Not some variable mix of colors. I kept using it, over and over in my work, and loved it more and more each time. I was a rule breaker, and I didn’t care, because I realized that not all rules apply to me and my artistry. I learned that no matter what anyone says, I should do what I want and so should you.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes. My personal goal is to challenge myself to trust my skills and ideas, and to continue to grow in every way possible, letting the art be the outlet for the lessons, epiphanies, and unique perspectives that come my way.

Also, what you see and surround yourself with daily affects how you feel about yourself and your life. The goal for my work is to put a physical reminder in one’s space that they are strong, that life is full of magic, and that they have what it takes to climb the mountain ahead. Messages like this can change a person’s day or mind and I find this a fascinating and powerful mission to pursue.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anniegriffeth.com
• Instagram: @anniegriffeth
• Other: Tik Tok: @anniegriffeth

Image Credits
sara karens