We were lucky to catch up with Bri Downard recently and have shared our conversation below.
Bri, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I only launched myself into this crazy space of working full time as an artist because my circumstances called for it. I was burnt out as a teacher, going through a divorce, and knew that if I continued pouring myself into the classroom, I’d have nothing left to give my two year old son. That sounded like a recipe for more and more bitterness. I had to find a way to align with my desire to be a stay at home mom, but also provided enough to make ends meet as a single mom. A dear friend suggested I give it a try: building my own painting event business. I felt just reckless enough to tell her I would.
At my core, I’m not that kind of a risk taker, really more of a planner, and I also prefer to give my art away, rather than try to have it be a source of income. I knew I had to keep those tendencies from holding me back or making me question my commitment to this plan, so I thought through my personal strengths and set to work. I needed to lean on what mattered to me and what I knew about myself so I wouldn’t shrink from the idea.
Community: I shared with other friends so I’d have accountability and support. I told my boss almost immediately so I wouldn’t be letting anyone down when the school year came to a close. I reached out to friends who also had preschoolers and started teaching art classes in my home. I was really just getting the word out that I’m doing this art career for real now.
Generosity: I made a habit of giving away one party a month. I thought this was just a good way to keep my heart and business aligned, but it soon became a fantastic tool for the word of mouth method of growth. So many people wanted to tell me about their non profit groups that would be great to give to, and my reputation spread quickly.
Soulful Artistry: I was intensely grieving the loss of my marriage. While I didn’t want that tone to impact the playful types of parties I was hosting, I began allowing myself personal art time and using it as a space where I could process, pray, and pour out the internal complexities that couldn’t yet be contained in words. This helped me to view myself as an artist, and strengthened my belief that art was a need, not just my business or a free time activity.
Consistency: I had rent to pay and a kid depending on me, so I pursued opportunities with more boldness than I actually felt. I knew I could use my planning skills and strong work ethic to get some momentum. I sought out venues where I could partner with local business owners. I set a goal for how many parties I needed to host each month to match the teaching income I was walking away from. I was going for it and had to be okay with getting quite a few, “No thank you” answers. Those are always discouraging, but I stuck to my plan because I believed it was achievable. It was amazing once I got to the place where business owners and private party hosts were reaching out to me!
Even with all of this in place, there were months that I struggled… it was one of the hardest seasons of my life to be in such personal agony and also launching a business. I needed the shift though. I thought I was reinventing myself by changing careers, dying my hair, and learning to dance. I imagined I was giving myself a much needed break from the burden of all I had carried in my unhappy marriage. In reality, I was rediscovering my truest self: an ambitious mom with a heart that wouldn’t compromise her own joy or her time with her son, even when life got tough.
James and I ended up traveling a bunch as my business took off. I could set my own schedule and I knew that experiences with him were the best way to reward myself for all the hard work.
Now that he is seven and I have new directions that I am dreaming of for my business, I look back with no regrets about pouring myself into the pursuit of a career as an artist. Let’s be real though, I am also daily trying to cheer myself on with those same core values I listed, and finding that running a business that is so intertwined wth my identity can be tricky.
In this season I am reaching for connections where more of that soulful art can make it’s way into the sessions I lead, and making paintings for others that celebrate their stories.
I am also connecting with others who are artists and business owners, rather than just calling on my close friends to support me. As I deepen my community, I’m finding that I’m not the only one who feels like the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur can be a rollercoaster of the heart! I would encourage anyone wanting to set out on a path that might resemble mine: find a mentor! Plus one or two other artists who “get it” and can be your one phone call away friends for all the ways a career as an artist will stretch you.
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
While I love a classic paint and sip party and I have built my business around this model, it has also given me space to learn about myself as an artist and what I want to reach for beyond that. Events at wineries are delightful, but I will always be drawn to the projects that have a deeper significance or provide healing through art.
When my community went through the most deadly forest fire ever, I found ways that I could support those people who had been through so much. When a friend told me that her mom, who passed away suddenly, had planned to paint a mural in her daughter’s room, I was there with my brushes to honor that dream. When missionary friends said yes to me offering watercolor classes in Nicaragua, I got my supplies through customs and other artists were able to keep those classes going beyond my week long trip.
The opportunities that may flow from my desire to continue growing my business in a heart aligned direction are expansive and will only be revealed with exploration. I recently got my studio set up for hosting and am working to make painting and prayer events a part of what I offer consistently. Even with a home base though, I love to travel with my paints and I would love for you to follow along to see where this adventurous and soulful artist will go next!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I built a Facebook following back when that was the platform that mattered most… I have always disliked the social media component of what I do, but I was trying to get to 1000 followers by a deadline to win a bet! I did win, but now that the importance of other platforms is dominating, I wish I didn’t have to build a following again. I have gotten much better at showing up genuinely on social media, so I think it still makes sense to run it myself, but part of me still wishes I could go back and hire someone who likes it and could have kept that part of my business thriving even when I go in and out of wanting to post.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When COVID hit, I had been in business for long enough to have a great reputation, but I was still an event based artist in a world where people weren’t seeing each other. To add to the pressure of this, I was in a 90 day escrow for my first home, and the loan officers informed me that I needed to provide documentation of a steady income, showing that my business was viable when everyone was in lockdown! I had no choice but to try offering zoom style painting sessions… I advertised on social media, prepared painting kits, and worked with my local connections so they could benefit as well. Painting in front of a screen is still not my favorite way to work, but I got enough of that rolling to complete the purchase of my first home, even when some would have expected a painting party business to tank.
I had told my boyfriend (now husband) a month before COVID that I eat challenges for breakfast… this was my opportunity to prove it!
Contact Info:
- Website: siennajoypainting.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/siennajoypainting/
- Facebook: facebook.com/siennajoypainting/
- Other: square: https://sienna-joy.square.site/
Image Credits
Morgan Chantelle Jenee Harvey