We were lucky to catch up with Carolyn Mara recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Carolyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
From an early age, I was drawn to creativity and the arts, though I was uncertain about its feasibility as a career. In college, I opted for a psychology degree as a safer choice while still indulging my creative passions by minoring in photography. After graduating, I spent a year working in an art gallery, which gave me time to reflect on my future. This experience led me to consider art therapy as a way to combine my interests and education. However, the gallery work ultimately inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree in art and fully commit to a life as an artist.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I hold a Master’s degree in Photography, Video, and Related Media from The School of Visual Arts. Post-graduation, I focused on conceptual photography and built a following on Instagram among creative individuals. This led me to teach creativity, and I eventually expanded into painting, initially for personal enjoyment. The positive feedback from my social circle encouraged me to donate some pieces to local auctions, and as I shared my work online, interest in my paintings surged. Leveraging my knowledge of social media, I was able to grow my business significantly. Facing inquiries from peers about my success, I created a course to help other artists develop a business-oriented mindset. Today, my work spans painting and mentoring artists to help turn their passions into viable businesses.
What sets me apart is my journey from a varied background, leveraging each experience to enhance my creative and business decisions. I am most proud of my ability to adapt and thrive in various aspects of the art world, and I want potential clients, followers, and fans to recognize the dedication and versatility that define my brand and work.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Looking back, there were several areas where guidance would have been invaluable, such as establishing an LLC, tax preparation, and protecting my art and myself legally. Above all, I wish I had been more organized from the beginning, especially in collecting email addresses from interested parties to facilitate future outreach.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Building my social media presence has been all about consistency. I started years ago on Instagram, initially focusing on creative photography. As the platform evolved towards video, I adapted my content accordingly. I believe in mastering one platform before moving to another. For example, after establishing my Instagram presence, I began exploring TikTok. I dedicated a year to both learning TikTok’s dynamics and continuing my Instagram efforts. Subsequently, I added Pinterest to my portfolio, repurposing the photos and videos from other platforms to grow my presence there. Eventually, I expanded to YouTube, initially focusing on Shorts and repurposing existing content to fit the new medium. Each step involved careful content selection and adaptation, such as choosing the right music to enhance engagement. I’m now delving into longer video formats on YouTube. My primary advice for building a social media presence is to choose a platform, study successful content within your niche, learn from others, and maintain a consistent posting schedule.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carolynmara.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyn_mara
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCcwNxBST2jphw7sCR93okLg
- Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/carolynmara TikTok: @carolynmara https://www.tiktok.com/@carolynmara?lang=en Pinterest: @carolyn_mara https://www.pinterest.com/carolyn_mara/_created/ Spotify :https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/carolynmara