We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chelsea Perkins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chelsea below.

Alright, Chelsea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Growing up, my parents were extremely supportive of living a full life involved in the arts and entrepreneurship. I was raised among musicians, painters, and small business owners. Pursuing an artistic life was as natural to me as breathing air. Furthermore, my parents and grandparents have greatly encouraged my fine art practice and business throughout my life. I have always felt fully supported by them in my career choices, and for that I am eternally grateful.

My mom created our Art Room out of a screened-in porch behind our home. This Art Room was a magical place full of art supplies, recycled objects, and the best collage materials you can imagine. Most importantly, it featured a huge desk that you could always make a mess on, and leave your project to come back to another day. I know that having access to this kind of free and experimental art-making practice as a young child and through adolescence is what has driven my life in the fine arts. Children need this kind of supportive, unpressured space to explore their ideas and build up their creative confidence.

When I was 5 years old, I had the idea for a mural on our Art Room door. After presenting the idea to my mom, she got me set up with paints and brushes, and away I went. I painted an enormous bunny on a swing with a background of trees and grass, covering the outside door. Thinking back to the fact that my mom valued my ideas and trusted me to take on such a big project as a 5 year old makes me feel extremely lucky.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Chelsea Perkins, and I am a fine artist, illustrator, and teaching artist. I sell prints of my artwork, and have illustrated a couple of children’s books that are in the process of being published. I also specialize in teaching art to children, and have taught hundreds of kids from 18 months to 18 years in many different settings.

I have always been an artist, and can’t remember a time that I wasn’t drawing, painting, and collaging. Throughout childhood, my parents were very supportive of my love of making art, and provided me with space and materials to build my creative confidence. I hold an associates degree in Fine Art and have shown my work in various galleries. In the past few years, I have begun selling prints of my work for the first time, and have really enjoyed being able to provide people with joyful prints that I hope bring a smile to their faces.

My business, Clementine Art Studio, specializes in facilitating art-making experiences for kids. From our weekly Toddler and Preschool Art Play class, to our kids art supply shop, our mission is always to get kids creating and exerimenting with materials. As a teaching artist, I see my role as someone who offers materials and techniques, then steps back to watch what the kids do with them, offering help and encouragement along the way. Students need the opportunity to face and overcome creative problems in order to build up their confidence. These early experiences enrich so many aspects of kids lives, even if they don’t go on to become professional artists when they grow up.

At Clementine Art Studio, we know that parents aren’t always equipped to provide these artmaking experiences to their kids, and that’s why we are here! As a mother of littles myself, I was overwhelmed by the idea of getting out art materials and sensory play, only to have to clean it all up a couple of hours later. That’s not even getting into the planning, shopping, and preparing that goes into giving your child the opportunity to make some art and get into some serious sensory play! With every class that we run, I am hoping to allow parents to give their kids enriching experiences without the stress and overwhelm.

In everything I do – creating and selling my own artwork and facilitating art-making experiences for others – I want to spread joy and build community!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Give artists affordable places to work! I would love to see low-cost studios for artists become a normal part of every city! I have made my work from tiny desks, the floor of my apartment, and at my kitchen counter with the remnants of my kid’s lunch all around me. After having a large workspace temporarily, I saw just how valuable it is to have a dedicated space where all of your supplies can live and your work can flourish.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Interacting with people from my community has been incredibly rewarding as I’ve put myself and my work out there. It’s been amazing to see who has walked through the door of my little art supply trailer. Turns out that the author and illustrator of my favorite children’s book lives in my city and is now a regular at my shop! She even has one of my pieces hanging in her home now. Just thinking about it gives me chills.

Contact Info:

• Website: chelseaperkinsart.com & clementineartstudio.com
• Instagram: @clementineartstudio @chelseaperkins_art_room

Image Credits

All photos credited to Chelsea Perkins