We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cindy Guthrie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cindy below.
Cindy, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
First photography sale: On vacation to Arizona (for me, that is—a business trip for my husband), we stayed at a wonderful, so beautiful resort, which is located on Indian tribal lands. The place includes a contemplative trail along a river, resort and golf course, as well as spa, pool, tennis courts and restaurants. I always love to take travel photos, and the serene and beautiful setting was so perfect for wandering for hours on end with camera in hand and capturing the gorgeous desert scenery. I had long been seeing tourist greeting cards at different locations with photographs from the area. I was enjoying the change in my daily life, enjoying the quiet, peaceful sounds of the outdoors, the striking landscapes and the opportunity to do something artful. It didn’t feel like work at all, and also not a stretch to think of printing and putting together greeting cards while on vacation to pitch to the resort gift shop. I met with the store manager and to my surprise sold the cards! So fun and exciting. Since we were traveling out of state, I also took the opportunity to fulfill the card order while I was there. It was all a fun change of pace for me. I continued to sell the cards there for years, until the pandemic temporarily changed the hotel and gift shop operation. Since then, I have sold different collections of my photo art cards in three other retail locations.
First artwork client who was not family:
I began painting on my own in my kitchen in the fall of 2017. It was an evening/weekend endeavor for fun and relaxation—a change of pace from staring at a spreadsheet all day long at my university position, and soon became a passion. When I decided to try to sell my paintings, I started with an Etsy store which was set up on my iPhone. Etsy was a great experience and I still keep my store today, although most of my art has been moved to my own separate website. For my day job, we were in the middle of our biggest event of the year, and for my personal life, my youngest daughter was getting married, and we were planning an all-out wedding in just five months total. I left the office that day during such a busy time, to make another bridal dress appointment with her. When I returned, I heard the unfamiliar but amazing cha-ching sound the Etsy app makes when there is a sale. What a surprise! Could it be? Someone I didn’t even know had bought one of my paintings? Yes! It was a wonderful, loose, carefree floral I painted on a wood panel that my co-worker at the University had made for me. The buyer was excited to find a peony as a housewarming gift for a family member. It was my secret that the flower I painted was really a camelia, which reminded me of a plant we had years ago. It’s okay though. When I first started painting, I couldn’t conceive of even letting go of one of my paintings. Over time, I have learned to enjoy sharing them, and have so much joy in how they make others feel, and the many interpretations the viewer has as they experience the art. Their interpretation always helps me know them better. It was a wonderful interruption to the busy week to fulfill this order!
First artwork commission:
A crazy number of people have supported me on what I call my art adventures. It’s interesting to think that sometimes, it’s not the people you might first expect. A couple of friends own a resale furniture store. Their store was right on my way home, and often I would pop in during lunch or after the working day to relax, see what’s new and chat with the owners. These two ladies are the best—I’m sure I shared a lot of my excitement for painting with them in the early days of discovering art. They were so encouraging. One attended my first art exhibit with her husband, and the other was the first to commission a painting from me. They even displayed my art in their store! It may not have been the best fit for new, original paintings, but it still meant so much. For the first commission, I didn’t have a lot of confidence in being able to create something I knew she would like, so I decided to create two paintings and let her choose. The other big surprise I envisioned was to only charge $1 as I appreciated this milestone so much and wanted to celebrate it with generosity. The photo she gave me was a church (now a retreat?) location called St. Malo in Estes Park, Colorado. I thought I knew what she had in mind, and the art style was actually more like another artist’s style. I just had not painted enough at that point to recognize and appreciate my own style. She chose her favorite, and I surprised her with my idea of the $1 30×30 painting. When she paid me, she surprised me with a one-dollar bill and a generous Hobby Lobby gift card. I still have the dollar bill, but I was so determined to make the painting a gift, I gave the gift card to a young artist who was making art to raise money for medical research. She sent me the sweetest thank you with her picture, and it sits in my art studio with the dollar bill as a wonderful memory. As for the other painting—I kind of liked it, but it really wasn’t me. I have painted over it in multiple layers and finally came to a finishing point which feels right. It explores some of the shapes and colors I love—the church subject was something I loved from the beginning. I named this painting “Freely Given” and it’s still available on my website for an amazing price. The title reminds me of a scripture, and idea, when the apostles were commissioned to do miraculous works, and Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give.”
Cindy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
How you got into industry/business/discipline/craft: Gosh, that seems like a long answer as it was a long time coming. Also, I would have thought it was highly unlikely, basically impossible I would have wanted to start a business. However, I always had a desire to paint, but considered it an activity for retirement days. Looking back, I can see artistic endeavors almost from the time I can remember—the first thing I think of was in first grade. I went to a private school that year, and we had some sort of awesome art supplies for each student. I remember how heartbroken I was after, that first year was over, when my art supplies didn’t make it home with me. They were lost forever! I always made my children a priority—even with all my artistic leaning, I completed a business degree and had a 30-year career in higher ed. administration/finance. Combining work, family and church, I waited to explore art. When I was young, the opportunities were not the same. It was a more traditional journey into art which didn’t seem possible at the time. When I did begin to paint, I discovered I also had a desire to use my business skills. What type of products/services/creative works you provide: I create original mixed media paintings. Most often I use acrylic on canvas, but add other mediums, materials, objects, whatever. I also create and sell digital photography greeting cards, and other giftable art products.
What problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others: I try to be very easy to work with. I work to keep things plain and simple for my customers. I’m able and dependable—I won’t cheat anyone and always work to make things right. I am happy to help a client learn how to frame their art, make selections or just help in any way needed. My work provides something that is a language of the soul. It is something unique and thoughtful made by hand. It’s hard to describe how original art speaks, but I hope that it is a meaningful source of beauty and love in a home or other space. I look at my work as a spiritual endeavor, and a social enterprise, which allows me to give back in many ways.
What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/etc. I’m working on keeping the main thing the main thing. Always looking to Christ and striving to be led by the Spirit of God, to make much of Him. What I share of myself is a result of my experience of growing up and living in the Southwest, as well as my travels and love of tropical and desert locations. I value giving, family, freedom, adventure, children, and nature. I love to connect others with organizations, artists and events. I care about others and love getting to know so many wonderful people through my art adventures!
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
The Bible and Christianity. I have chosen a scripture as a sort of artist statement. Romans 11:36 “For from Him, through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever!” I read Essentialism by Greg McKeown in 2020. This has probably had the most impact on how I think about my business. As the one and only of this business, I fulfill many roles and it would be easy to become overworked and overwhelmed. Every role is mine unless I contract it out. There is so much noise out there. So many gurus, so many tempting opportunities, so many products and services vying for time or money. I have learned to really protect my time and have a very narrow focus on a very few goals, keeping my values always in mind. This book is pure gold. Just looking back through it, I realize I have got to read it again!
Many years ago, I read some of the Customer Service books/articles by John DiJulius. So many good ideas that have made a difference in business and in life. I’ve only touched the surface of what I could gain from his work.
Both Emily Jeffords and Melissa Lyons have wonderful mindset views. Emily’s hashtag #progressisquietandslow really speaks to me. It’s so true and it’s the way I work. What always sticks with me from my time with Melissa, is simply the idea of giving. It’s the mindset I come from with everything I do.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
Probably approaching an art gallery on my own the first time comes to mind. Getting a major exhibition in my town was another win which resulted in sales. I consider myself very fortunate and blessed with that. But I do think that two things I did helped me out. One is working in a collection and pushing myself to finish and exhibit the collection before my surgery after a bad knee injury. The second is maintaining some consistency with social media, which is really a space I don’t feel too comfortable in. It worked out that the exhibiting space matched my values and aesthetic so well, and the subject of my collection matched the exhibit they were planning. It seems most opportunities come in a roundabout way. People have asked me how I got that opportunity, but I think it’s a matter of knowing yourself and your values and taking small steps in the direction you choose. Always do your best and treat others well, as one thing usually leads to another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cindyguthrieart.com
- Instagram: @cindyguthrieart
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Caroline Deathrage