We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Danielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I think as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I was younger, I dreamt about owning a clothing store. I worked my way up in various retail clothing stores for years until I felt that I had a better understanding of how one operated. When I was 26 years old, I opened my first business, a vintage clothing store in Asheville, NC. I was blessed at the time to have had the opportunity to live and work in a house which was dual-zoned for both residential and commercial purposes. I was able to cut costs by living and working in the same space. That allowed me to expand within a short amount of time into a prime retail location downtown. Over the years, I’ve owned three other businesses, this one being my fourth. I’ve learned an insane amount from each one. I don’t think I’ve ever considered myself to be an artist, although, I’ve had some artistic dabbling with photography, writing, and design for years. Although I’ve been making botanical designs for almost four years now, it still feels weird being called an artist. But, it’s growing on me.
Danielle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Well, I’m just a simple lady with a complex mind, I guess. I’ve had a few bouts with dumb depression and, honestly, right before the pandemic kicked us all in the face, I stumbled down a dark path for a little bit. As a nature-lover, I’ve been a fan of biophilic art for quite some time. It’s mostly been something I’ve admired in magazines and ads. I was always blown away by the beauty and serenity it seemed to bring, but also its ability to truly transform a space. In the midst of my struggle, I did a little research and created my first design for a friend. I loved what I made, but I loved even more, how I felt when I was designing. The process became a source of meditative healing for me and tremendously helped pull me up by my bootstraps to heal. I’ve learned and grown so much and am incredibly grateful for the time I’ve had to tune in and allow my light to shine through. I hope that some of that transfers over to the pieces I design for clients. I love every second of the process.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I’m a total late-bloomer to social media and it’s possible that I may never quite reach full bloom. I was 100% against it for years and refused to participate. I’ve only had Instagram since I started creating a few years ago. I’m still learning. Social media and I share a complex relationship. The pressure of creating constant content and having my life’s work critiqued by others can be a challenge. The social media aspect of the job also takes a lot of time away from the more enjoyable aspect of the job, that of actually creating the art. But, I also appreciate and am grateful for the clients and the artists with whom I’ve been able to make connections through social media. I do my best to represent myself honestly through my work. I view social media as a space to just share my art, focusing less on numbers, and more on sharing with others the things which make me feel happy.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve been pivoting my whole life. I think we all do. I find that if I’m passionate about something, I find a way to keep doing it and to keep doing it better than I did yesterday. That’s the real pivot! And that carries into my art and my business. Some pivot points are easier than others, but, no matter what, I’m grateful for the experience!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mosspitdesigns.com
- Instagram: @mosspitdesigns