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

Erin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

The first time I had sold my work was when I was around 14-15 years old. it was all thanks to my oldest brother, he had posted a drawing I had done for him on reddit.

I remember him showing the amount of upvotes it had and how excited we were, then not long after someone in the comments asked if I was doing commissions and I couldn’t believe it!

I had my brother and my dad act as middle men as I was just a kid and this was a stranger on reddit but it all went well! It was for a portrait of there dnd character! A dwarf who had large scars on their fake.

I still have a 5 dollar note I cut from the money framed at my parent’s house and it makes me so proud every time I see it.

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

Hello, I hope you’re well,

My name is Erin Coobry. I’m a visual artist who, over the past few years, has been focusing on my ceramic work but have been reaching back to my roots in 2D mediums such as painting and photography.
I am also the owner of a small business called the inky burrow where I sell my 2d and 3d art.
In addition to this I also teach private art classes, though I’m looking to have some classes that involve a group!
What excites me most about my work, is that it’s always been an outlet for me as well as a way to connect with others. It’s a place of peace, joy, and sometimes even, frustration I can get out the heathy way haha.

Art releases me from the confinements that are my usual restraints from having a packaged deal of various disabilities.
It helps me express emotions that I can’t always put into words. With ceramics, I’ve found a perfect balance of the visceral, hands-on process of sculpting, paired with my skills in painting and drawing. This is why it has become such a favourite medium of mine.

Art is more than an outlet, it is also my inspiration for life and gives me hope. It is a universal force that has no borders or oligarchy, as much as some might believe. It is for all. And no matter what happens in the world, people will always create and that gives me hope.
It’s also why I’m so passionate about teaching! I don’t just care about the ‘perfect’ outcome, I care about how people feel in their creative journey and sharing community and hope that everyone deserves.

My teaching practice is influenced by my varied life experiences that have come with being disabled. know how intimidating learning can be and how often systems leave behind students. So I don’t expect everyone to fit a mold; I want them to find their own spark, free of fear, so that art stays a joyful, accessible force for them.

When I sit with a student, helping them realize how far they’ve come, that spark of hope, of expression.. is truly priceless.
It reminds me why I love this so deeply to my core and why little baby Erin wanted to make art in the first place. I think it might be what I’m most proud in my life right now.

What makes my work stand apart, is my deep love for Australian native fauna and flora!

I find beauty in my surroundings, whether urban, suburban, bushland, or city. My ceramics and paintings both draw from this everyday wonder. And though I’m still discovering my 2D style, I know it’s alive and evolving. I would say my work leans towards freedom and emotion.

I’m inspired by a loose, expressive approach that attempts to capture a moment , a soul , a feeling rather than the exact form of what I’m looking at. We’re as I could capture the exact form of my subject through my photography and I do so when I feel compelled, but this has a different effect on the subject and is a tool I also love.

Having multiple mediums means I can find different ways to express and approach each subject! some mediums might be limited and others may excel at what I’m trying to express,so I’m always looking to learn and to discover new ways of capturing that life, that moment, that feeling.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

A start would be taking the steps Ireland has.

“The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) Pilot Scheme aimed to support the arts and creative practice by giving a payment of €325 a week to artists and creative arts workers.
The main objective of the scheme was to address the financial instability faced by many working in the arts.”- citizensinformation.

That’s about 530$AUD and 380$USD. They ran this as a trial to see whether supporting their artist financially would have any return.

And yes, as many artists would have guessed, it was a success!

Not only did it help the people in the program, Ireland saw an increase in artistic productivity and a €1.39 return for every €1 invested.
They have now made it a permanent support system for those who apply and are expected this number is only 2000 people but is projected to increase as the positive outcomes keep growing!

But this is just scratching the surface.
Treating our artist as a working class and not as the delusional hobbyists who need a “real job” is something that needs to change.

I remember sitting with the career councillor in high school, the unamused look she gave me down her nose. I said I wanted to be an artist and work in the art world.
All she had to say was

“what is your real career plan? That’s not a job.”

my art teachers then had no other information other than supporting me towards other fields like childcare for a job.

Even in my final year of university sitting in our last week with our lecturers, I remember all of us (all 5 of us) asking what we were supposed to do after this? How do we get a job in the art world? How can we make money to support ourselves as artists? And all they had to say was.

“Haha, just don’t become teachers”

There are so many opportunities and jobs within the art world it isn’t even funny but we are barred from them and told it’s impossible it doesn’t exist or it’s just nepotism. DUCK THAT!!

In short, the world needs to treat our artists as workers not dreamers.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Iv actually been thinking about this a lot.

The thing I find most people really struggle with is the price. ‘Why so expensive?’

An artists by the name of Lisa Henriette Huber-Youmans, has writing on this subject and it is so accurate that all I can recommend is that you read it.
It is a post on her instagram, when I read it with my husband I felt so seen and he in turn had a deeper understanding about the constant thoughts and anxiety’s around the subject of money and worth.

Iv been sharing with people close to me who are and aren’t a part of the art community.
It’s now a go to for if someone asks me why my things are the pice they are. I make sure to send it their way and they understand.

This is her instagram:

@lette.ceramics

I think it’s important for artist and non artist to read it bc we tent to let non artist dictate what we are worth and it’s not usually good enough.

We are not bumbling day dreamers who were born with talent. We work hard we study and we practice tens of thousands of hours making it look easy. But it never was and they’ll always be more to learn! An exiting yet terrifying prospect!

I hope you read it and you or someone you know or like there work get a clearer understanding of worth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://the-inky-burrow.square.site/
• Instagram: @erins_nerdy