We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gabrielle Wildheart a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Gabrielle , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I started my career as a street busker, drawing on the sidewalks for tips. I was living in Florence, Italy, and I would draw reproductions of famous renaissance paintings in chalk pastel directly on the sidewalk. It was the best art education you could ask for. I learned to work quickly and confidently at a large scale (my drawings were about 10 feet by 10 feet in dimension). I also learned how to hold my center in the public eye. All day long while I drew, a steady stream of tourists would walk by. I noticed which images grabbed their attention. Interestingly, any image that has eyes facing out towards the viewer is incredibly engaging. I began to understand that we have a biological predisposition towards faces and eye contact. I think it goes back to when were babies, seeking our mother’s gaze.
I spent most of my twenties earning money this way. Sometimes I would pack a backpack full of chalks and hop on a train to the nearest European city. Upon arrival, I’d find a public square with lots of foot traffic, place my baskets out and start to draw on the pavement. I was able to travel all over Europe this way. One time I left Florence with just 20 euros in my pocket and a backpack of chalk. I was able to hitchhike to Hamburg, Germany, and back surviving just on my tips! I don’t think I’d attempt something like that now.
When I finally moved back home to the States, I realized I wanted to create more stability with my art. I started studying business obsessively and learned how to use the internet to sell work and find opportunities. Because of my ability to work at a large scale, I was able to transition easily into becoming a public artist. I have found a lot of financial success painting murals around the region where I live, on the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Throughout my whole journey, I’ve kept a devoted personal art practice, and I still start every day by working on a personal art project in my studio. This is the work that sustains me through all the hard work of completing commissions for clients.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a full-tome muralist and public artist who creates colorful, detailed imagery inspired by the Divine Feminine. I love to paint figures from myth and legend such as Earth goddesses and supernatural animals. All my work is inspired by nature and my connection to Spirit. My imagery helps you connect to a larger consciousness and reminds us of the energies that are bigger than ourselves. I hope my art inspires the viewer to lead a more intentional life and to care for the things that matter. Art is a powerful tool for social change. It helps us to connect to our feelings and crack through the veneer of modern digital life.
As a muralist, I’m often hired to help uplift urban environments. My murals bring colorful messages of empowerment to the world. Murals have also been statistically shown to reduce crime and vandalism in public spaces.
I’m proud of the life I’ve built as an artist. I have always followed my artistic yearnings, and they have led me to travel all over the world and work with many different communities. I knew at a young age I would not succeed working for someone else in the traditional capitalist structure, so I’ve created my unique path. I am my own boss, and I live a lifestyle full of creative exploration and inquiry. It’s important to always keep growing so I build lots of time for study and new experiences into my workflow.
For example, I’m currently learning how to use AI and I’m just loving gaining new skills! A lot of artists are threatened by this new technology, and I think it’s because they don’t know much about it. The more I learn about the world, the less fear I have.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One of the best things that happened to me was when I nearly failed my MFA program.
In my late twenties, I got accepted into a Masters of Fine Arts program in London. I was so excited to move back to Europe, and I had this idea that I would get “discovered” through the program. I hoped to find a gallery or patron to support me. Instead, the professors hated my art, telling my it was too “feminine” and “illustrative.” I worked so hard on my final project, only to have it torn to shreds during the final critique. My final grade for the whole program was a big, fat D-. I was crushed. I felt completely rejected by the art world, and I moved back to the States with my tail between my legs.
I got a job as a waitress and moved back with my parents while I figured out what to do next. I was nearly thirty and feeling like a total loser. But here’s the thing- I keep making my art. At first, I didn’t show it to anyone, because I was so traumatized by what had happened in my masters program. But slowly I started sharing it with friends and family. I was painting “Yoniflowers” at the time, which were my personal emblem for women’s empowerment.
Eventually, I realized that I didn’t need the acceptance of the Fine Art world. I could find my own audience online, and create the context for my work. I started connecting with other people who were also interested in Divine Feminine Spirituality and women’s empowerment, and my career started to take off. When I took back my power, I realized that I could design an art career around the values that were important to me and I didn’t need anyone else’s permission. Within a few years of making this mindset shift, I was able to go full-time with my art and ultimately I created more success and financial stability than most artists I know who limit themselves to the traditional gallery route.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
It’s important to create a realationship to social media that feels easy and authentic. One of the main ways you can do this is to not worry about what people will think of you. It’s none of your business what others think. If you are sharing your passions and creations openly, then the right people will eventually find you. If you are just starting out and feeling shy, it’s a good idea to remove any followers who you feel insecure about. For example, if you worry what your family members are going to think about your art, then you should block them or remove them. It’s not personal, it’s just about creating the right boundaries so that you can feel free in the social media space.
The more free and uninhibited you can be, the more fun social media becomes. It’s also easier to be consistent when you don’t feel so much pressure around every post. It’s a better idea to make 30 mediocre posts in a month, than one perfect one. Remember, as an artist, people are interested in your journey. It’s just as cool to share your mistakes as it is to share your finished pieces. The more real you are, the more the right audience will be able to know, like, and trust you. Once you start to build those online relationships, social media becomes a super positive place to hang out.
It’s also ok to take breaks. Sometimes I go on trips or get immersed in my work and don’t post for long periods. Yeah, I lose a few followers.. but who cares? The real fans are still there for me when I come back, and my new posts are way more powerful because of the time I’ve spent recharging. Never underestimate the power of being awesome in real life, (not just online!).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gabrielleabbott.com
- Instagram: @GabrielleWildheart
Image Credits
Gabrielle Abbott