We recently connected with Hannah Brobst and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Since before I can remember I have always been passionate about art and expressing myself creatively and in 2020, I began to express myself through watercolors. That year, the world came to a complete stop and forced a lot of people to take a step back and look at what brings them joy. It was during the solitary months of quarantine that I found a Crayola watercolor set and started playing around with the paints. I was mesmerized by how they danced across the paper in a glorious, fluid symphony of movement. Painting and watercolors quickly grew into a passion and by the summer I was hooked. When I started posting my artwork on social media, I realized that what I was creating was bringing joy not only to myself, but to those around me as well. I knew that this passion of mine had to be put out into the world and started working towards setting myself up to pursue art full-time. I officially became a small business in the summer of 2022 and maintain it as a side hustle, as I am still active-duty military. My long-term goal is to be able to step directly into full time artistry once my military career has ended.

Hannah , 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?

It’s a tale as old as time: COVID hobby turned passion! My name is Hannah Brobst-Groholski and I began my art journey in 2020 as a fun way to practice mindfulness and meditation. The joy and fulfillment I felt quickly became a blazing passion I had to share with the world. It took me a while to understand that after over 14 years in the military and seeing some of the worst humanity has to offer, that I had the ability create beauty and “pockets of peace” through my artwork. One of my favorite pieces is titled Moon Goddess which I created as an experiment using tie dye, ink and gold leaf. I had been tie dying with my family all afternoon and loved the colors and how they ran and mixed together. Much like how Bob Ross says, it was a “happy accident” that the watercolor took to the paper so beautifully and eventually led to “Moon Goddess” and “Moon Lullaby.” I use watercolors, ink, gold leaf, and sometimes tie dye, to create artwork that celebrates feminine energy and brings a feeling of peace, meditation, and harmony to the viewer. Every piece of art I create pours from my heart and soul onto the paper, and I’d like to think it shows. The titles of the pieces are as sassy and silly as I am, so when you get/commission a Sweet Iris Studio piece of art, you are getting a glimpse into my world of turning chaos into beauty, sass and harmony.
I am unbelievably proud of my progress, as well as the friends and mentors I have made along my journey. I stepped into the art community and was received with open arms. I realized that after so many years, I had found my tribe. I recently studied under Janet Rogers and was amazed at how welcoming and supportive everyone was. This further fueled my desire to create and share that blessing with others. Sweet Iris Studio is my heart project and my way to bring people together and feel special, loved and supported.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As I have transitioned to the artist mentality, I have had to learn how to stop listening to my self-doubt, and learn how to trust myself and my creative process. So many times throughout the different phases of my artwork I start to doubt myself. Can I really bring my mental image to life? Will anyone really like it? To me, art in general is such an effort of resiliency and mental fortitude. Letting go of all the things that I feel hold me back, and breathing in a thriving confidence that drives me forward to a final product. When I sit down to work now I take a mindful moment, light a candle, and play some music, and remind myself that I love my work, I love my process, and others do as well.

My recommendation to anyone who is just starting out or taking some time out to regroup, find and focus on the emotions that your work brings you. Allow yourself patience, love, and the space to grow and thrive in your own way. Everyone is different, so enjoy your journey.

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

The joy from my viewers/clients is by far the most rewarding aspect to me. One of my recent projects is a series landscapes of my client’s travels with her family. recreating and commemorating those memories in dreamy watercolors. When I showed her the first completed painting it was an emotional moment for her. She told me how special it was to relive the feelings that she had during the trip. Another time was at a recent art show. I met a lady who told me about her disability and how the colors I used in a few of my paintings spoke to her as they represented the colors of her disability. She commissioned a small piece and when I was finally able to present it to her she was almost in tears. She told me how it made her feel so special and so seen. These are the most rewarding moments to me; being able to brighten someone’s day and see how the artwork fills them with joy and happiness.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sweetirisgallery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetiris.studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sweet.Iris.Studios