We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hannah Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hannah, thanks for joining us 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?
In my opinion, making a full-time living as an artist is not an easy task and it can take a considerable amount of time to achieve. The first step to becoming a successful art entrepreneur is to view art as both a passion and a business. However, there is a limited amount of resources available on how to become a successful art entrepreneur. Furthermore, the category of art is vast, encompassing many forms and processes, making it subjective. While starting your art career, you may have a solid idea of how you want to express yourself, but as you begin to work on your craft, different opportunities may arise that lead you down different paths.
I believe that one advantage that any entrepreneur can have is knowing their true passion from a young age. As a teenager, I knew that art was my life’s passion, but I struggled to reconcile that passion with the need to be patient and gain as much experience as possible. Although I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity, I needed to undergo trials and errors to refine my approach to my craft.
My personal journey began with live painting, which involved painting a canvas from start to finish in front of an audience at music festivals or other concert venues. The fast-paced environment was incredibly inspiring for me, and I ended up building my own 10ft x 10ft frame out of PVC pipes and painting on bed sheets for the festivals. Once I started painting on a larger scale, I knew I wanted to migrate to painting murals. This led to a decade-long process of painting murals for various businesses, which in turn led to painting commissioned work like pet portraits, live painting for weddings, conducting youth art programs, and becoming a public art advocate and consultant.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change my journey in any way, even if it could have sped up the process. I believe that everything I tried led me to where I am now, and I am grateful for the experiences.
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?
My name is Hannah Williams, and I am 30 years old. I live in Upstate New York and have been passionate about art since I was a child. I had much inspiration and encouragement from my parents and grandmother, which led me to take art seriously once I was in high school. I was fortunate enough to have an incredible art teacher, Sandra Jabaut, who saw the ability and creativity in her students, and helped me harness my passion in any way she could. Her support and encouragement built my confidence, and I began to shine through my work. Other students even wanted to purchase artworks from me, and that’s when I knew I could make art for a living.
Services:
Currently, my main services are painting large-scale murals, public art consulting, live wedding painting, commissioned painting/portraits, and selling prints and other merchandise. However, it took me a while to realize that I was devoting a lot of free time consulting with folks about art or my services. I discovered this through mural work where I would set up appointments with clients, do site visits, examine wall space, and provide knowledge, but the project would not come to fruition. That’s when I realized I was a consultant and needed to charge for my services as well.
What sets me apart from others is my passion for providing quality products to my clients. I am committed to exceeding their expectations from their initial vision. Painting murals is my obsession, and I am willing to spend over 10 hours a day to ensure the project is done efficiently. Additionally, my naturally compassionate personality allows me to excel in commissioned portrait work, where I strive to capture the soul and essence of the people and animals I paint.
I’m most proud of my consistency from a young age within my line of work, where I have gained over a decade of experience in what I do.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Yes, there are many resources available for artists to find opportunities and build their careers. While there is no clear handbook on how to be a successful artist, there are ways to find community and mentors to guide you.
One great place to start is by looking for local galleries, art centers, art programs, and other artists in your community. By making connections with people and organizations in your area, you can find local opportunities and art calls to participate in.
In addition to local resources, there are many online resources available for artists to find opportunities. You can search for art magazine calls or check your state’s foundation of the arts website for art calls and opportunities.
Some national websites that I recommend for finding opportunities include publicartist.org, theartguide.com, callforentry.org, and beautifyearth.com. These websites can provide valuable information about upcoming opportunities, grants, and residencies that can help artists advance their careers.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
In my experience, having a modest following is not a barrier to success if you focus on organic reach and self-promotion. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool that should not be overlooked. When you consistently deliver quality work, people will start to talk about it. Don’t underestimate the value of word-of-mouth promotion.
If you feel inclined to monetize your posts to engage more followers, that can be a smart move. Integrating paid posts or services into your social media strategy can be included in your yearly budget, which could be a good way to grow your audience and brand.
My advice is to always stay true to yourself and your craft. Sharing your personal thoughts and behind-the-scenes processes can really engage people and set you apart in an oversaturated market. People want to see and learn about what makes you unique, so don’t be afraid to showcase that. Always stick with what you’re most passionate about, and success will follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hanwilliamsart.com
- Instagram: @hanwilliamsart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HWilliamsArt