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

Hilary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I’ve been creating and making art as far back as I can remember, even if it was only in my head. I knew I had a gift, even as a child. In school I took as many art classes as I could, and in college I had to make a pivotal decision. Do I major in art or economics? The scary route or the safe route? It doesn’t come as a surprise that I chose the safe route. I majored in Business & Economics. To hold onto a small sense of pursuing my passion, I minored in art history and it was by far my favorite part of my college experience.
For the next twenty years I worked in finance as a CPA. Meanwhile I was losing my soul, slowly, one day at a time. I would catch myself daydreaming about painting and creating in my head like I used to as a child. It took reaching almost total burnout in my professional career to realize that my “safe” decision as a twenty year old was no longer serving me. So I picked up a paintbrush again a few years after my first daughter was born, and a spark was reignited in my soul. I built my art business slowly over time, on nights and weekends while holding onto my corporate job. I waited patiently for the right time to fully switch paths and become an artist full time. When I did, I felt the most profound sense of relief and joy. I’m coming up on the one year anniversary of that transition and I’m filled with gratitude.
There are times I’m tempted to wish I had started sooner. But the truth is, without the path of security I chose early on in my adulthood, I wouldn’t have had the firm footing I have now that I’m out on my own. I learned the most valuable skills in the twenty years I spent helping others run their own businesses. The things that can scare a lot of artists starting out, like taxes, bookkeeping, advertising, don’t scare me. The most important part is that I have such a deep level of appreciation for my life now. I would not have that if I had started sooner. But I will say, I’m glad I didn’t wait even one day later to start living my dream. And I can’t wait for what’s next!

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

As a finance professional, I spent most of my career inside an office, in front of a computer screen, highly stressed and restless. Painting became my outlet for the intense mental load I carried in my corporate job. I discovered a profound sense of peace and rest when I would paint. My constant source of inspiration is the raw beauty of my hometown, Santa Barbara. The light, the water, the living and growing things all around me in this magical place takes my breath away daily. I paint to capture the healing and calming power of the natural world, in hopes that the viewer will sense a breath of fresh air, and deep rest for their mind, body and soul.

I paint mostly with oil on canvas and I also offer prints of my favorite finished pieces. My newest series of works are titled “Freedom on my Mind” and they depict floating umbrellas in serene settings. The floating umbrella without a pole symbolizes being untethered, free, and without worry or stress.

I believe that art has the ability to change lives. The goal of my career as an artist is to provide healing and rest to as many people as I can.

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

The ability to be able to have an idea, see something in your mind, and then be able to bring it to fruition and see other’s enjoy it and be impacted by it is the most rewarding feeling I have ever felt. I get to make something out of nothing, and that something could enrich someone’s life. That’s a joy and an honor that I don’t take lightly.

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

We can stop using the term “starving artist”. It implies that art is not a “real” career and it scares people away from making art and trying to make a living out of it. We do not live in the 1800s. It is very possible to build a thriving career from selling art now. If society as a whole recognized artists as professionals in the same way it views lawyers, accountants, electricians, etc. it would make it much easier for artists to sell their work regularly and at a price that values their work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hilarybrockstudio.com
• Instagram: @hilarybrock
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088423445739
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hilarybrockstudio/

Image Credits

Josh Gruetzmacher
Santa Barbara City Coast Lifestyle https://citylifestyle.com/santabarbaracoastca