We recently connected with Jenny Mccarty and have shared our conversation below.

Jenny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Art isn’t my primary income. Like many children who loved art, I was encouraged to pursue a more stable career path—and I’m glad I did.

I’ve always been passionate about both art and biology, but when it came time to choose, I chose biology. For nearly ten years after high school, I rarely painted while building a successful career in ecology. I earned a bachelor’s in biology, a master’s in stream ecology, and I now work full time in water resources management.

About two years ago, I experienced significant burnout. A career coach asked me to identify the activities that put me in a state of flow—those that energized me. Although I couldn’t reduce my workload, I realized I could devote more time to what recharged me.

Painting always brought me into that state of flow, so I started again. From that moment, I couldn’t stop, and my art business naturally emerged.

I’ve always been entrepreneurial, and I believe that if you’re truly an artist, you will always find your way back to art—it’s in your bones. I also believe that everything happens for a reason.

My art and my ecology career enrich each other. I paint from the heart, highlighting issues that matter to me without worrying about the paycheck, and people naturally connect with that authenticity. Similarly, managing my art business has honed creative skills that have advanced my career in ecology, like how to tell a story and connect with people on an emotional level over a conservation issue.

Bringing together my love for science and art is one of the most fulfilling milestones in my life. I’ve been fortunate to live and travel around the world as an ecologist, and I know that the health of ecosystems is directly linked to the health of communities. I use art to inspire others to care for our planet and to bring the wonders of nature into their lives. Ultimately, art amplifies the positive impact I can have in this world and empowers others to do the same. I’m excited to see where this journey leads.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I take pride in ensuring that every decision in my art business positively impacts our planet.

Although I began my artistic journey with acrylics and oils, I transitioned to watercolor as an adult because I wanted a medium that is both eco-friendly and safe for my family and me. As a child, watercolors felt intimidating since you can’t easily correct mistakes, unlike with acrylics or oils. Over time, I learned to embrace the unpredictable nature of watercolor—a lesson I carry with me every time I paint and one that my collectors appreciate.

Today, I create vibrant, high-contrast, and whimsical scenes using watercolor and ink. My art celebrates nature, inspires outdoor adventures, and evokes cherished memories of hikes, wildlife encounters, and peaceful moments in nature. I offer original paintings, paper and canvas prints, custom commissions, and even art on utility items like notebooks and greeting cards.

Every product is made with eco-friendly, vegan, and non-toxic materials because sustainability is a core value for me and my community. I only partner with printers and suppliers who meet my strict sustainability and quality standards. Additionally, I donate 10% of all proceeds to conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Wilderness Society, and water.org, furthering my mission to preserve wildlife and wild places.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I am obsessed with podcasts and am constantly listening to something while I paint. I especially love podcasts that teach me something. As a scientist, I had no idea what it takes to run a creative business, but I did know how to do research. The best thing to do is to learn from others, rather than recreate the wheel.

I’ve listened to many podcasts and my favorite is The Art Marketing Podcast with Patrick. Many of his tips and tricks have helped me through impatience, realizing that art is a long game, gotten me sales, or improved my workflow. I especially love their new app ArtHelper.ai. I was paying monthly for other services that this app does for free. Use my referral link here to get special perks: https://app.arthelper.ai/signup?grsf=jenny-8icqp0

How did you build your audience on social media?

I actually didn’t have social media until late 2023. I only got on Instagram for my art. I have tried organic growth and paid ads, and I still haven’t cracked the code. The only thing I’ve ever gone viral for was a wedding anniversary post with me and my husband, which was very popular with people in India. While I’m grateful these people loved our love, they are not my target audience and it has done nothing for my sales, ha! So lesson here is to be careful what you post. You might go viral for the wrong thing!

This year, I am focusing on in-person connections because I realized that it’s easy to get stuck behind the screen when focusing on social media, and that’s not what I want for my business. I want to make connections, and to inspire people to feel something. Social media is a great tool but it shouldn’t be the be-all-end all.

Also, I spent way too much time caring about the perfect posts and reels when I first started. I’ve realized over the last 18 months that my most popular posts are ones where I care less about perfect and more about sharing how I feel about a piece, and how I want others to feel about a piece. Also, I can whip a reel together in 5 minutes now, whereas I’d spend 5 hours mulling over a reel a year ago. Letting go actually brought me more success and a lot less stress.

I’m happy to talk more about social media for anyone who has questions. I answer all DMs sent to me on IG and to my email. Just shoot me anything you’re wondering about.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesageleafstudio.com
• Instagram: @sage_leaf_studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sage.Leaf.Studio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-mccarty/
• Other: TikTok: @sage_leaf_studio