We recently connected with Kate Lee Laird and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kate Lee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I’ve taken two large risks in my career as an artist. The first one was the biggest one, the one where you leave your secure job to follow your passion. I started painting on the side and had begun my reputation as an artist before I look the leap so it was a calculated risk. Still a big risk for a 24 year old. I’m thankful every day I took that risk and I’m glad I didn’t wait another day.
The other risk is more recent. I paint commissioned artwork but I also travel the country for live wedding painting. This has been the biggest life changing experience for me. It amplified my love of travel and has allowed me to see places I never would have gone. With that being said, it put a strain on my art gallery in Natchez, Ms. I was overworking myself and barely having days off. When I wasn’t traveling, running the gallery, or painting commissions, I was packaging orders for my online shop. I was slowing realizing this life is amazing but it’s not substantial. Burn out is real! I decided to take a risk and change my entire business model. I closed my gallery and my online shop. I stopped booking so many weddings. Some months I would paint 5 weddings! But then I started putting myself first. The hardest risk. To choose yourself. I watched the life creep back into everything around me. Actually having more free time to spend with my friends and family and to paint for myself! Which is the absolute best part of being an artist! To paint whatever you want!
So far this change with my career has been amazing. I bought a house I’ve been renovating into an art studio. I’m focusing more on making the art I want to make which has also been a beautiful discovery within this transition. If you ask me I’m always going to advise to take the risk!
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’m a fine artist living in my hometown of Natchez, Ms. I’ve been painting since I was old enough to hold a brush. When people ask me when I started painting I always say, “Oh, I just never stopped!” My medium is a heavy body acrylic paint. I love texture and bright colors. I would categorize myself with the impressionist but my style varies based on what I’m working on. I take orders for all types of paintings and I also am a live wedding artist. I will paint at weddings on the spot capturing the beautiful memories of the ceremony or the reception. I kind of fell into the wedding painting. I had a friend ask me to paint her wedding about 9 years ago and I said I would give it a go and from that first wedding I booked 7 more and from then on word of mouth carried my career forward. I think I’m successful in the wedding industry because I love a good party and a fast paced environment! Haha I mean who wouldn’t want to be a part of “the best day of their life” every weekend? And the wedding paintings really do bring me so much joy. I never thought I would cry at a random wedding where I don’t know a soul but it’s happened more than once. I think that’s why, even with the strain it can cause, I’ll never give up this part of my career. I get to be a part of the joy and surrounded by so much love. It’s a beautiful feeling. I’m really proud I can use my talents to brighten peoples day. Even with ‘regular’ paintings, I love that I get to bring color and life into others homes.
That’s my ultimate goal really. To create work that radiates love and happiness. To brighten any space my art is in. There too much beige in this world and I’m here to change that!
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Yes! One of the most important books that changed my life was ‘The Four Hour Work Week’ by Tim Ferriss. This is the book that made me take the leap and try to make it as an artist full time. I hate to think how long I would have waited if I hadn’t read this book when I did. He also has a podcast interviewing successful people in their fields. I cannot recommend his work enough! And that’s for anyone, not just artists!
‘Diary of a CEO’ is another great podcast for entrepreneurs.
If you’re an artist starting out you have to read “Art & Fear” by David Bayles & Ted Orland. And actually it is probably good to read every few years because you will always have new obstacles to overcome in your business.
‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell is a great read too.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The feeling when someone sees their painting for the first time. It can be at a wedding or handing it over in my studio. It just makes me feel so happy. Like true happiness. It’s wild to think I can create something that someone else will love and cherish so much.
I also create paintings that persevere real flowers. Mostly funeral flowers but also some wedding bouquets. The funeral flower paintings are so meaningful because they’re tied to a certain person and those are really cherished. It’s very rewarding to know I’m creating a piece that’ll bring so much happiness to someone else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Kateleelairdart.com
- Instagram: @kateleelairdart
- Facebook: @kateleelairdart
Image Credits
Emma Hogue