Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to LAURIE Hein. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, LAURIE thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you 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?
Yes, I was able to make a full-time living from my artwork starting at ground zero. I had no choice because I needed to provide for my family without skills other than my artistic talent. I first started teaching again, something I hadn’t done since my 2nd child, and joined Amway to build the dream of being self-employed,
When I turned 4,0 I had my 6th child, my husband lost his job, and I became the support for my family on my income as an illustrator, art instructor, licensing designer, Fine Art Festival participant, and Portrait artist. I joined Amway in hopes of motivating my husband and for creating income at the same time. The leadership, hard work, self-discipline, many books, motivational tools, conventions, marvelous speakers, audio tapes, and people skills I learned
Four years of working with the Amway Business taught me what I needed to know to be successful as an artist.
In my heart, I knew I was meant to create artwork, not run a distribution business. I decided to devote my time purely to my passion for art. Because I had to do it to support my family, the situation made me do more than I would have otherwise done as a hobbyist, mom, housewife, or part-time artist.
LAURIE, 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?
After a year at the Columbus College of Art and Design, I married and became a mom. In my 20s, I taught art lessons at home, painted portraits part-time, worked at a small shop in Palm Beach on County Road, and was a paralegal. When I married and had my second child, I retired as a full-time mom, painting my children and an occasional portrait for additional income. I didn’t think it possible to make a living with art.
I became a professional artist at age 40 when I realized I would have to support my family. I immediately started teaching again when asked to teach at a local club using all mediums. I learned about water color, acrylic paints, pastels, and more about oil, design, by borrowing art videos and studying books from the local library and art store. I made copious notes and practiced each medium so I could start teaching in the coming season at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach. I have been teaching there now for 36 years. They recommended me to another private club, and I have been teaching there for 35 years. I have taught workshops in other cities, states, Italy, and France. I love my students and have a passion for teaching because of the joy it brings to the students.
At the same time, I ran advertisements for portraits and pets. When I helped a fellow artist, Kathryn Fincher, complete a picture of her daughter, we both signed it. When it was being framed, a licensing Company found her artwork with my name, too. We both got licensed by that company for products and Lithographs. We worked with Art’s Unique for 10 years. I now license my artwork with a local Agent in Jupiter, Florida, Carol White.
It is a delight to bring the beauty that God created and I see all around me to the heart of others. Art that enhances lives and homes, captures memories, and brings joy and inspiration to the owner is a lasting treasure. Another absolute pleasure for me has been inspiring other artists to follow their dreams, where others have become successful too. Art is a gift to be shared, inspiring, enjoying, and enriching our lives.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I was a real estate investor from age 18. I managed 24 rental units before I went full-time as an artist. The income and gradual sale of those units along the way created the money I needed to get through until I was successful as an artist. I thank God I had those properties. I had hoped they would become my retirement. I see God had other plans. He pushed me into being a full-time artist when I didn’t think it was possible and kept me poor enough to keep me in sufficient need never to give up or be lazy. I had to find another way to make things happen when something was difficult.
For years, with four Children, I taught 2 days a week and attended weekend art festivals all over the country, from Florida to Ohio. I have done as many as 32 art shows a year for 10 years. Then by myself, with double tents to set up for 20 years. I now do only 3-6 shows a year in Florida. It was hard work, but I am so thankful for the gift God blessed me with.
In 2005, my artwork was licensed to a printing company. They had 100 of my best images. They never paid me for their use. They mass printed them all over the country for sale and competed with me in my prime area of Art Festival shows on the West Coast of Florida. They sold them to Cruise ships, flea markets, and retail stores. It got my name out there, but it hurt when people would ask me at the art festivals why my images were priced higher than they could buy my work at the flea markets all over South Florida. I still have people come up to me at the shows enthusiastically exclaiming they have one of my limited 750 print Edition (not true) in their homes and how much they love my work.
After seven years of trying to stop them, I realized it was impossible. The fact that I had them copyrighted did me no good because I would have to develop a $50,000 retainer to start a Federal lawsuit. I decided to outpaint them with new images and put the 100 images online for sale at a lower price with Fine Art America. I also knew the individual was corrupt and started praying for his family and children. The person was arrested in 2017 for child porn, his wife committed suicide, The state took his children.
Fine Art America was a more incredible blessing than I could have imagined. Despite the royalties and troubles, the licensing agreement cost me. Fine Art America pays me a monthly income that my children can inherit, more significant than my Social Security.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lauriesnowhein.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hein_laurie/. https://www.instagram.com/lauriesnowhein/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollectFineArt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-snow-hein-b04b207/
- Youtube: https://www.bing.com/search?q=laurie%20snow%20hein%20you%20tube&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&ghc=1&lq=0&pq=laurie%20snow%20hein%20you%20tube&sc=6-25&sk=&cvid=7176002D80EA47348FDFD47AD45F9365&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=
- Other: rtsyshark.com/2018/12/20/featured-artist-laurie-snow-hein/rtsyshark.com/2018/12/20/featured-artist-laurie-snow-
https://www.facebook.com/CollectFineArt/
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=laurie+snow+hein+facebook&qpvt=laurie+snow+hein+facebook&FORM=VDRE
https://laurie-hein.pixels.com/
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/laurie-hein
rabook.com/web/laurie_snow.hein/770914#google_vignette
https://about.me/LaurieSnowHein
