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

Mandy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I have been painting and drawing for most of my life, but it wasn’t until about two years ago that I learned about the centuries old, endangered craft of fore-edge painting. At the time, I was working at a library, and looking for a creative outlet, when I came across an Instagram reel of the artist Maisie Matilda (maisie_matilda_art) painting the edge of a book with a scene from The Lord of the Rings. I couldn’t believe that there was a career out there that combined my three favorite things: books, painting, and movies.

It took me about a year to build up the courage to try out fore-edge painting myself. I painted on a book that I had two copies of (Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Silver Flames), so that if I completely destroyed it, it wouldn’t be a big loss. I was so nervous! I painted my interpretation of the book’s character, Nesta, and did in fact, mess up that book. I made the mistake of layering acrylic paint too heavily, and when I unclamped the book, thrilled to share the result – Nesta’s face flaked right off! Fortunately I was able to salvage it and I redid the painting using watercolors. It’s not my best work, but I keep it displayed on my bookshelf to remind me how much I’ve learned.

Looking back, I wish I had just started when I first saw Maisie’s work, rather than waiting so long. Fore-edge painting is the most fun I’ve ever had making art in my life, and I could have been having fun so much sooner! The older I get the more I realize that my biggest obstacles in the way of success are the ones I create for myself. Each day I have to break down my old beliefs to move forward. For example, I used to think that I should know certain things instinctually, so I wouldn’t ask for help. Or, I’d avoid using a certain tool in my creative process because “what if” someone thought I was cheating? Turns out, nobody cares if you use a projector to get face proportions right, or a ruler to paint a straight line. Experts in your field usually like to give advice because it feels good to know you’re helping someone. That’s my biggest takeaway I’ve learned from studying the craft of fore-edge painting and owning a business. Ask for help sooner rather than later, and use the tools available to you to make the most beautiful work possible!

Mandy, 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?

From drawing baby portraits for clients to illustrating homes for realtors, painting murals, creating children’s book illustrations, and teaching wine and paint parties, I’ve explored many corners of the art world. Since graduating from VCUarts in Richmond, VA, with a BFA in Painting & Printmaking in 2012, my journey as an artist has taken me in countless directions.

For about a decade, I ran my own fine art business—until I swore I’d never do it again. I spent a couple years working at a library, confident I would never have that entrepreneurial instinct return. But then I discovered fore-edge painting, and, well…I just couldn’t resist. If you’re unfamiliar (I was too, until two years ago!), fore-edge painting is the delicate art of clamping a book’s pages together and hand-painting intricate designs along the edges. Each piece is carefully crafted with detailed watercolor work, transforming beloved books into works of art. This craft is considered endangered, making it all the more special to preserve.

I particularly love painting movie scenes on book edges, especially from fantasy films. Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are my favorites, but I also enjoy bringing classics like Little Women and Pride and Prejudice to life.

One of the things I’m most proud of is how much I’ve honed my portraiture skills over the years. I believe this attention to detail helps set my work apart, adding a distinctive touch to every piece I create.

I sell my work on my website here: https://www.mandyhowardart.com/shop-1 and I do commission work as well.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I started my business back in April of 2024, I was very fortunate in that I received support almost immediately. I had a lot of success with selling my books and getting great commissions. Then January came… and I learned that people hold on a bit tighter to their money after the holidays. This was my first winter selling my work so I didn’t realize this was considered normal, but it was scary there for a while! That was definitely a time when I had to be resilient, and start adapting to the ever changing land of social media. I had to explore other avenues to sell my work, besides just making Instagram reels and hoping for the best. I revamped my website, studied SEO, and took better quality photos for my listings. I reached out to anyone who had ever showed interest in purchasing one of my books, and reminded them I was still there and happy to create something for them. I asked for help from my creative friends, (which was something I should have done much sooner). They had great suggestions; one suggested I share my work on Reddit, another told me to consider making some simplified, less time consuming art that I can sell at a lower price point. It was a challenging time, but now that Spring is here and my business is thriving again, I can say it was all worth it!

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when someone buys a book that I absolutely loved painting. It’s one of the best feelings in the world knowing that I’ll be able to contribute financially to my family, while doing something that brings me and others joy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mandyhowardart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandyhowardart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m.howard.illustration
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-howard-b1755432
• Other: Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/DewaltBebe/

Image Credits
I took the photos myself :)