Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mikayla Hammock. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mikayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I took the risk to start doing arts festivals when I was 18. At the time, I thought I was not ready and people would not value my work. The opposite was true, and the festival was a success. I made more sales in one day than I had in years. It was intimidating to prepare for because it was a big investment to get my supplies and build up my inventory for the first time, but it changed the trajectory of my life. After that, I continued doing arts festivals and markets for years. It proved to be a great way to connect with my community and learn about the wants of my customers. I learned to adjust what I made to suit people’s suggestions, expanded my inventory, and made many friends in the Birmingham art community. I am glad I took the leap and it altered my career for the better.

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 am an illustrator in Birmingham, Alabama. I started my art business,intricateinkstudio, in high-school. I began my selling my art at Saturday markets at Lowe Mill, in Huntsville, Alabama. I later moved to Birmingham for college, and began to participate in art events. I started with the Birmingham Artwalk in 2019. From there, I continued to do festivals state wide. This includes the Magic City Art Connection, Arts Alive, the Birmingham Artwalk, Bluff Park Arts Festival, Kentuck Arts Festival, and Moss Rock Arts Festival. I create illustrations that combine scientific illustration with surrealism. I mainly use pen and watercolor. My style uses a type of illusion in which I draw a subject using smaller illustrations of that subject. It is often described as a picture in a picture. Other times I do more representational work, using pointillism illustrations to mimic antique scientific illustration prints.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me the most rewarding part of being an artist is inspiring other people. I have some precious memories of this that come to mind. A friend of mine started selling her art this year at many of the events that I am a vendor at as well. She told me she got into it this year because she saw how I was able to do these events while keeping up with school and work. She said she was inspired because she saw that it could be possible for someone like her who was also in school and working. Another friend said that I was her art inspiration, and added an art minor to her degree because she saw how much I was able to do with art, so she decided to nurture her skills in art again. A few customers have expressed that they have been so inspired by seeing how much my business and work has developed since I did my first festival in 2019. At the time I was fresh out of high school and unsure if I was good enough to be there. It has been incredible seeing how many people remembered me from back then and kept up with me since. I am grateful to have been able to grow people’s appreciation for art in their lives and inspire them to invest in themselves.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

People in the industry are a wonderful resource. They taught me the most about where to look for opportunities, how to price my products, and how to develop a brand image.The best way to network in the arts is by supporting other artists. Go to markets, art openings, festivals, and lessons. By showing your support, you will be able to learn more about how to reach your goals by supporting people who have already met those goals. People love to see a familiar face and are much happier to share advice when you are.

Contact Info:

• Website: Intricateinkstudio
• Instagram: Intricateinkstudio
• Linkedin: Mikayla Hammock