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

Hi Payton, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

To say that I’m happy as an artist would be the biggest understatement of all time. I often think about what life would be like if I had not chosen to pursue the arts as a career, and it makes me sad thinking about everything I could have unknowingly missed out on by not following my dreams, but it also makes me so happy and grateful knowing that I decided to go for it! Initially, I wanted to become an orthodontist. It’s so funny looking back because orthodontist and artist are about as different as you can get, in terms of career paths. When I was in high school, I remember my art teacher trying to convince me to take AP Art in 11th grade, and I was not having it. I kept giving her the excuses of, “Well I don’t think I’ll have time for that much art in my schedule,” “I won’t use any of this in the future,” “I’m not going to make a career out of art,” and a bunch of other lies that I didn’t know were lies at the time, haha. I finally relented and joined the AP Art class (and it ended up being the only AP exam I would ever pass – now that’s a sign!) and I fell in love with art. That year, I made the decision to pursue a BFA in Art Education and Painting at West Virginia University, and I never looked back! During my time at WVU, I was fortunate enough to gain skills that have led me to so many fantastic opportunities – exhibitions, commissioned projects, making new and lasting friendships, the list goes on. I don’t think any words can truly express just how happy I am as an artist. I’m currently in grad school pursuing my MFA in Painting at WVU, and I am going to be doing art full-time after my graduation in May of 2024! When I think about what I really want out of life, I cannot imagine myself pursuing anything else besides art. As cliche as it sounds, it really is that one thing that lights my soul on fire. There are so many endless possibilities within art, and I never ever get bored. I think if I had stuck with my original plan of becoming an orthodontist, or any other career for that matter, I would definitely feel like something is missing from my life.

Payton, 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?

I’m from a small town in West Virginia called Berkeley Springs, and I have always loved art. I haven’t always wanted to pursue it as a career, but I have definitely always been the creative type. My introduction to the art world actually wasn’t in visual arts at all; I studied classical piano performance for eight years before switching gears in high school to focus more on school and athletics. I think this exposure to the arts early in life definitely played a tremendous role in my love for anything creative or inventive. Ultimately, I decided to pursue a BFA in Art Education and Painting, and then an MFA in Painting with a graduate certificate in Therapeutic Art. Throughout this time I’ve spent at West Virginia University, I’ve been extremely lucky to have such knowledgeable and experienced professors to help heighten my artistic abilities. The positive reception and responses I gained from the work I made during this time helped me realize that people really do like my work, and it is totally possible to pursue the arts as a career. I think there are so many inaccurate stereotypes and stigmas about the “starving artist” that it discourages many people from even taking the first step to follow their dreams. I’ve been really fortunate with family and friends who have been unbelievably supportive, but not everyone has that privilege. If you’re reading this and you want to make a career as an artist, or even a side-hustle, this is your sign to go for it! In the grand scheme of things, life is pretty short, so I decided I would much rather choose a career that makes me happy and fulfilled, even if there are risks and uncertainties.
When I first began selling art, I had absolutely no idea how to market myself or charge for artwork. I would do these intricate drawings and then sell them for $20 – I wish I was kidding. During my time in college, as my skills improved, I also gained a better understanding of promoting my artwork, deciding reasonable prices, and finding ways to get my work out there. A couple of years ago, I started my small business, Art by Payton LLC. I love participating in art fairs and festivals, and I also sell several products on my website shop (paytonbrownart.com) – prints, self-published coloring books, greeting cards, stickers, original paintings, and postcards.
What is so fantastic about artists is that everyone has a different talent. One person may specialize in marble sculpture, while another may specialize in abstract painting. I think one of the most inspiring things about art is that there really isn’t a right or wrong way to do it; everyone has something unique and valuable to offer. I would say that, for me personally, I’m kind of all over the place, but not in a negative way. One thing that I think makes my studio practice unique, and never ever boring, is that I can’t just stick with one medium as a “signature medium” or anything like that. When I first got into art, I was all about drawing. Graphite, charcoal, colored pencils. I loved drawing, and I still do. When I applied to college at WVU, I realized they didn’t have a drawing major, but they did have painting, and I figured they were close enough so I applied with all my drawings and got accepted. I had only ever made maybe 1-2 paintings before college, just a little acrylic painting or adding watercolor to a drawing. Nothing on canvas, nothing fancy, just using the cheapest materials you could find at Michael’s or the dollar store because I didn’t know what I was doing yet.
When I started college, I was so nervous because I had never really painted. It took less than a year and I was hooked. I loved painting. That became my new medium of choice. Then, my sophomore year at WVU, I had to take a class that required you to use oil paint. I was nervous to say the least; I had never used oil paint before. Did I really want to go spend all this money on expensive oil paint supplies and end up being bad at it or not enjoying it? Seriously, oil painting is a huge investment when you’re a college student. Well, I fell in love with that too. And now when I paint, I rarely use any medium other than oil. As I started getting more inventive with my reference images for my paintings, I bought an iPad to help with the preparation process for my paintings, and this is where my love for digital illustration started. Not only did this open new doors for me in terms of creating illustrations and planning for paintings, but this also gave me an opportunity to start making new products that I could sell. Before, the only things that people were able to buy from me were original drawings and paintings, or prints of my drawings / paintings. When I started becoming more familiar with digital illustration, I began designing coloring books (I’ve self-published four so far!), stickers, postcards, greeting cards, and even custom logos for small businesses.
So at this point I’ve gotten obsessed with drawing, painting, and digital art. Then, in my last year or so of grad school, I started getting interested in mixed media artwork. I love painting on canvas or drawing on paper, but sometimes I just like to spice things up, haha. My thesis work is about food and its abilities to connect people, uphold traditions, and evoke nostalgia. When creating this work, I started thinking a lot more outside the box and created work in ways that were really unconventional compared to traditional oil paintings or drawings on paper. For instance, I bought some guest checks, the ones that wait staff at restaurants use when they take your order, and I drew pictures of food on them in pen, then painted them with watercolor. Then I couldn’t figure out how to display them, so I bought actual racks from a restaurant supply store, so the checks hang on the kinds of racks that you would see them on in a real restaurant kitchen for the cook to look at while they’re making the food. I also did drawings on that red and white checkered wax paper that comes with sandwiches, and I also did some oil painting on ceramic plates, which I adhered to a wooden panel I painted a placemat on, and I also added silverware. In my time at WVU, I also took some sculpture and printmaking classes, where I got experience with wood sculpture, welding, lithography, linocuts, monotypes, and screen-printing.
My wide range of skills is probably what I am most proud of, and also grateful for. I know a lot of people who love art aren’t fortunate enough to study it at the collegiate level, whether that’s due to lack of support, financial reasons, self-doubt, etc. I feel so blessed to have been able to study art at WVU. If I hadn’t taken that leap, I would still be drawing on paper with little to no experience in anything else. This isn’t a dig at people who draw, because that’s a fantastic skill to have and there are so many amazing artists in that field. But for me personally, I get bored by doing the same thing for a long time, so I have to change it up every now and then. Without going to art school, I wouldn’t have the skills or the knowledge to approach this at all.
Another thing I am super proud of is being able to use my artwork as a means for philanthropy. I’m a firm believer that you should always give what you can and do your part to help others. Fortunately, my art has helped me do that in several different instances. A few years ago, when wildfires were destroying parts of Australia, I created a drawing of a koala and made 100 prints. I sold every single one of these prints for $20, and I was able to donate $1,000 to the Australian Red Cross and $1,000 to the World Wildlife Fund in Australia. I didn’t make any profit from this project, but it was still my most rewarding pursuit to this day. I’ve also donated artwork to fundraisers and auctions like Hospice of the Panhandle, Relay for Life, and a local gardening club in my hometown.
If there was something I would want people to know or feel about my work, I think I would simply want them to use my artwork as a way to feel something positive, whether that’s joy, nostalgia, comfort, or something else. Unlike a lot of artwork today that’s based on social or political issues or controversial topics, my intention behind my artwork has always been to create a space where everyone feels welcome and happy. I’ve always felt that as a society we are so inundated with negative news and tragic events that we should try to find joy wherever we can. For me, creating art is a therapeutic experience that distracts me from the negative, so my hope is that other people find a similar notion of happiness when viewing it. If there was something else I would want potential clients or followers to know about my work, it would be that I’m open for business – please commission me or check out my shop! Haha.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think that in order to support artists, a common misconception is that you have to buy a big fancy oil painting or sculpture or something like that. And that couldn’t be further from the truth. For me personally, I obviously love selling a painting or a drawing, but there are so many other acts of kindness that mean the world to artists. For instance, just sharing their posts or posting a nice comment is so impactful to an artist. Within the realm of social media, where it feels like the algorithm doesn’t show you hardly anything besides ads, it can make it really difficult for artists to gain traction and views. On the other hand, we are really fortunate to live in the age of social media where people from all over the world have access to your work. If you aren’t in a position where you are able to financially support an artist you like, just sharing their content or recommending them to a friend is beyond helpful. Another thing that is meaningful to artists is showing up for them. Whether it’s a gallery exhibition, an art fair, a studio visit, anything. Just knowing that you have people who support you and your passion means so much. I can think of several instances in which I participated in a gallery exhibition, made zero sales, didn’t win any awards, but I had family and friends there to support my work, and I left the gallery feeling like I was on top of the world.
Another MAJOR thing that will benefit the artists in your life, if you are able, is purchasing work from them, obviously. Original artworks can be expensive. As artists we know this, and many of us still want our work to be accessible to you. Therefore, many artists (me included) offer prints as a more affordable alternative to buying an original painting, for a fraction of the price. Decorating your home with the artwork of a local artist / small business owner is such a significant and meaningful act, and 99% of the time it looks better than whatever you will find to decorate with in a department store.
Commissioning artists to do custom artwork for you is another great way to support them. Most artists will be willing to work with you to find a price that works for both of you, and they will do everything in their power to make sure you are happy with the outcome. Whether it’s a drawing, painting, logo design, mural, or any other artistic endeavor, supporting a local artist or small business makes such a tremendous difference in an artist’s life.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to use my talents and skills to impact others. There are several instances where I’ve felt such tremendous joy and pride from the effect that my work had on another person or group of people. Donating artwork / funds raised from artwork to important causes like the Red Cross, World Wildlife Fund, hospice centers, Relay for Life, and other local organizations fills me with so much gratitude that I am able to help others by doing what I am most passionate about. Aside from philanthropy, creating custom artwork as gifts for people is another incredibly rewarding experience. Watching someone open a gift that you made by hand and seeing their face light up with excitement is such a great feeling. Knowing that people appreciate your time, effort, and skill is so fulfilling. Seeing my artwork impact others in a gallery setting is also really powerful. I love when my work is on display and I overhear someone saying something like “This piece reminds me of…” or “This painting takes me back to a time when…” Some of the main ideas that drive my work are nostalgia, comfort, joy, and connection. I love hearing confirmation from viewers that my work is coming across the way I intended, and they are able to reminisce upon fond memories and happy moments from their own lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: paytonbrownart.com
• Instagram: @paytonbrown.art
• Facebook: Payton Brown Art