We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rebecca Jack. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rebecca below.
Rebecca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Yes, I made the transition last year to a full time artist. It’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember! It definitely didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a slow process for me. Being an artist seemed like an impossible career to make a living at. The misconception of “starving artist” is very much prevalent in society that it can be crippling for creatives to take action and focus on their practice. Thanks to technology, I believe this is changing. Through social media I was able to see other artists not only surviving but thriving through their art! I knew I was just as good as the artists I was watching so it opened up the possibility for me to do the same. The first big step for me was creating my own website with a shop to purchase my art. I didn’t think much of my website at the time, but then I had my first sale in January of 2020 (thanks to my cousin Kat!). It was an awakening that I needed to pay more attention to my website. A few more sales started to trickle in mainly from people I knew and as I kept putting work out I started to see orders from people I didn’t know. In early 2021, I found out about Chairish, a curated online retailer of unique furniture, art and decor and started listing my work there. Selling work consistently on Chairish really boosted my confidence and belief that I could make a living through my art. At the same time I was working part time as an interior designer and juggling a family. It was not easy to find time to paint. Fortunately I found a book called “Daily Painting” which was instrumental in how I approached my practice. Since I only had time in the evenings to paint, it was difficult to be motivated after a long day. This book helped me get over the mental hurdle of excuses such as “I don’t have enough time” or “I’m too tired” by painting small pieces that I can complete in short amounts of time. Getting started is sometimes the hardest part, so I told myself I will go in my studio for 10 minutes and just play. Ten minutes turned into 30 and then an hour. Sometimes three hours would go by and I wouldn’t even realize it. After consistently working like this, I started feeling the pull into my studio every night with much less resistance. I started to hone in on my work in a different way than before. This was such a powerful tool for me that literally changed everything! The next pivotal shift for me was when I was started selling my work at the lifestyle shop ALKMY in Birmingham. Ashley, one of the owners approached me through Instagram and asked if I wanted to bring a few pieces down to the store. My paintings took really well with their client base and it continues to be a great partnership. The last significant component was signing with my first gallery, Atlanta Artist Collective, in the beginning of 2022. They are part of a larger artist collective with the original location in Charleston and additional locations in Nashville, DC and West Palm beach. With the power of the collective, I have gotten great exposure to a wider audience as well as connected with a community of many talented artists. Once I created a body of work that resonated with an audience (note I did not say every audience!) there seemed to be a tipping point where people started to share my work, interviews, magazines etc started to happen and it bloomed from there organically. To sum it up, the first component was shifting my mindset and getting rid of limiting beliefs. Second, build your brand through your website and social media presence. Third, building strong aligned partnerships to help share your work and give you exposure to different audiences. Finally, think about how to elevate your work and consistently show up for your practice. Give yourself grace if you fail or don’t stick to a plan. Just get back at it and keep going. You have to believe in yourself first before anyone else does. This is the best time to be an artist!
Rebecca, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m an abstract figurative painter residing in Atlanta, Georgia. As a daughter of an artist, I have been painting and drawing all my life. I went to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville to study Interior Design. After college, I moved to Seattle to start my design career and picked up painting classes at a local gallery in my spare time. I started showing my work in monthly art walks and fringe group art shows. After several years in Seattle I moved back to the south to be closer to family and landed in Atlanta. I painted off and on during this time as well as got married and had a family. However busy my life was, my passion for painting and art never stopped. I continued to take classes and paint on the side. After building up my confidence in my art practice and having a steady stream of sales, I finally felt ready to leave the design world to pursue my passion for painting full time. It’s been a wild ride ever since!
I paint primarily on canvas and paper offering a variety of sizes. Though I really love painting large scale work. I enjoy working with interior designers to help fill those big walls! The way I paint is very intuitive and expressive. My work highlights the beauty of imperfection through visible layering, brush work and mark-making. What makes my work stand out is my use of color and emotion. My figures are bold, yet vulnerable, exuding a quiet confidence and self-reflective quality. I strive to offer a peek into the imaginative world of the subject’s deepest thoughts and feelings. Waiting to catch moments of truth. In essence, I think of myself as a “soul painter”.
This past year, I am most proud of being featured in Architectural Digest and Atlanta Homes magazine as well as having art displayed in designer show houses throughout the southeast. I have a lot of exciting plans for this next year including a couple of shows, and a workshop weekend in March at the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, NC. I can’t wait to see how this year unfolds!
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The book “Daily Painting: Paint small and often to become a more creative, productive and successful artist” has played a significant role in my journey because it shifted my mind set in terms of how I created work. By painting small works and often, I started to hone my skill and find my voice. These smaller studies were helpful in approaching my larger work. Also, I found it important to paint every day (or almost every day) to stay in flow. By being in flow, I am able to work through painting problems faster and the work comes together with much more ease.
Some other resources that has helped me stay organized is Artwork Archive for managing inventory, Quickbooks for accounting, Shipstation for shipping and Squarespace for managing my shop. I also use Planoly for planning Instagram posts in advance.
Figuring the operations and business side isn’t always easy so it is nice when you can find other creatives to share and help you along the way. The artist, Emily Jeffords, has a company dedicated to helping creatives with the business side of things and offers a subscription with tons of information on everything from photography, prints, shipping, workshops, licensing etc.
I love listening to artist podcasts such as The Savvy painter, Here with Allison James, and Artist decoded.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I’m aligning myself with what truly makes my soul feel happy and fulfilled. I know deep down I’m doing the work I am meant to be doing. It also allows me a lot of freedom in my day to day. Sharing my art with others brings a whole other level of satisfaction as well. I’m so grateful for being able to do what I love!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rebjackart.com
- Instagram: @rebeccajack.artist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebjackart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebjack/
Image Credits
Elliott Fuerniss for all headshots/studio shots.