We were lucky to catch up with Reeve Washburn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Reeve, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

My first dollar was intended to come from a dear friend who commissioned a triptych in the early months of the pandemic. I was honored to have someone believe in me enough to request a custom piece. I was excited – and a little intimidated – to work as large as I was planning. It was a huge growth experience. I had to do Sun Salutations and breathing exercises each morning to psych myself up. Midway through, I hit a roadblock and floundered. I lost confidence and worried about not being able to deliver something my friend would love. I worried whether our friendship could survive that kind of experience.

I decided to give myself a palate-cleanser assignment to shake things up. I worked with canvas sheet, cut into narrow strips, and taped to expose a very slim, vertical working area. I called them Scrolls since they reminded me of traditional Japanese works. I deliberately chose colors very different from my commission, worked fast, and tried all sorts of new techniques, including monoprinting from one to another. The constraint of the proportions was invigorating and I was inspired by all the new and fun imagery I was creating. The exercise brought me back and gave me fresh energy to get over the hump of my main project.

This was all happening in late May 2020, as I grieved the murder of George Floyd. I was frustrated, not knowing how to support the Black Lives Matter movement in a meaningful way. I decided to sell my Scrolls on social media (no website yet) – ART 4 BLM [SCROLLS I] – and donate 100% of the sales to our local BLM chapter. So, technically, my first dollar earned was a dollar donated to an organization that I believed in. My friends and family helped me raise $900 through that effort. I understood the healing power of art for not only myself but my community.

[P.S. My friend loved the commission!]

[P.P.S. I have since created four more collections of Scrolls in the last four years. I love their proportions and they continue to challenge me to expand my personal expression and signature style!]

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve always been in the business of creating, first as a graphic designer, then as a project and account manager of strategic brand design. Being artistic was a constant, and playing a consultative role in the creative process was very satisfying.
I really enjoyed working in print media – food packaging and annual reporting, in particular. While I rose to the challenge of managing online design and marketing, it was always a stretch, and maybe even a strain. My last full-time position provided a great education in developing brand strategy for organizations that were making a difference in their communities. Previous work for high-profile global brands had been very exciting, but seeing how we could help communicate our clients’ meaningful work was rewarding on a new level.

When business slowed, I was laid off in 2018. It hit me pretty hard. My confidence was low, I felt lost, and questioned diving back into agency life. I knew I needed a break, but I felt obligated to be productive. I decided to volunteer for our monthly West Seattle Art Walk as coordinator to engage more deeply in my community. I read and practiced The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I worked with a Life Coach which was invaluable to regaining my sense of worth. These experiences were transformative. I was able to use all my career skills for a non-profit that made a big difference to local small businesses. I was appreciated by my colleagues and the businesses. Ironically, I also managed the WordPress website, gaining digital proficiency. Inspired by the participating Art Walk artists, their stories and their work, I finally gave myself permission to experiment with abstract painting. It was a big step toward becoming whole.

I started a daily practice of painting, coincidentally, on January 1, 2020, not knowing how excellent it would be to have a focus and lifeline in the months of lockdown. I checked out Instagram artists and posted my own work. Having a background in marketing was helpful for my own self promotion, plus witnessing how Art Walk artists set up their shows. Once Seattle opened back up, I began to show my work live at Art Walk businesses, developing fans and followers. I made connections with local gallerists who valued my dedication to our community, our businesses and our artists.

I am now a working artist exhibiting at Alki Arts gallery in West Seattle, a juried member of the Women Painters of Washington, and a member of the Seattle Print Arts organization, both groups I joined for mentorship, inspiration, and periodic shows. I’ve shown my work around Seattle and eastern Washington and have contributed work and done live painting for charitable causes. I’ve even returned to doing graphic design for my former choral group. In late 2023, I stepped down from leading the West Seattle Art Walk after five years, mostly to give myself more time for my growing art practice. But I also need time for family obligations on the east coast. The past few years with a parent in decline has meant less predictable studio time, with frequent trips and lots of administrative work. I find it so helpful to have focussed deadlines for upcoming shows. I create with a vengeance when I have time.

I have developed my own way of working with a gelatin plate which I use to make monoprints for collage material. The gelatin plate has a way of being an equal but unpredictable partner with me – I can never anticipate what a pull will look like, and any time I try to force something, it never works out! I continually refine my own visual vocabulary that I call “Scandinasian,” representative of my favorite minimal, mid century modern vibe with a Japanese aesthetic.

I am most proud that I did this! And that I am doing it. I am an artist. My life is centered around my art. My living room has the best light in the house and my husband was adamant that I take it as my studio. It’s grown from a single student drafting table to a forest of tables, desks, an easel and a vintage Ettan press that I’m the new caretaker of.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Self actualization. I create for myself and what it gives me. Even after years of drawing classes in school, I never painted, for the perceived challenge and fear of not being good enough. If it weren’t for my layoff, I never would have listened to myself to know that painting was an unrealized desire. The fact that I now allow myself to create, and can learn and grow, is so satisfying. I make things that I like to see, and I really love when they resonate with other people. My Life Coach suggested at the time that my choice to pursue art could be seen as inspirational to others. It was a gift I was giving myself, that others could share. My intention hasn’t specifically been to inspire others but it is a wonderful collateral benefit.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My part of Seattle, West Seattle, experienced a double whammy in early 2020. Within 10 days of lockdown, our main bridge was shut down for critical structural repairs. We had other ways to get off the peninsula, but inconvenience was high, as was anxiety around the pandemic and the directive to stay home. By then, I had been the lead of the West Seattle Art walk for a year and a half. To fill the lockdown void, we immediately decided to take the event wholly virtual for as long as we needed to keep it alive and serving our community.

The Art Walk was conceived a decade earlier as a small business support effort, for customers to learn more about them in new and exciting ways. During the pandemic, however, the Art Walk was more about bringing joy and diversion to our neighbors, and supporting our participating artists who were also losing the opportunity to show and sell their work. Previously, only around 25 exhibiting artists would be featured in the monthly blog post. During Virtual Art Walk, we let all artists who wanted to show their work be on our site, topping off closer to 100 artists for the three months. We also made a monthly reel of featured artists to include artist statements and backgrounds. It was considerably more work to produce the virtual event than the in-person one, but very gratifying. Once our community started reopening, the Art Walk became an important recovery effort, drawing neighbors out to reengage with businesses and each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reevewashburn.art/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reevewashburn/