We were lucky to catch up with Stacy Mann recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stacy , appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very happy as an artist. Howeve, I have spent way too many hours
thinking about changing my focus away from art, and in my younger
days exploring another career. Each time I would consider a change I
would compare the time and effort I had put in to learning and
practicing art and how much time I would have to invest in learning a
new career. I realized I couldn’t give it up. Each time I would recommit
to putting more time into my work.
I have never really been motivated to sell or show my work
consistently. But even with the ups and downs of this motivation, I
have continued to make art. I occasionally sell my work, exhibit in shows and have had
numerous commissions. They have been good learning experiences
for me and push me to expand my techniques and practice.
I have taken part time work and also worked for my father as a
property manager. Neither of these jobs were as satisfying as doing
my art.
There have been times when I judged my art and
myself harshly for not being more proactive getting my work “out
there.” I have struggled with being somewhat insecure about myself
and my work. My experience in graduate school was a confidence
breaker. I was “taught” by people that wanted me to conform more
and had little interest in understanding or helping me to improve the
work I had chosen to make.
I just heard a story about a famous Russian author and how he was
free to work on his writing and his wife took on all the life resposibilities leaving him free. I realized that I was lucky
enough not to have to make a living off of my art and I could explore
and love what I was meant to do.
I am happy to be able to say that I have realized that I am free to
make the art I want to make. When teachers and art galleries have
demanded an “consistent body of work” even I can see that over all
the years of making art, I do return to common themes. Looking over
the work of 50 years the consistency has always been there, it’s me.

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 started out my college days in the theater department. I really didn’t have what it takes to be successful in such and field and moved over to the design and then art department. I felt “home.” I realized that the creativitiy that was in me didn’t need to win an audition. I could go for it with my own motivation.

I discovered the magic of drawing when I picked up a pencil for the first time with the aim to draw what I see. I realized that I had this ability and from there I was hooked. Throughout the years I think back to that revelation and it has been a guiding force for me.

I have experimented with different media and subjects. I have tried to incorporate the various kinds of work I adore into my drawing either by subject or the use of multi media. I have done portrait commisions of kids and dogs and Ifind the work fun and challenging.

I have done paintings and drawing ranging in large to small sizes.

My current passion is pen and ink drawings. the pieces are often journalistic and sometimes just exploratory. I am completely obsessed with the pristine nature of the ink on paper and have worked in sizes from tiny to full sheets of watercolor paper. I have made a large quantity of book mark size drawings and I give them out to people when I feel a special connection. They also have my contact information on them. They are wonderful tokens to say thank you when traveling to guides and special people.

I am finding joy in my work and always pushing myself to imprive both my technique and subject.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewading thing I find about being an artist is that I can always find a way to express the feelings or ideas I have through my work. I think as an artist I see the world in a differnt way. I see beauty and potential in nature and even trash. I see potential in patterns, shapes, emotions and current events. The world is full of wonder and I find subject matter in the outer world and in the studio I try to find it’s internal meaning for me and put it into my pieces.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I mentioned that I had a difficult experience in grad school. It wasn’t a time when my professors were interested in helping me move forward with the ideas and images I worked with. I did have one or two professors the were able to encourage me which got me through the program. I was discouraged, but I kept working. I never gave up and I so I continued to do some kind of work after I recieved my Masters Degree. I may have been discouraged along the way, but I never gave up on the craft. I couldn’t because I was born to be a maker and artist. So I am.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Artmama007
• Facebook: Stacy Mann

Image Credits

Stacy Mann