We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Velvet Marshall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Velvet, thanks for joining us today. Are you 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?

As an artist, I love to create. The ability to work with someone to create the image of their dreams is a really fun experience for me to share. I’ve had the pleasure of working with top designers throughout Southern California to create together, one-of-a-kind artworks for client’s homes, businesses, offices, rentals, staging and more. Many of my works are referrals from people whom I have done a piece for. When I was a kid it was so easy to be an artist…I just grabbed a pack of crayons and set up my art stand in the main courtyard or the sidewalk outside of my house to harass the neighbors passing by until they purchased one of my mini masterpieces or series. Of course, I was only charging a buck and a quarter for a series back then lol.
As an artist, selling your art directly to a private collector is not something you want to pursue after you have achieved gallery representation but as an emerging artist without representation looking to get your work out there it can definitely be an advantageous way to begin selling your work.
A great venue to utilize in this pursuit is social media, to expand your client list and raise your visibility. The friends and contacts you develop through social media networking can also serve as the foundation for your guest list to future gallery openings and shows. The feedback and comments you receive are a valuable window into how your work is perceived by others.
When I joined Facebook, for instance, it wasn’t to sell art. Originally, I was looking to find old friends and make new ones. My list of friends grew and I started posting my paintings and sculptures in different photo albums. Some works were posted in various stages of completion which provided me great joy in being able to share my own experiences as an artist during the whole creation process. Suddenly, I found myself selling my first painting.
One of the things I have enjoyed most from this experience is the personal connection that social media networking allows you to make with others right from the comfort of your own studio. In my mind, art has to be about a personal connection. It always feels great when a painting is sold because it keeps me on the path of creation.
Getting your art into an art gallery is one of the first major steps in establishing yourself as a professional artist. Here are some helpful tips I’ve found in my pursuit as an artist looking for gallery representation:
• Get involved in your local art community.
• Locate your local art society and join local art groups.
• Look for public shows and juried events to display your work and enter them.
• Become familiar with the galleries in your area and look for one that suits your style and personality.
• Remember, pricing and marketing is the expertise of the gallery so be flexible.

In closing, what you are looking for is a partnership so keep that long term goal in mind. For example, my daughter Nastassia and I just had the privilege of participating in the annual Open Studios of Topanga art exhibit this month connecting with other artist, the public and selling our artwork straight from my studio. For years, the tour has seamlessly woven art and architecture, inviting participants to explore a curated selection of artists’ studios here in Topanga.
Interior designers are a fun bunch of working professionals and people who are creative and inspiring to be around. Working with a designer is another great way to get your art in front of clients who might not have had an opportunity to see your artwork otherwise.
It’s important to keep in mind however, when you are collaborating with a designer, to understand that your painting is just one of the elements they are working with to create an overall image and all of the details have to come together to create the perfect look their client expects. Good communication and flexibility are essential tools for a successful conclusion.
One place to look for a designer to work with is the American Society of Interior Designers http://www.asid.org/
Teaching art is another adventurous avenue. Upon teaching art over the past decade for various venues, schools and locations, I wanted my students to be able to enjoy the full artist experience. So I started teaching my own art classes at my studio and curating their work at my local library.
My art classes provide personal instruction of “real” artist techniques and skill building secrets that allow attendees to develop their own individual artistic style. From learning the basic artistry required to create a beautiful work of art to the joy of exhibiting their art work at a public venue in Topanga, California.
Classes are taught in both group and private settings that allows students to learn the basics of oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media painting. All material are provided. Classes are conducted Thursdays & Fridays from 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm. Saturdays from11am-1pm. Reservation is required in advance. Students learn about washes, glazing, dry-brush, wet-on-dry and wet-in-wet painting, how to use painting mediums in different ways, color mixing and composition, how to use a full value range to turn a painting from bland to dramatic, values and their role in painting.

Velvet, 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 am a visual artist with years of painting experience, teaching art, gallery exhibitions, exhibition management, financing, marketing and curating. I possess a strong theoretical foundation in art and I have solid academic qualifications. I am a second generation American painter and artist born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Originally trained in a classical, realistic style mentored at an early age by my father, Chet Marshall, a leading Disney artist who produced artwork for posters, watch faces, consumer products, and theme parks merchandise. I later developed an appreciation for the more progressive work of painters both American and European in the modern abstract expressionist movement which I utilize in my work creating an effect that is very textured and sensitive to luminosity; employing recurring motion of biorhythms in the paint to predict various aspects of experiences in life with the primary use of mediums such as oil paint, roofing tar, roofing acrylic latex, watercolor, tea and common household mediums used in daily life.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As an artist, I am still traveling a path of self-discovery along a journey where I hope I can create art that reflects life – My goal is to tell a story, create an emotional response and on a loftier level, stimulate the imagination in others. This I believe is something of value. I know my stories, the images have a definitive destination in my mind – however, the path to get there is yet unknown which leaves an element of organic uncertainty to my work that I enjoy and believe is the fundamental nature of what being an artist is all about. Like breathing, it’s best done naturally. When I am creating a painting it is not the image that I think is of principal import. I feel it is the paint itself that is my subject matter. My voice.

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

I love that I can express things and emotions with art that I can’t express in words. Some feelings and stories go beyond words.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.velvetmarshall.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velvet_marshall_fine_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089451840627&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/velvet-marshall-03540172/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-xUr1nvIA2Qpn5TOS2dCrw
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@velvetmarshallfineart

Image Credits
photo credit Johnny Murphy, Monique Ozimkowski, Jim Creighton, Gloria Plascencia, Chris Chavez