We were lucky to catch up with Weatherly Stroh recently and have shared our conversation below.
Weatherly , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
The biggest risk I have taken is starting my business and becoming a full time painter. Before taking the plunge and dedicating myself to my art, I was teaching 4th grade. I was in the processor going through. divorce and knew that I needed to make some changes in my life, that I wasn’t following my true calling. I kind of blew up my whole life…I sold my house, was newly single and decided to give myself a year to paint and see where it led. During that time, I was painting some landscapes and a friend of mine asked me to paint her yellow lab, Georgia, that had just passed away. I had never painted animals before, but I said I would give it a try. I finished the painting and refused any payment from my friends, so they took me out for dinner to thank me. They also hired me the next day to paint another friend of their’s dog who had also just passed away and this time insisted on paying me. It was the first glimmer that I could make money doing something I loved. Now, I still take on a certain number of commissions each year, but balance them with my own personal work, too.
Weatherly , 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 an oil painter and sculptor, specializing in animals and landscapes. I grew up on a horse farm in rural Michigan and have a great love of animals and nature, which is a theme in my work. I also love to travel and am inspired by the world, so I enjoy capturing a place in my paintings. I have been painting full time for 12 years now and offer a limited number of custom paintings, original oil paintings, prints, and I am hosting creativity retreats in Italy later this year with one of my best friends from growing up. We plan to create a mastermind for artists in January to help artists find their vision and develop business skills to take their art to the next level.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I was an art major at University with an emphasis in photography and ceramics. I always loved art, but my school didn’t teach any business skills as it was more conceptual and theory based. I think this is a huge disservice for creatives. I know these days there are schools that are adding business classes into the curriculum, but this really needs to be emphasized. It is 100% possible to make a great living in a creative field, but I had to learn by a TON of trial and error. I wish I had mentors or classes that helped smooth that journey out for me, which is why I am starting a mastermind for artists in January to help others artists create successful businesses.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think it’s important to understand that art making is deeply personal. I have had to develop thicker skin over the years especially with social media, etc. Rejection happens frequently whether it’s being turned down by a gallery or for a show or a painting that sits unsold for years. It takes a tremendous amount of resilience to be successful in the art world and it is so much more than just the creative process. Art making is about putting a bit of ourselves on display which can be very vulnerable. And, as an entrepreneur, I have to wear many different hats – creator, marketing director, admin, social media director, financial director, IT person, etc…it can be overwhelming at times. I think the life of an artist can seem very glamorous from the outside when people see the finished product, but there is so much that happens behind the scenes. 
Contact Info:
- Website: weatherlystroh@gmail.com
- Instagram: @weatherlystrohstudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weatherlystrohfineart
- Linkedin: Weatherly Stroh