Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Whitney Robinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Whitney, 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?
I’ve been full-time living from my creative work for about three years now. I decided I wanted to be a watercolor artist at the very end of 2019 and had been praying for an opportunity away from my two jobs to be able to commit the time I needed to paint my first collection and get it into the world. It just so happened that right after my dad passed away in late January of 2020 that I was also furloughed from both of my jobs and stuck in my small apartment with nothing but food, my rabbit, and my paintbrush and given about 8 weeks at home to really explore art as income. I worked on my first collection of paintings as well as found a local art printer to help me get cards and prints into the world. When I launched this collection it nearly sold out. I worked two jobs on top of art over the next year to make sure that art would sustain me, and ended up going full time with my art after buying all I needed to start selling successfully at markets around Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee. What has really helped me make my watercolor art a full time job has been listening to my customers’ suggestions. I don’t take all of them, but if it weren’t for customers asking me if I could design their wedding invitations, tattoos, or teach them how to paint I would never have diversified into teaching monthly classes or taking commission work, which have become major sources of revenue for me!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a loose florals and landscapes watercolor artist who loves to paint, teach, and sell at markets! I’ve painted with watercolor since I was a child, but always thought of it as a fun hobby until one day I befriended someone who turned out to be a successful and well known botanical watercolor artist. I hadn’t known her name before I met her, but I looked her up and realized I had her art hanging all around my home! And that was the day I realized that people painted for a living, and maybe I could too. After my dad passed away in January of 2020 and I was furloughed from my jobs I began painting not only because it was my dream to be a full-time artist, but because it helped me so much with my grief. It was truly therapeutic, sometimes painting through my sadness, sometimes putting my sadness away to remind myself there was still beauty in the world, flowers still blooming not in spite of the rain but because of it. I think of the verse in Matthew, “Consider the lilies.” Flowers to me are reminders that God sees us, God cares for us, and God makes such beautiful things even from brokenness.
And I think that’s what makes my art and my business so special. Not only that I have a unique style of watercolor art, but that it was born in such a fragile time and built on a foundation that matters. That everything I do with my art is out of a heart of wanting to remind others that though there is also heartbreak, there are still flowers, still sunrises, still tiny cobblestone towns and red rock mountains. There is still beauty, and more than anything, still hope. My dream is that you can see that message in every painting, print, and card in my online store, every class I teach, every market I attend, and every commission I paint.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think the most rewarding part of my art specifically is connecting with people and being involved with their lives in a very unique way. Not only do I get to interact with people at markets and tell them the stories of my paintings which is already so special, but I get to deeply connect with clients who commission works from me. When I work on wedding bouquet commissions, I get to pray for the couple’s marriage while I paint their piece. When I work on name pieces for nurseries, I get to paint while praying over their baby’s life. When I work with brides on their wedding invitations, I get to play an integral part in their engagement season and often my clients turn into great friends.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
One of the most valuable resources for my creative journey has been other creatives, and I wish I had known sooner how willing other artists and creatives are to help. I think when I was first starting out I thought I had to figure it all out on my own and “pay my dues,” but as a more seasoned artist, I always love when younger artists reach out for help or advice. I love getting to share the tidbits of wisdom I’ve gathered on my creative journey and I’ve found the value in surrounding myself with not only watercolor artists but creatives with different specialties. My art would be nowhere without the guidance and support of others and I wish I would’ve had the courage to find artistic and creative communities sooner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whitneysartstudio.com/
- Instagram: @whitneysartstudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitneysartstudio
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Taylor Leigh Photography, Christin Suzanne Creative