The origin story for my art business starts before this, but this is a photo from October 2014. It was my first time setting up a table to sell my artwork face-to-face to the public. I set up outside the old Tip Top Frame location in Carolina Beach, NC.
I sold one print. One. You know what? It was one of the best feelings. It was the validation I needed at a difficult time in my life. I knew from that day that I wanted to be a professional artist that sold my work directly to people. Back then, I did know anything about how to do it. I just knew it was what I wanted to do.
When I started that day, I didn’t own the table, the chair, the green bag I brought my prints in, the little display mannequin (I used to sell pendants, too), and I didn’t own the easel my frame art stood on in the background. The lesson here is if you want to do something, you don’t need to wait for anything. You just need to do it. Things will come together as you pursue the dream.
Nine years later
These days, my art business has a van, a nice tent, several tables, display racks, and all the myriad accessories required to make a setup functional and look nice. In the beginning, I was humbled by the anxiety of the newness of it all. Now I’m humbled by the continued support everyone shows my art business by purchasing my work and sharing my online content with their friends and family.
Thank you so very much for everything you do for me on this beautiful (and a bit crazy) art-making journey.
