Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Allison McGree, an artist, art educator, community art facilitator, and art curriculum specialist based in Bozeman, MT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I work in acrylic paint, oil paint, and Sculpted Relief (Bas-Relief). My work is for both residential and commercial spaces. It includes murals and custom pieces.
Tell us about yourself
A sixth-generation Montanan, I come from a long line of Big Sky heritage. My grandmother, an artist and my greatest source of inspiration, held my hand along the journey to becoming an artist. After she passed, I better understood the real lesson my grandmother was walking me towards, recognizing the artist I had always been.
My process is raw and influenced by the emotions I feel connecting with the land, with people, and within myself. I let these conduits of feelings come through me as I first write words across the canvas and then let the feelings of color follow through in layer after layer of paint. Sometimes, a painting is done in a few weeks; other times, months and years span between the layers. Occasionally, a new experience of life is needed to be felt to finish a painting, the subtleties of intuition held within my art.
I hold a BA in Fine Arts from Gonzaga University, a BA in K-12 Art Education from Montana State University, and a MA in Holistic Art Programming, Practice, and Outreach with an emphasis on sustainability, community, and public art from Prescott College. While I'm grateful for my experiences through education, it is an appreciation of the artist within each of us, a heritage born in creativity, and the art of feeling in color that define my own art and my own heart.
In my work, I try to emphasize the enormous beauty in simplistic images. I hope to help others to take the time to stop and to begin to notice simple moments of splendor. I use light, reflections, and bright colors to transform objects from seemingly mundane to painterly and stimulating. In capturing and painting awe-inspiring "moments," I hope to share a connection with the viewer of my artwork.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Staying in business for 20 years is my largest accomplishment, with a close second being that I am proud of my growth as an artist. Rolling with the ups and downs, evolving as an artist, a woman, and a business owner. It has never been easy, but the work I do is full of heart and purpose. I am grateful to love my work and the people I work with.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
To hear my own inner voice as the loudest "true north." There are a lot of "shoulds" out there, and the world is moving fast. There is fear and anger and also immense amounts of good. In the midst of the noise, one of the most important things (and hardest) is to quiet the rest of the noise and hear my own voice.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The 70/30 rule. If you love what you do 70% of the time, you are winning.
- Move your body. Run, walk, hike, lift, ski, and add in physical activity daily.
- Surround yourself with people you love and trust, who are willing to show you tough love and remind you of who you are when you lose sight of your true north.
- Don't take yourself too seriously; laugh and have fun through it all.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://allisonmcgree.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmcgreefineart/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonmcgreefineart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amcgree
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmcgree/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.