Encaustic Art - Kari Serrao

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kari Serrao, a visual artist based in Toronto, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a visual artist currently wearing two caps. One is my fine art practice, and the other, I guess you could call my "day job," is decorative painting. Having two facets to my business does lend itself to a cross-pollination of sorts. Each feeds the other creatively and professionally. My decorative painting clients tend to come through working with interior designers. At times, they become collectors of my original paintings. Conversely, an art collector may employ those services upon learning that I also paint murals.

Tell us about yourself

I have painted for as long as I can remember. Growing up, all I wanted to be was an artist - I had no idea what that meant exactly, but that was my focus. Upon graduating from art college, life and bills largely dictated my career path. I began working retail in a high-end home accessories shop in Toronto, the principal of which was an interior designer. Upon learning that I was a painter, she asked if I would do some mural painting in her home - having never done that, I was a little daunted, but it got me out of the shop, so I was all in! Well, one thing/room led to another, her home, along with my work, was featured in a national Canadian decorating magazine. Thanks to that article, I got a lot of exposure and began a decorative painting business on my days off from the store. This was back in the mid-'90s, and faux finishes and murals were all the rage. As my business grew, I gradually switched from part-time artist to part-time retailer and eventually left retail.

At that time, I was working with mainly solvent-based paints and glazes with little attention to the potential harm they could be doing to my health. The solitude of working alone also got to me after a few years, so I ended up working for an antique dealer who had become a client ( I also painted furniture). There I was, back in high-end retail and this time doing little that was creative. At this point, it was around 2009 that I felt the pull back to some sort of fine art practice. I took a continuing ed class in encaustic painting, set up my own studio, and got working!

With the financial security of a full-time job, I started doing art fairs here in Toronto and gradually built up my fine art following until the economic crash of 2008, people stopped buying expensive antiques, and I was out of a job - the best thing that ever happened to me! Full disclosure, I was also married then, and with a second income, it was a lot easier financially to focus on my painting career. Now, being on my own, what keeps me motivated every day to keep doing what I do is my refusal to ever go back to working for someone else. I realized that every day I spent helping someone else with their business was a day I was taking away from building my own.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being able to stay afloat and thrive on my terms without the aid of another. It's not always easy, but it has been worth it.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

All the administrative work that comes along with being a sole proprietor. As a creative person, the last thing I want to do is deal with all the tech, taxes, bills, etc.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

I don't know that I'm one to give advice here, but I guess if I could offer one suggestion, it would be to not overextend yourself financially to the point where you're struggling. There is nothing wrong with having a "day job." I would love to spend every day in my studio painting precisely what I want - but that's not likely to keep a roof over my head, so I continue to work in the decorative painting field.

Develop an online presence. At the very least, you need a landing page. If you're unsure about achieving that, then hire someone to do it for you - it will be time and money well spent.

If your business is creative like mine, learn how to talk about your work - communication is vital.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.kariserrao.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kariserraoartist/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kariserrao/

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.

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