Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Scharrer.
Hi Angie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I fell in love with drawing at 4, when I received my first big sketch pad. I was a creative kid. I had more fun building Barbie houses than playing with the Barbies themselves! Looking back, this was an early sign that I wanted to be an architect one day. In high school, I learned how to oil paint, which was a game changer. I would paint large-scale streetscapes and landscapes of faraway places I’d seen in photographs. Living in these paintings was a total escape, especially from the long, dull Wisconsin winters. When I went off to architecture school at UNC-Charlotte, my life was consumed by long hours in the studio. Drawing and painting became a chore, and I felt completely drained of all my creativity. It took me 11 years to return to painting. When the pandemic hit, and I was briefly laid off from my job as an architect, I needed an outlet. I began watercolor painting house portraits, streetscapes, pets, and Lowcountry-inspired landscapes/waterscapes. A year later, I made it an official side hustle and started my company, Riverlight Art Studio. Today, I feel so lucky to be a member of the creative community in Charleston. Whether meeting other makers at artisan markets or selling my work at local boutiques, I have loved getting to know many wonderful people!
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of my biggest struggles from the beginning has been imposter syndrome. Friends always encouraged me to sell my art, but I felt embarrassed and afraid of failure. Because I didn’t have an art degree, I felt my work wasn’t worth sharing. I got a “C” during the watercolor unit in college! I still have those feelings from time to time, especially when I’m about to try something new. I remind myself to push those doubts aside and keep trying because I never could imagine being where I am today!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work in a firm full-time as an architect, specializing in custom residential projects. My favorite projects thus far have been remodeling, especially if the home has historical significance. I enjoy working within the parameters of an existing shell and finding creative ways to modify it to fit the needs of the current owner/family. I pride myself on the relationships I’ve developed with our clients. Building or remodeling a home is a huge investment, and construction documents can be difficult for laypeople to read. I love having the opportunity to build a 3d model of a home digitally and providing photorealistic renderings or easy-to-digest diagrams to help the client understand the space.
Any big plans?
I can’t wait to have a larger studio space someday to experiment with new mediums and larger-scale pieces! In the meantime, I will continue slowly growing my business in the hopes that I’ll be able to devote more time to my art in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.riverlightartstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlightartstudio/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RiverlightArtStudio
