Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Greene.
Hi Hannah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina with my identical twin and two siblings where the creativity never ran short. We had ponds, creeks, pastures, and a dad who flew his airplane in and out of his “runway”.
I was fortunate to grow upright on the edge of the internet, so we found entertainment in constant projects and crafts. My family moved us in 6th grade to Napa Valley, where we spent a year learning about winemaking and the California culture. After our year we moved to Telluride, Colorado, where we would finish school and grow up. We were able to walk to school, the movies, and even take off half days during the winter for “Ski P.E.”
I always had a passion for the arts. I was always enrolled in an art class from Kindergarten through 12th. It’s no surprise that it was my favorite subject.
After graduating from Telluride, Colorado, everything in me wanted to return to the South. I enrolled at High Point University in North Carolina where I majored in Interior design, and then further switched to communications. Art was on the back burner while I focused on finding my passion and career.
Growing up, my family would always vacation on Kiawah Island. Towards the end of my college career, I felt I needed to return to South Carolina in search of my possible forever career. For two summers I worked on Kiawah Island, incredibly inspired by the Charleston art culture, the people I met, and of course, my surroundings. During my first summer, I worked as a server for the first time in my life.
Whenever I had a break, I took up painting again in my little Johns Island apartment, on the floor with my canvas, cup of water, and $2 paint set. One of my first paintings since picking up a paintbrush again was my “Pineapple Fountain” piece. Inspired of course, by the famous Pineapple fountain in Charleston, South Carolina. I would spend the weekends walking around the market, picking up the hand-woven roses from the children, and hearing about various artists’ creations. Art was everywhere.
I published my painting on my social media, and after that initial post, I never wanted to stop again.
When I returned to High Point for my junior year, I met this boy. As the classic love story goes. After about 3 months, I decided to move to Virginia to be with him and continue the search for my career, knowing I was going to marry him. I transferred to Radford Virginia and pursued my studies in Communications while entering local and University art shows on the side. I was awarded the Undergraduate Award of Distinction for my portrait of Tyler and I’s first puppy together, Scooter Toulouse. At that time I believe a little light began to flicker. But I put it to the side and focused on what my career would be wedding planner, communications specialist, event planner?
My sweet boyfriend would gift me photography sessions to photograph my artwork and get my first set of headshots made on the weekends so I could continue to pursue my passion project. I would paint for friends and mutual friends that heard of me through word of mouth and try to stay active on social media, posting my dog portraits.
Months before I graduated in 2020 the COVID pandemic hit. All of our classes went online. Able to work on my assignments at my own pace, I would rush to complete them, to focus on painting. My wait list continued to grow due to the demand for pet portraits. It became my little side hustle if you will.
I graduated virtually that May, and like many people at that time, was faced with a massive feeling of anxiety. I searched and applied for every event management and communications position under the sun. Of course with COVID at its peak, no one would hire. I began painting full-time. Dedicating my income right back to my materials, studio, and marketing. I photographed my work and created a brand for myself. One to show my love for interior decorating, a good sense of style, a look into my family life with an incredible man and our two golden doodles whom we adore, and of course, showing my art and what I’m able to do.
With two puppies and a now fiance, I designed and created the art studio of my dreams in our home, and found myself with a wait list booked out for months. Truly there is power in social media.
I loved what I was doing. I loved being able to tribute a pet, paint someone’s wedding day, and help someone propose to their girlfriend through a piece of art. Nothing gave me the feeling of sincerely touching people’s lives and making them happy as my art did. My anxieties of having to work a 9-5, and not be able to express my creativity faded away and I realized this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Not a day felt or feels like work because I am able to work on my projects, and create these incredible pieces entirely custom and curated to a client’s home, design, taste, and love.
It’s hard to describe and I am guilty of it sounding cliche. But I truly believe my career fell into my lap. When you’re passionate about something, and everything in you loves and cares about doing that thing, nothing stands in your way. Not student loans, not the fear of rejection, not judgment. Of course, there are struggles and times when it is terrifying. Heck, you are starting a brand all on your own in this incredibly huge corporate world. I was just never one to relate to numbers, spreadsheets, etc.
To me, those big corporate men and women in their suits and briefcases go home every night; to their home, their amazing children, their sweet 8-year-old yellow lab. That’s what makes a life. That’s what makes a family and what nourishes someone’s character. I always knew THAT is what I wanted to create my career around-around tributing what makes up people’s lives worth living, what they love most in this world, and turning it into art.
That is what art is to me- a painting in someone’s home that you look at and are overcome with love, and tell stories about it when you have company over. And I can’t believe I get to help people have that.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I am very fortunate to have been able to pursue this as my career. It of course wasn’t an entirely smooth road, as I’m sure it rarely is for anyone. I pursued art on the side and initially was terrified of the response I would get. I was at a time in my life when I had to take out student loans to chase this career that I could not settle on, as my passion didn’t lie in it at all.
The pandemic was of course such a struggle. I wasn’t able to get a job, I had no idea what the future held, and what I used as a creative outlet and stress relief became the answer that was always right there. So really as horrible and scary as the pandemic was, it gave me the opportunity to slow down and pursue what I always was meant to.
Aside from the pandemic, I have always struggled with GAD and general anxiety disorder since I was young. Taking medication, and working through how to live with it. Painting has been an incredible outlet in helping me get out of my own head. Mental health is an incredibly significant thing in our lives, now more than ever, and I’m so honored to be able to share how art has the power and chance to help myself and hopefully others.
Being able to physically create something straight from your head, and having that creative outlet has been an incredible tool in my mental health journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in custom artwork. It began solely as pet portraits but has grown into other areas and mediums. I’ve always loved the idea of creating art for others, versus creating a collection of my own originals and selling them. I believe that’s what sets me apart from a lot of other artists. Being able to help commemorate and create something someone loves into an art form is so special. My main focus is dog portraits. Many of my dog portraits are a tribute to a family member (pet) that has just passed.
My portrait is given as a gift, displayed in their homes, and helps heal the heartbreaking loss with the tribute and forever memory. I also specialize in house portraits, often times painted in the watercolor medium, and every now and again a more whimsical approach to a pet portrait done in watercolor or pen and ink. Recently I have been spending a lot of my time and sectioning out a chunk of my career for my custom Veuve Clicquot bottle collection.
Vueve Clicquot champagne is seen as an artistic, luxurious, and beautiful champagne on its own. With this yellow label being such a popular luxury item, adding my art to it has gotten an incredibly positive response. Through Etsy, I create many portraits on bottles, messages, wedding statement pieces, or simple designs to match someone’s home for them to display as an interior decoration.
I’ve enjoyed working with interior designers to collaborate and give them a creative edge in their clients’ homes; a bottle to match the beautiful Schumacher print throughout the home. I also am able to collaborate with businesses and realtors to paint custom bottles to gift to their clients and colleagues. Painting VC has quickly become one of the most popular items I can offer to clients and is now something my brand is known for.
Above all what makes me stand apart, is my attention to detail in my pet portraits, and champagne bottles, and in many cases, my pet portrait on a champagne bottle. I love painting someone’s pet. I love turning an image into a painting. I love painting the soul in their eyes and the fur to look as though it was glued right onto the canvas.
My fiancé’s beautiful grandmother who has passed was gifted a portrait of our puppy Scooter, and in her final months would always look at it and ask how did Hannah get his fur on there! Did she glue it on? Bringing this sense of realism, and a pet’s personality onto art, a Veuve bottle, a Wedding Signature Drink sign, and a Christmas ornament, are so unique and eye-catching.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Gosh. Luck and my faith have been significant not only in my life but in my business as well. I had so many different journeys to discover my career. But God kept bringing me back to art. This luck and my personal faith and relationship with God are truly what I believe got me to where I’m at today in my professional and personal life.
I always grew up hearing if it’s meant to be, not even the deepest valley or tallest mountain will be able to get in your way. It will ALWAYS work out the way it’s supposed to. And my months and years of frustration, crying over another cover letter, rejection, and “not hiring until further notice”s, all make so much sense now.
I often think to myself thank GOODNESS that didn’t work out, or of course, that wasn’t supposed to work out. I know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to do, down to my soul.
Pricing:
- Acrylic Portraits range from $325-$2,000+
- Custom Vueve Clicquot Bottles are $325 for a full size and $200 for a half bottle
- Watercolor Portraits range from $40-$90+ Wedding Signs range from $55-$85
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.hannahgreeneart.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/hannah_greene_art
- Facebook: Facebook.com/hannahgreeneart
- Other: Tiktok.com/hannahgreeneart
