Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Stephens
Heidi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always loved nature and had a passion for environmentalism, so I earned a degree in Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University. I did art classes consistently through grades 6-12 but in higher education I only took one intro to art history course. Academia has always come easy to me and throughout school I discovered I liked teaching and helping others learn so I became a certified science teacher. I was really excited to share my passion with young minds but teaching was much more teenager-wrangling than I had planned on. I did one year teaching in a public middle school. I still do part time tutoring. After I finished that 2019-2020 school year teaching, I decided to transition into art. Through all my years I never stopped creating all kinds of things: fine art in art classes to sewing projects. I realized one of the parts I love most about teaching was creating lessons, assignments, and other classroom materials. And then came to the conclusion that what I really have loved the whole time is creating anything! I want to continue making a difference in peoples’ lives even if it’s just making them happy from looking at a cute picture. I started doing hand-lettering pieces with floral watercolor elements. I expanded my topics as people began to commission or suggest other topics. Since I wanted to sell my work and I live in a beach town, I did a lot of ocean themes. I have definitely stuck with nature themes because I think everyone can always appreciate nature more. Recently I’ve been more bold and added whimsical and fantasy elements to my floral paintings which I think helps with the heavy and serious times we live in currently. I also love to add glitter and sparkles to my watercolor art for an unexpected touch. Right now I’m also leaning into acrylic painted terracotta pots. My hydrangea patterned pots are getting popular in my area as I get more involved with the local art scene. I started doing small pieces for friends and family, trades with other artists, and selling online. My friends gave me the idea of painting wedding bouquets as a way of preserving those memories. I have done one for each of my four married friends, so far, as a gift for their anniversary. But I don’t feel quite ready to professionally offer that, both in my technique as well as fear I will not portray that important memory well for the client. I did my first in-person local market in the fall of 2022 and I have continued doing more and more each year. In 2021 I showed my work at 5 markets. This year I already have 10 scheduled. I also have some prints and smaller pieces in a local art shop All4Art in the Market Common area of Myrtle Beach. It becomes more clear every year that this is what I have always wanted to do. In the near future I will continue to paint on terracotta pots with different botanical and fantasy elements. I currently have patterns with daisies, mushrooms, and sunflowers in addition to the many colors of hydrangeas. On the fine art side I want to continue pushing myself to make more unusual art and incorporate social messages and reused materials to communicate ideas about environmentalism, feminism, and other counter-culture ideas.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Many times during my first year I doubted myself and wanted to quit. There were quite a few markets where I didn’t sell anything. And times where I feel I’ve created something amazing but there are hardly any responses when I share it online. It’s hard when social media can connect you with so many others who are seemingly succeeding at what you want to do. It’s nearly impossible to not compare yourself. I feel so much pressure to become a marketing guru, become viral, and make a ton of money. I also struggle with anxiety. Since I grew up thinking art was only something to do in your off-time, it feels like wasting time if I want to spend the day painting. Those things plus the fear of not being perfect leads me to often procrastinate or over plan projects.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Watercolor is my main/favorite medium. I specialize in botanical and fantasy subjects. Some of my favorite paintings are fairies with mushrooms for heads. I mentioned this above too, but I love using touches of glittery or metallic paint that brings a whimsical and fantasy vibe as well as being unexpected for typical fine arts. I’m also becoming well known for my floral terracotta pots because no one else in my area is doing this. They are plain terracotta pots I paint with acrylic in bright colors. I use a special technique with the hydrangeas called “one-stroke” painting where you line up colors on the palette and your brush to paint the petals with individual strokes. You can paint all types of subjects with this technique, but I only use it for my hydrangeas and it makes them look so life-like.
How do you think about luck?
I definitely feel very lucky to be able to do this. When I started I was easily able to quit my job and rely on my husband’s income to pay our bills. I have had a couple of collectors that continuously buy art from me, which is great when I do poorly at selling otherwise. I also think it’s a great time to be a small business owner/vendor as there are so many great events to get involved with. The only bad luck would be being an artist in this time where social media is such a big influence and basically essential to existing modern day. I would love to be able to load up my wares in a little wooden cart and roll it a mile into the village to sell them! Life is more complicated now, but I am so lucky to have amazing friends and family who support all that I do, value my creativity, and motivate me to keep going through the rough patches.
Pricing:
- Pots: 1.5 inches to 10 inches; $6-$47
- Prints and Stationery: $3-30
- Original Watercolor art: $15-$1121
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thejadedcreative.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_jaded_creative
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thejadedcreative
