Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amanda Wood, owner of Amanda Wood Art, located in Katy, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Creating imaginative, dramatic sculptures that uplift the mood of any space they inhabit that's my intention. Both novice and experienced art collectors feeling a connection with my work purchase my sculptures through social media, my website, and fine art shows/festivals.
Tell us about yourself
Starting out, I was a Graphic Designer but shifted to becoming an extreme Cake Sculptor/Artist. Creating cakes similar to the ones you see on extreme cake decorating competition TV shows was really fun. While it was extremely exciting to work, I found myself longing to create objects with more of a sense of permanence that was more likely to leave a lasting mark and make a deeper emotional impact. Also, rather than creating designs other people had requested, I needed to create visual objects from my own imagination. Sculpture, whether it's bronze, stone, or ceramic, has transcended time throughout centuries, even millennia. Historically, it highlights pinnacle points in history, bearing witness to major events, beliefs, customs, concepts, and trends. Each day, my focus is on how I may leave 3-dimensional pieces behind that allude to the evolution of consciousness, love, and gratitude and strive to communicate positively charged intention.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As an artist, I tend to make pieces that are difficult for the average sculptor to accomplish. When other sculptors ask me: "How on earth did you build that?!?" I often feel I've accomplished my mission. Now I must say, there are MANY other sculptors that amaze me as well! For my studio practice, I'm constantly challenging the sculpting materials, pushing them beyond their perceived limits, attempting to create a sense of wonder as these ethereal pieces reach towards defying gravity, finding themselves floating in a realm of mystery all on their own.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The most difficult thing about being a business owner seems to be maintaining all the elements and not losing yourself in the details. Specifically, sculptors work extremely hard. It's expensive to create, extremely time-consuming, and very physically/mentally demanding. So maintaining adequate contact with your audience, creating social media content regularly, protecting yourself from dangerous or toxic chemicals/elements, taking time to develop new ideas, building complex forms safely, entering into shows, doing your own photography, editing photography, and maintaining/building your website, finding opportunities for self-promotion. There is often little time for anything else.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself for any mistakes you make along the way. Mistakes are how you learn. Take note and adjust for next time.
- Tell the people in your family/social circle what you're aiming towards and what (if any) assistance you'll need from them in order to accomplish that dream. It's easy to spend too much time pleasing other people, cleaning your home, cooking a lot of meals, running endless errands, and carving your time up into oblivion. Then your dream withers and stalls. Be disciplined with your work and look for hacks/ways to streamline tasks both with work and home life. Hopefully, once you're making enough money, then hire skilled individuals/services to assist in taking things off your plate.
- Put yourself in places that maximize your visibility, and don't waste time on resources that don't impact your exposure exponentially. If people can't see/find you, you can't grow your business. Time is precious; use it wisely.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.amandarobinwood.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.cummingswood
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandarobinwood/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-wood-7aa0972a/
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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