Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Hoot.
Rebecca, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been a creative person, as a child, I was always drawing and decorating my room with handmade crafts. I loved stationery, pens, and stickers too. During high school, I took 4 years of art but once I graduated, I wasn’t sure of the route I should take. I took a few classes at the community college without really a goal or idea of what I wanted to do. I simply wanted to be an artist. Eventually, I took a clerical job but continued to keep my creative side as a hobby. I scrapbooked and made arts and crafts that I would sale to friends and coworkers. In my mid-twenties, I also created a small business selling vintage items and Mexican imports but as life changed so did my priorities. Having medical insurance and retirement became a deciding factor in taking a job with the state.
In 2011, I discovered blogging and began posting projects as a creative outlet. This opened my eyes to so many other creative entrepreneurs and the creative fire inside of me was lite up! I realized there are people out there making a living from being the person that I am, a creator and an artist, so began my quest, how to make a living from doing what I love. I took an online class on mixed media art using papers, watercolors, acrylic paint, pencils and markers to create fun and whimsical canvases. I was hooked and in 2014. I made a New Year goal to paint 100 canvases that year. This marks the beginning of my business. I had friends ask me to create canvases for them and I began to research how to sell online and I discovered Etsy and began doing art and craft shows. I made cards, art prints and jewelry using different art pieces. I also learned how to create stickers using my art images and discovered a whole world of stationery addicts like myself.
I began selling monthly themed stationery/planner kits on my website, they are called Create with Rebecca Kits and each is made from original art pieces. Although I am still working full time for the state my ultimate dream is to become a full-time artist and creative entrepreneur and as Winston Churchill once said “Never, Ever, Ever Give up” and so here I am, working hard, hustling, learning and never giving up!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would not say it has been a smooth road but it hasn’t been extremely bad either. I think my struggles was not knowing the direction to take. In my case, I feel that it has been trial and error. I set out to do a business plan a few years ago and I hadn’t found by niche. I didn’t know who my target audience was and I wasn’t sure about a lot of things. So, I began taking online webinars, reading about other creative entrepreneurs, meeting people in the industry and this has been the best route for me. We are so fortunate to have social media and You Tube to really hear others stories that can help guide you in the right direction.
Please tell us about Rebecca Hoot.
My work is creating art pieces using everyday life for inspiration. Most of my art consists of a bright and colorful canvas that has a girl as the focus. Once the canvas is created I make prints, art blocks and stationery items such as cards and notebooks. I hire a person that uses photoshop to pull the girl image from the canvas and I make stickers and ephemera for my monthly stationery kits. She becomes to a theme of the kit.
What had really made my art known is introducing it into the stationery/planner world? I am known mostly known for my monthly Create with Rebecca Stationery/Planner/Journal Kits (CWR Kits). I also have YouTube channel where I am able to show my creative side with tutorials on journaling, art journaling, and memory keeping. I am proud that I have been able to inspire others and give them ideas to be creative too.
I think what sets me apart from others is my art is original using papers, paint, watercolors, pencils, and markers. It all starts out as bits and pieces and pieced together with my imagination.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
The most important advise I can give to a young woman is to never stop learning, My immediate response was to go to school and get your degree but I know in reality that isn’t for everyone. There are other ways to learn by taking online classes, meeting people with the same interests and building a support system.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rebeccahoot.com
- Email: createwithrebecca@gmail.com
- Instagram: RebeccaHoot
- Facebook: RebeccaHoot
- Twitter: RebeccaHoot
- Other: You Tube: Rebecca Hoot
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
