Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelli Wassom.
Kelli, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always loved art and used art making as a way to express myself. As a child I remember competing in school art competitions, having art-themed birthday parties, and even painting a mural on my bedroom wall. My parents have always supported my art journey. Despite my love for art, I was planning on pursuing a science degree when I attended college. During my senior year of high school, I discovered that I wouldn’t be happy unless I went to college for Fine Arts. I attended Louisiana State University and received a Bachelors in Fine Art and a minor in Art History. It was during college that I discovered a piece of my artistic style. During one of my favorite figure painting classes, I tried painting in a color blocked style instead of my usual blending style. It changed how I painted from that point on. The challenge of painting in that style was addicting. I loved have to piece a painting together like a puzzle. It still amazes me today how a color can look completely different based on the color it sits next to.
When I graduated college, I found a job teaching art to elementary school students at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was THE DREAM JOB! Other than being a full-time professional artist, I couldn’t have imagined a better job. I had the freedom to create my own curriculum, had almost endless supplies, a huge room with windows, and even a personal kiln. I couldn’t believe God had blessed me with such an amazing job as my first job outside of college. .I was constantly inspired by my young students and their pure freedom in artistic choices. I desired to emulate that in my work. During my first year’s teaching I also pursued my Masters in Art Education through Boston University’s online degree program. My time was mostly split between studying and teaching. I spent a few weeks in Boston over the summer with art teachers from around the country. I took a plein air painting class and a printmaking class. It was the first time in several years that I was able to fully focus on art making. I truly think that was the moment that lit a spark in me to pursue an art career as a fine artist.
My career developed very slowly. I connected with a local business owner in Baton Rouge and displayed and sold some of my pieces in her store. I also worked on commissions and started an Etsy shop. I was definitely trying to find myself in the art business world. Despite being a little lost on the business side of things I began to develop my artistic style even further. I discovered a love for drawing with ink on canvas and drawing animals. Drawing is actually my favorite thing to do. I love painting but I feel like my skills are better on the drawing side. I continued balancing teaching and art making until we left Baton Rouge and headed to Texas. My husband’s job moved us to Texas about four years ago. When we moved to Texas, I had no idea where my art career was headed. I couldn’t teach in public schools because I only had a masters and not a certification. I ended up working a couple of odd jobs while making art on the side for the first year. I was still shipping art back to Baton Rouge and keeping up with my Etsy shop when I connected with one of the directors of Sonlight (a university model homeschool program). This is my third year teaching art to middle and high school students at Sonlight and I really enjoy it. I decided through a lot of difficult decisions to pursue my art career full time in January 2018.
In 2017 I started creating a series of paintings and had my first art event in Fort Worth. In January I honed in my focus and made a concrete plan. I decided to develop a website and begin creating collections that I would take to art festivals and show on display. It wasn’t easy to get into art festivals at first. I had to learn what the correct set-up looked so a jury would choose my work to include in the show. Last Spring, I participated in at least four local shows around the DFW area. I was able to make some great connections that have opened more doors for my art to be shown around the city. Every booth was a success for me, thankfully! My initial goal was to share my work, get to know my audience and make a profit even if it was small. I was ecstatic to reach every goal. I met the owner of Swirl Bakery and Cafe at one event and she invited me to display my work for the month of August and September. I’ll be taking my work down this weekend in preparation for displaying my work at the Gladys Harrington Library in Plano for the month of October. Part of the display will include my “Moments in Time” collection that I am extremely excited to show. I will also be releasing part of that collection on October 3 on my website.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been a lot of learning moments along the way. When I wasn’t pursuing my art career full time, the struggles weren’t as evident. Making a career out of being a fine artist just wasn’t my number one priority when we first moved to Texas. Last November I started to feel pulled in so many directions. I was overwhelmed with all the things I had on my plate and I was trying to do them all as if they were the only thing on my plate. This was exhausting and things ended up falling on the back burner.
When I realized the things falling on the back burner were the ones that God had gifted me in I knew I had to change something. I spent the whole month of December praying and seeking wise council on what direction I should head. After praying, I felt like God pointed me in the direction of a career in fine arts. I decided to step back from my other commitments and focus on teaching and art making. It was definitely the right decision. God started opening door after door for my art. I began to apply to art juried art festivals, create a website, and launch myself as a professional artist. There has not been a slow month since I started in January.
There have been closed doors too. It hasn’t been a perfect start but I’m learning something new everyday. Surprisingly enough marketing and business classes are not part of a fine art degree, at least they weren’t when I went to college. So I am constantly learning more about marketing, business, time management, budgeting, and more.
I have spent a lot of time preparing for art festivals. I had to learn a lot about what the expectations were for a juried art festival submission. I was put on the waiting list for my first submission because my booth photo was not very good. I researched and discovered what was expected and immediately went out and bought all of my supplies. I set up my display in my backyard and re-photographed everything. The next time I applied I was accepted. I haven’t been accepted into every festival I have applied for and there have been some festivals that I should have turned down. I’ve spent the year learning about my ideal client and have applied that knowledge to my fall festivals.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kelli Wassom Art – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My company is just me and my family. I couldn’t do this without their support and of course the sweet encouragement from my three-year-old. I guess you could say I specialize in color. Like I mentioned before color has always fascinated me. I always look forward to the colors of light changing from season to season and the deep greens that appear after the rain. There is some point in every day that color captivates me in our world. My paintings are not just about color, although it does play a huge role. My work is figurative, yet the colors are abstract. As I’ve become a mother and grown up a little, I have realized how much I cherish the simple moments.
The moments that you want to look back on when you are eighty. Those moments that make you pause and feel you with joy. I purposefully seek those moments out and want to have space in my life to enjoy them. This overflows into my paintings. My ultimate hope is that through the use of color my viewer will be led to pause and soak in the moment. Then in that moment, I hope they see or feel something new and beautiful. I enjoy creating collections so I can focus on a subject and explore it, yet when that collection is finished, I can pursue another idea. This past year I have painted a lot of animals. I really enjoy painting animals and I love giving a personality to each one through my composition and color choices. More than animals, I love to paint people. I am currently working on a collection that is an outpour of my heart. It is titled “Moments in Time.” This collection is focused on capturing moments between a mother and daughter or child.
I have also brought in a mixture of florals because I think they are a beautiful representation of cherishing a moment. I’ve never met anyone who thinks are flowers are ugly. In fact, most people find the blooming process of a flower breathtaking. I know I do, but that moment is fleeting. The flower will not be in constant bloom and the moment will eventually pass. It is beautiful and worth watching but does not last but in your memory. Precious moments between a mother and child are as beautiful and fleeting as a blooming flower. This is why I have incorporated floral pieces into this collection. This collection is my proudest accomplishment. It feels my soul to create something that has been on my heart for so many months.
I think my color techniques and ink set me apart from a lot of artists. There are many artists that use color in an excellent way. If I am going to pick something that is characteristic of my art, I would say my color, ink, and mark making. I consider every color and mark carefully. I use abstract color palettes to draw attention to my subjects. In my animal paintings, I want to captivate my viewer and cause them to pause. During that moment I hope they see something new and beautiful about a subject that is common to them. So many times we walk through life and pass by some of the most beautiful things because they are familiar and we see them often. It’s color that often catches my eye and causes me to see something new and beautiful in the familiar. I want that to be what my viewer experiences when looking at my animal paintings.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m going to keep pursuing art festivals, galleries, and other showing opportunities. I have several art festivals coming up. I will be participating in Arts Goggle 2018 and I’ll have a booth at the Huffhines Art Trails. I am also applying to national and international shows. I’m just going to pursue every open door that comes my way. God has given me this passion and dream and I plan to run after it until I can’t run anymore.
Some of my goals include:
1. Getting accepted into a national art show.
2. Displaying my work in a local store.
3. Displaying my work with a local gallery.
4. Going on an artist retreat in Europe next fall.
5. Creating a work environment and schedule that has space for peace and slow moments.
6. Growing my business enough to rent my own studio space.
I have many goals and dreams. So I will just keep going and keep making art until I reach those goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kelliwassom.com
- Phone: 2252703714
- Email: kelliwassomart@gmail.com
- Instagram: kelliwassomart
- Facebook: facebook.com/kelliwassomart/
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