Today we’d like to introduce you to Theresa Mangum.
Theresa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started painting in high school. Forced to paint in my art elective class, my teacher was surprised of my watercolor skills and encouraged me to put them in juried shows. I ended up winning blue ribbons for my watercolor colors, yet never thought anything of it. As an 18-year-old back in 2001, I was oddly determined to be a fashion designer, yet looking at my fashion sense back then is laughable. Unfortunately, at the end of my senior year, my older brother was in a terrible car accident breaking his spine. Due to finances and my family needing help with my brother, while he recovered, I chose to go to community college.
At Collin County Community College, I was able to take some beginner painting classes. I wish to this day I could remember my professors name for my Art 1 class. She literally taught me everything I needed to know about the skills and materials for all types of painting, even building and stretching my own canvases. After this one-semester course, I took everything she taught me and literally I have never stopped. I ended up graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with an Art and Performance Degree a few years later. It wasn’t until about seven years ago I could personally and professionally say I make my living off of art. Not only selling art but teaching art classes to different ages and audiences, private lessons, murals, large corporate and/or city projects, art consulting and more art related work.
Has it been a smooth road?
As an artist, there has and probably will continue to struggle along the way. However, about ten years ago, my boyfriend of 12 years told me, if he wanted to be a full-time musician, he would have to start now. He quit roofing and remodeling and focused solely on music. Of course, the budgeter I am immediately went and found a job that had zero meaning to me just to make ends meet. It was a full-time job that paid well. While my partner was pushing towards his dream, I was watching from the side, barely touching and pursuing my art career. I struggled with my stubbornness that would possibly take me to an art world of uncertainty, rejection, and possible failure. In 2011, I quit that job and started my career in art. I started teaching painting classes and saying yes to almost everything that had to deal with art.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Art by Theresa Mangum story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a commissioned painter, muralist, and art instructor. I have been painting commissions for seven years now and started murals about six years ago. I specialize in abstract art, custom painting for Neiman Marcus, and custom commission paintings (all mediums), and murals.
The project that makes me the most proud is my 54 foot abstract mural in Highland Park. As I worked for several years finding the type of abstract I liked most and the kind of textures I loved… to have a business want a large scale version of it was so special to me.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I would love to be able to take my murals and abstracts out of Texas. I am very busy here in DFW, and that makes me so happy and grateful, so it has been hard to leave for a long time if a project ever took me outside of Texas, I have been so focused on keeping my art business ramped up, that I have not been able to focus on any types of art shows. I hope to get a collection of my own art going so that I can do that in the next year or so!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.artbytmm.com
- Email: artbyt@gmail.com
- Instagram: artbyt_artist
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/artbytmm/
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