Today we’d like to introduce you to Tate Hollingsworth.
Tate, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story started unfolding long before I knew it could, and has grown into something I never saw coming. I grew up in Beaumont, TX in a family that supported all things creative and trying new things. My dad had a home remodeling and custom cabinet and furniture company for several years and we always had several projects going on around the house. I was always longing to make something interesting and create inspiring images, objects, and environments around me and others, but I never knew what medium was for me.
Fast-forward to college at the University of North Texas, and I found myself deep into painting and sculpture classes and feeling like I just learned a new language! I had messed around with paint and art supplies before, but had never been given the permission to make ANYTHING I wanted, which I didn’t even know I needed! Being around creative people and having space to create with very few limitations was exactly what I needed to really explore the creativity I had. My professors, classmates, and friends were integral in me growing as an artist and I cannot thank them enough!
In college, I met my now husband, Aaron, who at the time was also finishing up his Drawing and Painting degree. A few years later we were dating and realized we both had a similar sensibility in art and interior design, and a lot of friends asking us to help decorate their homes and events! I knew that when I saw he had a vintage baby blue boat motor on his kitchen counter as decor and I had sticks wrapped in string on my wall that we were onto something special! We kind of stumbled into starting our Interior Design and Styling business, Hollingsworth & Co., in our first year of marriage in 2018.
Now I balance making my own art, taking art commissions, and running our business with my husband in the DFW area among other various creative endeavors I collaborate with others on. Currently, I am an Artist-in-Residence with Art House Dallas, an incredible community of creatives of all types who support each other and the DFW community at large. In my time with this residency, I have been given the time and support needed to invest in my art-making post-college, and in the outside community. I am so thankful to work alongside this group of people and for the influence they have had on my art-making.
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?
There have definitely been some bumps along the way! I ALWAYS struggled to know where my creativity fit into the big picture. I felt like I had all this creative energy, but never knew how to get it out in a satisfactory and impactful way. I doubted myself a lot, and took myself WAY too seriously at times! College is where it all started to make sense and I gained a lot of tools and mentorship from other artists, but even then, it took me a while to find what path I wanted to take. I began in UNT’s Communication Design program, and after a LONG year and a half, I jumped over to printmaking, and a semester later landed in the Drawing and Painting program. Even then, I knew I’d be graduating with a lot of art and a good education, but not a clear path afterwards. I think a common struggle that creatives have is that there is often not a clear path. We have to create our own path, which can be incredibly difficult, discouraging, and will sometimes even make you feel crazy! BUT, it’s also a gift that leads to discovery and so much fulfillment when you are willing to fail and try again and try again. I learned and am still learning that I have to make bad art, create bad designs, and try bad ideas to get to the good stuff — the art that is powerful, the design that is effective, the ideas that are successful.
As a new business owner, there have definitely been bumps. I am constantly reassessing where to spend my time, how to improve our services, and ultimately taking risks and jumps that I hope will pay off for our clients as well as our business. It’s a lot of work! I have a lot to learn which is exciting and scary at the same time!
Please tell us about the company.
Hollingsworth & Co. is an Interior Design and Styling company. We specialize in homes, offices, community spaces, and events, too! We also specialize in practicality and believe that everyone deserves a beautifully and intentionally designed space, even if you’re on a budget! I’ve found that people love what we have to offer together, as well as that we are both designers and artists. Our approach to designing spaces and events is unique in the way that we are willing to try something new, do something unconventional, as well as make spaces that are interesting and inviting while reflecting the people who fill the space in a way that makes them feel known. Our DIY Plans are popular choices for clients as they can get as detailed of a design plan as they want, but can execute the design on their own time. We are known for our use of color, ability to adapt styles, and selecting curated pieces for clients. We are often commissioned to create custom art pieces and murals for spaces and events, which I believe elevates a space in a way that makes it specific to the client in a meaningful way. I am proud of the variety of opportunities we have had the chance to experience and how much we have learned already!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As random as it may seem, carving soap with dad is a memory that I often think about. I thought it was the coolest and most unusual thing as a kid! I think the idea of creating something interesting and beautiful out of something rather ordinary and simple left a big impact on me and communicated that creativity can look like a lot of things. This notion of making something significant out of something insignificant is an idea that makes its way into my art and creativity often. Plus, if you’ve never carved soap before, I highly recommend you try! It’s fun!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hollingsworth-co.com/
- Email: hollingsworth.tate@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hollingsworth_co AND www.instagram.com/tatehollingsworthart
- Other: www.tatehollingsworth.com/
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