Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Trull.
Erica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started enjoying art as a kid like many of us do! I won blue ribbons and had little pieces displayed at the county fair and things like that. My parents always told me I was great and I never really believed them so I never pursued it. As I got older, went to college and got a job, I felt like I needed an outlet that was creative, hands-on, and that I could be absolutely terrible at. To give you some idea of what I mean by that – I grew up dancing, and really loved it! It was my passion and I felt like I was good at it, I won awards, became a captain of my high school team, got accepted on to the most prestigious drill team in the world, and made a pro team for the Dallas Stars. I even danced for a company that was a beautiful, contemporary style and going to rehearsals felt like home, therapy, and love all in one.
I figured I would make a career out of dance by teaching or being on different pro teams until I aged out of it. However, things happened that kind of forced me out of that world. The dance started to be something that was making me sad and making me feel like I wasn’t good enough. Which brings me back to wanting something creative that I could be absolutely terrible at! I bought the cheapest paints and canvases from Michael’s and just started painting. I loved it! It was a creative outlet, hands-on, and really fun. I posted some pieces on my Instagram (thinking they weren’t good at all, but I didn’t care), and people started asking me for custom pieces. It all started from there.
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 have made my art be the one thing that I won’t let become a struggle. I paint it when I want to paint it. It’s as simple as that! I never force myself to do it because it will turn out a reflection of my attitude. I will say having to price my pieces has been a challenge though. Selling them at all is extremely hard, but to put a price on them is even harder. I have told some close friends I will charge them at cost and they can add any more to that if they would like. Somehow that makes me happier than having to decide how much monetary value an abstract painting is. Thanks to some really supportive friends and loved ones who see the value of my work more than I do, I have been able to start getting better at this.
Please tell us about your art.
I’m a painter! I specialize in acrylic pours. I am most proud of the fact that I am self-taught. I’ve never taken a formal lesson unless high school art class counts? What sets me apart is that I do not have a huge warehouse full of completed art. Everything is one-of-a-kind and custom made. I have tried to copy paintings I have made before and I literally cannot do it! That is how special each one is.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I don’t know if I have one favorite childhood memory, but one that comes to mind today is from growing up in a community theater and being the usher for the shows and helping patrons find their seats. I also loved to help my dad build the sets and paint the set walls.
Pricing:
- Starting at $75. Price depends on materials required and size of canvas.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ericanoelpaints
Image Credit:
Michael Lark from Michael Lark Photography
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