Today, we’d like to introduce you to Sheila Smith.
Hi Sheila, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hello! I am a full-time artist and a full-time Actress located in Murfreesboro, TN. I started my business, @SheilaSmithDesigns, when I graduated Art college from Nossi College of Art in 2007. This included painting Murals around Nashville, selling artwork at local art shows and festivals, and doing Graphic Design for local magazines.
I opened my first physical art gallery, named SheilaSmithDesigns, in 2012 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Where I sold thousands of pieces of art to locals and tourists traveling through the area. I became very well known not just in Florida but also with many tourists who brought my artwork to their homes and told their friends about it. Then, an online store was born. SheilaSmithDesigns became a nationwide brand through Etsy with my online store, which started in 2013.
Since opening my online store, I’ve sold almost 4,000 pieces of artwork just through Etsy. This includes the United States and shipping my art internationally to Australia, Canada, Mexico, Caribbeans, Italy, and many more!
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been many obstacles in becoming a full-time artist and finding my way in this chosen career field. The path was not always a “smooth road,” but the struggles and obstacles I ran into were growing pains that led me to the right path and helped me find my way. At first, I had no idea how to run a business by myself. Navigating selling my first painting was difficult. Even pricing my first mural was hard.
I wasn’t sure how much I was worth. With time, my confidence grew, which helped me price my valuable time while working on my art. I learned it’s not just the product the customer was purchasing. It was years and years of hard work and practice to hone my skills as an artist to create that one product. Once I was confident with my prices, I then had to figure out business taxes. Then, shipping a product. Shipping my first painted mirror was an absolute nightmare. Some paintings arrived damaged when I first started shipping online, but with everyone that did, I learned a better way to ship my valuable art.
Every trial was simply a lesson learned. You never start anything right out the gate, knowing everything there is to know about business and art, and even customer service. However, with time, lessons learned, and patience, it falls into place. I’ve been in this industry since 2007, and I am still learning something new about shipping, customers, painting, and other techniques. There is ALWAYS an area I can improve upon. Growing pains always have a beautiful outcome… Growth in your career. Advancement.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an Artist who loves to paint on wood. It’s my specialty. When I had my gallery in Santa Rosa beach, FL… There was a local who would tear down houses for his career… we had a deal that with every home he tore down, what was to be “tossed” would be brought to me so I could bring joy back to it and create something from someone else’s “trash”.
An old home has so many precious memories, the wood in that home holds those memories and I like to let the wood speak for itself with just embracing some of the texture and painting something whimsical on top. It does not cover much of the natural wood itself. Home shutters and home windows were some of my absolute favorites. I am also known for my portrait artwork. I love to paint animals, and capture their essence on canvas I have even painted for a well known animal brand company, Chewy.
To date, I have painted over 7,000 pet portraits for Chewy. I also love to paint children. Their joy is so fun to capture on canvas!!! They are my favorite.
So, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you before we go? How can they support you?
You can support me by shopping locally through my online Etsy store! www.etsy.com/shop/SheilaSmithDesigns or just search SheilaSmithDesigns through Etsy. I have since closed my physical gallery and brought everything online.
I would love to collaborate with other artists and businesses to create some phenomenal murals around town! Collaborating with other artists is one of the main things I miss about being in my gallery.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SheilaSmithDesigns
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Artist.SheilaAnnSmith/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Artist.SheilaAnnSmith
