Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Byers.
Elle, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve always been a maker and a lover of art in all forms. I used to tell my friends that I was going to make pottery for a living and sell it on a cart outside Faneuil Hall. I took a number of art classes in high school and studied a bit of art history in college, however, I never thought I could realistically pursue art as a career and so I went on to study political science and psychology at Merrimack College. After a few years of different jobs, I received a master’s degree in middle school education from Walden University. I’m currently teaching history to seventh graders and while I do love teaching, being a full-time artist is my dream. I am a lover of learning and I always stress to my students how valuable education is but not just formal education, self-education is equally important. If you want to learn something, you need to have the skills to be able to teach yourself and that is how I became an artist. I taught myself. I’ve been teaching myself to paint for the past several years but only recently have I decided to start sharing my work with the world. I created an Instagram account and designed a website to showcase my art. I will also be selling my work at several craft fairs and handmade markets this summer.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’m a painter and I mostly work with acrylics but occasionally dabble with other mediums. I mostly paint florals – big, colorful, wild florals. I am deeply influenced by nature and colors and have always been drawn to flowers both real and in art or textiles. My work is usually very colorful. I think it’s fun, whimsical at times, and definitely not too serious. I create paintings that I would want to hang in my own home. Pursuing art as a career and living a creative life has been a dream and I hope people will enjoy my art for a long time to come.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
In a sea of artists it is often hard to get noticed. Through the process of putting my art online, I’ve come to realize that I need to be a businesswoman in addition to being an artist if I want this to be my full-time career. Making a unique piece of art is a timely process and then once you are finished, you need to figure out how to market and sell it. It’s difficult to get work into galleries so many artists need to find their own vendors and apply to art shows and craft fairs. For many artists, this is on top of a full-time job. New artists really need to hustle in order to get noticed.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
The best place to see my work is on Instagram @ellebyers. I’m also on Pinterest @ellebyersartist. All original work that is for sale is on my website www.ellebyers.com. I’m currently working with a local print shop so I will have a selection of prints available on my website as well.
I’m going to be at art shows and handmade markets this summer and I’d love it if fellow art lovers would stop by to say hello. People could also help to support me by sharing my website and my paintings with their friends on social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ellebyers.com
- Email: hello@ellebyers.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ellebyers
- Other: www.pinterest.com/ellebyersartist
Image Credit:
Elle Byers
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