Have you ever had the opportunity to follow an artist around and watch intently as they work their magic? We have! And not just one artist, but TWELVE (#dreamjob)! We recently had the privilege of creating new brand imagery for the ladies of StudioWorks Artist Collective at their studio/gallery in Charlotte’s Historic Dilworth Neighborhood. We photographed their group over the course of two glorious days. Not only did we leave singing their praises, but also wanting to pick up some art supplies of our own. It was such an inspiring experience!
WHO ARE THEY
StudioWorks is a collective gallery and working studio space in Charlotte’s Historic Dilworth Neighborhood. They are made up of 12 professional female artists that call that space home. You can visit their space by appointment or on the first Friday evening of every month for the SouthEnd Gallery Crawl. There you will experience extraordinary art offered directly to the public from their artists’ working studios.
THE INSPIRATION
THE BRAND IMAGES
With any brand imagery shoot, there are certain elements that must be captured in order for a business to both connect with their customers and give a sense of the product or service they provide. Those images include:
- headshots
- tools of the trade
- product details
- personality shots
- environmental shots just to name a few…
With this particular shoot there was new inspiration, quite literally, around every single corner! It was, undoubtedly, a brand photo shoot gold mine!
The Head Shots
With all the incredible art hanging around there was no way we were going to simply do headshots in front of a solid background! But seriously, have you ever seen a more talented group of ladies? Trust us. You haven’t!
The Personality Shots
From tiny Van Gogh figurines, to studio pups, to custom painting aprons, to a tendency to hold the paintbrush in your teeth, we loved capturing something unique about each artist that gave a nod to her personality or something bigger about her story as a woman or an artist.
The Process Shots
There were SO MANY opportunities for process photos during these shoots. Seriously…so many! If we put them all here, it would take you an hour to get through this blog post. So, this little taste will have to do. Everything from mixing paints, to painting prep, to varied brush strokes, to assessing what was already on the canvas. We truly were fascinated by each artists’ process. While there were certainly themes and similarities amongst the twelve, each lady put her own spin on the process.
The Lifestyle Shots
Because, are you even an artist if you aren’t painting while barefoot as your sweet pup lounges nearby?
The Environment Shots
Just as each artists’ work, process, and inspiration were unique to her, so was her space.
The Detail Shots
We love these detail shots! The paint mixing (which we could have watched all day), the hundreds of paint brushes and other tools stained from all the works they were used to create, the splatters of paint even where they shouldn’t be (like laptops 😬), all of these details speak to the life and work of the artist.
The Product Shots
Clearly, the product for StudioWorks is the art.
It goes without saying that we could fill this blog ten times over with photographs of all the art that filled every nook and cranny of this space. It doesn’t matter, though, how beautiful the photographs are. To really see these pieces in all their glory, you have to see them in person.
THE INTERVIEW
Not only was it inspiring to observe these ladies in their element, but also to talk with them about their processes and community. So enough about what WE think. Let’s let you hear directly from the ladies of StudioWorks. As is our custom, we asked them a series of questions designed to help our audience get to know them better, specifically as small business owners and artists. Here’s what they had to say:
Please describe your company and what makes your service or product unique/notable? We offer an approachable experience to buying art directly from the artist. Learn about the person who created the piece and the story behind the work.
What inspired you to create your StudioWorks and draws you to the clients you serve? We would love for you to speak about the impact you hope to have? All 12 of us loved having the opportunity to paint outside of our homes and be inspired by one another. We love being able to connect with the public once a month when we open our space.
Are there any books would you recommend to people in your niche or books that you just generally love? In the Company of Women; Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney
**Side Note from HH: Please excuse us while we quickly add that to our “To Be Read” list…
What would you say is the main thing that has helped you grow your business, your creativity, or as an artist? This could be a personality trait, a mindset, an event, etc. Collaboration. Working as a team has been a great resource for our collective. Each woman is able to contribute unique gifts to market our business – graphic design, legal knowledge, even backgrounds in finance or real estate. The vast network of relationships and separate communities that each artist has brought to StudioWorks has cast a wide net in Charlotte.
“A work of art should have, for lack of a better word, mistakes. A ‘perfect’ piece of art is boring. One that has the mark of the artist, and all her imperfections as an individual, is a successful work of art.”
-Ashley Sellner
If you started your business over today, what would you focus on first to help you grow? Getting to know our neighbors in Dilworth. Making art approachable to people who don’t know the value of original work.
Please share the best advice you have ever been given as artists? From StudioWorks artist, Ashley Sellner, “Do not try to achieve perfection. I listened to Rick Rubin interviewed by Malcolm Gladwell (thanks to Good Mood Design Co). The advice that stuck with me the most was ‘show your humanness’. A work of art should have, for lack of a better word, mistakes. A ‘perfect’ piece of art is boring. One that has the mark of the artist, and all her imperfections as an individual, is a successful work of art. “
What is your favorite mantra? Do the next thing…. or walk away. Come back in the morning with a fresh perspective.
Describe your absolute biggest challenge prior to doing a personal branding shoot. Cohesive marketing. It’s hard to pull together 12 personalities to create a uniformed approach to social media. Finding our voice.
How did that challenge make you feel? Frustrated.
What changed after getting/using your images and videos? We feel like we have a way forward with images and videos that share a common theme. We started a “get to know” the artist weekly. It’s been fun to see the response from our followers.
How was your overall experience working with us? We loved our two sessions. Every artist felt comfortable and well represented.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
Thanks, ladies! You win the award for our most inspiring shoot to date!
But, please don’t just take our word for it! Make a point to go visit StudioWorks on the first Friday evening of every month for the SouthEnd Gallery Crawl. You will not regret it! However, if you just can’t wait for the next gallery crawl, make an appt to visit their studio here. And, make sure to give them a follow on Instagram at @studioworksclt where you can get to know more about the individual artists through their weekly “Meet the Artist” series!
Like the images you see? We’d love to chat! Follow the Inquire link above to start the conversation!
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