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In this episode of The Art Coaching Club podcast, host Hayley Price interviews artist Darby Shea Boggs about her journey from physical therapist to successful artist. Darby shares insights into her first collection that sold out in just 24 hours, her process for creating and selling prints, and how she balances her art career with her role as a physical therapist and new mother. Her story offers valuable lessons for artists looking to grow their business while juggling multiple responsibilities.
Darby's Background: From Physical Therapy to Painting Success
Darby Boggs always had a creative side, exploring different forms of art throughout her life. However, she didn’t initially see art as a career path, opting instead to pursue a degree in physical therapy. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that she found herself returning to painting as a form of self-expression and relaxation. What began as a hobby soon evolved into a growing art business.
Balancing a career in physical therapy with her burgeoning art business and the demands of motherhood has been challenging, but Darby has found ways to prioritize her painting time and stay focused. Goal-setting has been crucial in helping her navigate these different aspects of her life and grow her business.
Darby's First Successful Collection: Sold Out in 24 Hours
One of Darby’s most notable achievements was the release of her first collection of marsh paintings, which sold out within 24 hours. She attributes this rapid success to several key factors:
Experimentation on Social Media: Darby consistently posted her artwork on Instagram and other social platforms to gauge audience interest. This helped her understand what types of work resonated most with her followers.
Affordable Pricing and Manageable Sizes: She kept the paintings accessible by offering them at affordable prices and manageable sizes that fit her target audience's needs.
Building an Email List: Darby was proactive about building an email list of collectors and offered them exclusive early access to her collection. This generated excitement and created a sense of exclusivity around her work.
Cross-Platform Promotion: Darby promoted her collection extensively across social media, email, and her website to ensure maximum visibility.
Expanding Her Offerings with Prints
To make her work more accessible to a broader audience, Darby decided to offer prints of her original paintings. She uses an Epson scanner and a DSLR camera to capture high-quality images of her work, then formats the files and uploads them to Printful, a platform that handles the printing and shipping for her. Darby is selective about which pieces become prints, focusing on the ones that resonate most with her audience.
This move has allowed her to expand her business while still maintaining the integrity of her original artwork.
Challenges and Successes: Finding Balance
One of Darby’s biggest challenges has been balancing her art business with her physical therapy career and motherhood. She’s learned to be flexible with her time and prioritize tasks that move her business forward while still making space for family life.
Despite these challenges, Darby has experienced significant successes, including being accepted into the Scouted Studio Emerging Artist Show and selling out her first collection. She continues to set new goals for herself, such as creating more experimental work and applying to galleries for further exposure.
Advice for Artists: Be Intentional and Leverage Your Resources
Darby’s story offers valuable advice for other artists seeking to grow their careers. She emphasizes the importance of being intentional in your approach—whether that’s building an email list, promoting work across multiple platforms, or setting clear goals for your creative business. She also highlights the importance of leveraging social media and finding ways to connect with your audience early on.
Conclusion: Perseverance and Balance
Darby Shea Boggs’ journey from physical therapist to successful artist is a testament to the power of perseverance, goal-setting, and balance. By leveraging social media, building strong relationships with collectors, and finding ways to balance her art career with her other responsibilities, Darby has built a thriving creative business.
Her story is an inspiring example for artists who are navigating similar paths, showing that it’s possible to pursue multiple passions while achieving success in the art world.
For more about Darby Shea Boggs, you can follow her on Instagram @darbyshayboggs or visit her website at darbyshayart.com.
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