Today we’d like to introduce you to Percie Thompson.
Percie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve only started selling my artwork as recently as this summer, but I have always been creative. Art, in its various forms, has always been an outlet for me; I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or doing something creative. As a kid, I was obsessed with deconstructing everything around me so I could figure out how things worked. Being self-taught, my curiosity was my motivator and I’m extremely thankful my family indulged me. They never questioned my art or creative projects. They always supported me and even encouraged me to sell my artwork, but I wasn’t confident.
My confidence in my artwork has never been the highest. I always thought it could be better and I refused to sell anything I wasn’t pleased with myself. A nice sentiment, but a horrible business model. If I never showcased my work due to personal reservations, I would never sell anything. Skills, if you’re nurturing them, will always grow. My older artworks would always pale in comparison to my more recent ones; it’s how skills work.
So slowly, at the urging of my friends and family, I started to share my artwork and build a community of professional artisans around me. It wasn’t until this summer that everything came to ahead. Thanks to Covid-19, I couldn’t get a summer job and had a lot more free time hands. I used this as an opportunity to start new creative projects as well as better my drawing skills. This caught people’s attention and through references, I got my first commission. It was an awkward process; I was nervous I wouldn’t produce a quality piece and I was unsure how much to price it. But through communication and the support of other professional artists, I superseded my client’s expectations.
After that experience, my confidence in my artwork grew. I’m now officially taking commissions and in the process or creating a pricing guide.
Has it been a smooth road?
My first commission was a very bumpy road. When I was first recommended for the commission, I was very reluctant to accept it. I wasn’t confident in my abilities and thought there were better candidates than myself. So I gave myself two days; if no one else was recommended or didn’t take the commission, I would formally inquire about it myself. And it just so happened, no one else offered their services. After speaking with a friend of the client, the friend sent over my Instagram and portfolio to the client and eventually, she emailed me. She liked my style but wanted to request one of my weaker skills, a full-body portrait. It wasn’t that I couldn’t draw full body pieces, just that I wasn’t the best at it. Again reluctant to accept the commission, I informed the client about my insecurity but reassured her if she still wanted my services, I could still produce a piece she would love. Eventually, we came to an agreement.
A personal challenge for me was pricing the finished piece, but I asked my professional artist friends for their advice. They helped me not undersell myself, something artists commonly do.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I’m new to the professional scene as an artist and still formulating my business so, it’s more aptly what I’m known for as an individual. Currently, I market myself as a 2D digital artist specializing in commissions and portraits, but I do take requests for stickers and logo creation. I hope to add pressed flower art, personalized journals, and clothing to my catalog soon as these are mediums I also dabble in as an artist.
I pride myself on creating pieces with personality and ease to them. I want my art to comfort or invoke a sense of childhood curiosity. Art doesn’t have to be straightlaced and stuffy; it can be fun and jovial.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next 5-10 years, I foresee creative careers and freelance work increasing exponentially. Society, especially during the pandemic, has begun to see the value in creative work. While not “essential” to survive, creatives and their work is essential to thriving. Especially during these troubling times when only bad things seem to be happening in the world, art helps heal our emotional scars. We pull people into fantasies or bring awareness to underserved causes.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://pkthompson.agnesscott.org
- Email: perciekthompson@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/percies.cottage/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/percival.has.a.pen/
Image Credit:
Kaytria Land (for my personal photo)
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