Today we’d like to introduce you to Remy Joy Art.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Remy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story begins with the art of tie-dye. I was a summer camp counselor at Camp Barney Medintz, in the North Georgia Mountains, and my campers inspired me to start a business and sell my tie dyes – Homegrown Tie Dyes was born in the summer of 2017. I spent the following year selling short sleeve and long sleeve T-shirts, tapestries and bandanas through my Etsy page; additionally, I was selling tie-dye shirts at a local shop in Boulder, Colorado, where I was living and attending school at the time. My business took off, however, I was craving more… so, I started to experiment with other art mediums. I wanted to expand my business and reach a larger, more diverse audience.
It was winter break of 2017, and the new year was quickly approaching; I started to experiment with sharpie art, and I found myself in a phase of intense doodling. That feeling of pen on paper brings me utter joy and calmness – an escape from reality, a coping mechanism for anxiety, boredom, and everything in between. I started a doodle of the Atlanta skyline, and I aimed to combine the city’s landmarks and energy into one sketch. I was so happy with how this drawing turned out. My friends and family looked at it with awe as they pushed me to sell merchandise with this exact design. I took their advice, and this was when my business strayed away from Homegrown Tie Dyes and evolved the new name of Homegrown Designs. This Atlanta design opened a door for my business, allowing me to expand beyond the horizons of tie-dyes, which was my ultimate goal. This design is now selling as stickers, magnets and postcards at Posman Books, at Ponce City Market, and remains as one of my bestsellers.
I spent the following year drawing with various types of markers, making stickers and prints, however, no design was reaching the same success as my Atlanta concept. I felt like it was time to switch things up; my artistic style is very fluid, and I go through phases often. I find an abundance of joy in trying new mediums. It was the summer of 2018, and I needed an elective credit to fulfill my Sociology and Weather and Atmospheric Studies degrees; I enrolled in Drawing for Non-majors and was introduced to the art of charcoal… what a special and sloppy medium. We had to draw two portraits for our final project – a self-portrait in addition to an image of a stranger. I felt uncomfortable drawing myself, so I decided to add a homegrown twist to this assignment; I sketched a drawing of my baby self with a tree growing out of my head – this was meant to symbolize how I have grown alongside my art’s evolution.
I drew a portrait of Jerry Garcia for the latter half of this project. I remember the day I began this drawing very vividly; I was struggling to get the shape of his sunglasses, and I asked my professor if I could start over and choose another portrait to mimic – she told me that an artist should not backtrack, but rather hurdle over these thoughts of doubt. I took her advice, continued drawing, and I was very happy and content with the final product; I am so proud of this drawing. To me, this drawing represents perseverance and the art of proving myself wrong, the art of believing in myself; this drawing reminds me that perfection does not exist in art, but art is rather catalyzed by broken lines and imperfections. In my opinion, this is what makes art so beautiful and relatable to the public eye.
Homegrown Designs continued to grow alongside my discovery of mediums. The Jerry Garcia portrait attracted a musical crowd to my products, allowing my business to expand even further. I made prints, pins, stickers and magnets with this design; I traded and sold these products outside of the Dead and Company show in Boulder, Colorado, during the summer of 2019. It was incredibly fulfilling to share my art with folk who share my style and taste in music – from tie-dyes to Jerry Garcia art, I felt my business come full circle amid this crowd of free spirits.
I started my senior year of college in the fall of 2019, and I enrolled in a Figure Drawing class for fun, as they were low on numbers and I had an open slot in my schedule. I was intimated to be in a class consisting of art majors only, as I was studying sociology and the weather… but selling my art on the side – a unique combination, that’s for sure. I pushed myself a lot in this course, as I wanted to keep up with those around me; I was pleasantly surprised with myself and my abilities to see the human body as shapes stacked together, rather than as an intricate form that is impossible to replicate. This class helped me feel more confident as a business owner and creator.
The second semester of my senior year approached with a blink of an eye; questions regarding my post-graduation life were more relevant than ever before. I found myself taken aback by this question, as I realized that I did not want to go into a profession that aligned with my areas of study. Rather, I wanted to focus on my business and art. The pandemic further assured that desire for me; while 2020 has been a whirlwind of both positive and negative changes for our world, I do think that this is a prime time for creatives. I believe that art has the power to speak louder than words, especially during a time of isolation and quarantine. Creative expression has given me a sense of purpose and kinship amid this lonely era, and I aim for my art to bring others a similar sense of connection and joy.
I am now working on taking my business to a more professional level, and I have rebranded myself to be Remy Joy Art; this type of growth is very uncomfortable for a self-taught artist, and I am sure that some of you can relate. I struggle to promote myself and share my content, however, my business is a work in progress, and so am I! I am so excited to continue on this artful journey.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I did not go to school for anything related to art, and I have had trouble finding jobs that look past my description on paper. Many companies have refused to look at my portfolio due to my lack of a creative degree. There have been numerous times where I feel like my style is the perfect fit for a company, and it is a shame that I am penalized for being a self-taught artist. I have decided to put all of my focus into building and expanding my own business due to this recurring struggle.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I am most proud of my charcoal portraits. I believe that these pieces will help catalyze my career as a freelance artist.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am looking forward to making more commission artwork; I think that there is something incredibly beautiful, special and personal about pieces that are one of a kind.
Contact Info:
- Website: remyjoy.com
- Email: rezi6797@colorado.edu
- Instagram: @remyjoyart
- Facebook: Remy Zimmerman
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