Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Skyers.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tiffany. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been interested in the arts for as long as I can remember. Going into a private preschool I was tested my attention to visual detail was taken notice of. Unlike a typical stick figure with just a head, body, and limbs, I went a step farther and doodled lashes and fingernails. Coming from a supportive family, from then on my desire to draw was always encouraged. Every birthday and holiday I would receive a new art kit.
Upon entering higher education notice and encouragement then came from teachers and mentors. Since elementary school, I have exhibited in coffee shops, libraries, and museums. As years progressed, friends and family began to purchase and commission items such as logos, tattoo designs, and paintings.
After graduating high school I made a decision to go to art school. After seeing examples of artists drawing directly to a screen and falling in love with a communicative design, I went on to get my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts/Communicative Design: Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Throughout high school into college, I spent a lot of time getting to know artists of my Charlotte, NC and Savannah and Atlanta, GA communities. As a result, I have been invited to participate in events as a featured live painter and vendor for smaller organizations and businesses such as the Queen’s Collective, the indigos, ELLOHBEE, JAHA Hair Studio, indieThi3ves, The Nonfiction Art Gallery, Salute Life, etc. These events have taken me up and down the East Coast from Maryland down to Miami. As of 2016, I began selling work as CreaTiff Artistry.
Now mostly going by my first and last name, Tiffany Skyers, I am working on opening up my own storefront that in the future will branch into a nonprofit teen club catering to art therapy for at-risk youth.
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?
It certainly has not been a smooth road. Both financially and emotionally. Financially, being that paintings are not a necessity onlookers will be enthused by the art but not want to purchase original canvases. Due to this, I had to find my niche. Lately, I have been developing more prints at affordable pricing and designing streetwear. I am also very blessed to be able to freelance Graphic Design commissions to fill in the gaps. I’m always available to help the next person with their business needs.
Emotionally, being an entrepreneur is stressful, period. However, as my business grows my biggest struggle has been staying true to myself (morals, branding, etc.), but also pleasing the public enough so they want to purchase and support my work. Being that this field is more than just a business hustle it is a passion of mine, a struggle is emotionally removing myself from decisions that can impact the growth of my business.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I am a Fine Artist and Graphic Designer. I paint personal as well as commissioned pieces. I’m fond of painting abstract imagery with pop colors. However, I can paint realism as needed. I paint with both acrylic and oil paint.
As a graphic designer, my list continues to grow. I design logos, illustrations, digital collages, fliers, magazine spreads, book layouts, album covers, business identities, etc. I sell prints, apparel, and merchandise of original artwork.
What sets me apart from others is that I take time to listen to my clients and hear out their needs and expectations. I take notes and ask plenty of questions as well as give suggestions where needed. Customer satisfaction is a huge goal of mine. I also try my best to maintain an underlining signature in all my work so you can tell it is a Tiffany Skyers Original.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure if I believe in luck but I have definitely been blessed many times over. Going to SCAD was a blessing. Let’s just say my family pulled through for me. Although I always loved the arts, a constant family discussion was business school. I always imagined I would go to community college or not go to school at all. I actually took off a year after high school before I went to college. I imagined after taking that year I would never go. But art school became a huge topic in my house that year. I took my parents to a few campuses and SCAD sold them. They along with my grandmother scraped together some funds and just prayed over me. The rest was covered by academic and portfolio scholarships.
Another blessing was having a past client of mine grow as an actress and casually mention me on a shoot. That mention granted me the opportunity to participate in Miami Art Basel in 2017 and resulted in a tour show in Atlanta in 2018.
I’m pretty sure not bad luck but rather a bad decision, but I was excited one year by how well I was doing financially and splurged on an improve vacation. My thought was awww things are going well with my art I’ll make all my money back easy. Let’s just say it was a rough few months after. It shot my credit so I am now paying for it. But things are not horrible so I am not mad at the experience, I enjoyed myself and it was a teachable moment. Very humbling.
One last blessing, I am now home working as an artist and graphic designer full time.
Pricing:
- Prints $10+
- Apparel & Merchandise $25+
- Paintings $50+
- Graphic Design $150+
Contact Info:
- Website: tiffanyskyers.com
- Email: tiffany.skyers@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatiffartistry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creatiffartistry/
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