Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Sullivan.
Hi Tara, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Tara, and I am an Illustrator and Designer here in Atlanta. I studied Graphic Design in college and worked in that field for a few years, but I started really leaning into art while stuck at home in early 2020 and discovered a passion for digital illustration. I focused on making pieces that made me happy, and I soon had enough work to start getting products made. I had some art prints, cards, and stickers printed, opened an online shop, and vended at a few maker markets. Once I felt I had a good amount of products, I reached out to several local stores hoping to have my work sold at a brick-and-mortar location. Eventually, I was able to sell some art at Hodgepodge Coffeehouse for a season, and I now have several products available at Homegrown Decatur!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely not been easy, and I still have some ground to cover. However, I am lucky enough to have a day job that can support me while I grow my small business. My main challenge has been finding clients, stores, and other opportunities that want to work with me. My strategy has just been to reach out to every possible client or collaborator that I am interested in creating with. It can be time-consuming and frustrating when companies don’t respond to inquiries, but you only need a few interested people in order to start growing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Right now my main focus is working on my own products, but I hope to branch out into other industries including editorial illustration and book cover design as well.
My preferred medium is digital illustration, which is how I create the designs for all my products. I would describe my art style as cartoonish, bold, and whimsical. I love portraying adult themes in my art but with my brightly colored, energetic style, and I always try to show a sense of humor in my pieces. I am most proud that, although I sometimes experiment with different techniques, my work has a cohesive style that feels true to me. It makes me happy when I am selling at markets that both children and adults are drawn to my art.
How do you define success?
For me, one form of success would be becoming self-sufficient by selling art and working as a freelance illustrator and designer. I also define success as the smaller victories, like selling a product, starting a relationship with a new client, or meeting a child at a market who says they want to be an artist too. I’m sure over time, my idea of success will shift and I will create new goals, so I want to enjoy every achievement along the way.
Contact Info:
- Email: tarasullivanart@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/taragraphics
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarasullivanart/
- Other: Portfolio: https://tarasullivan.design/
