Today we’d like to introduce you to Macey Milstead.
Macey, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was born and raised in Maryland. I would definitely say I am one of those obnoxious Marylanders who scoff when they see “Maryland Crab Cake” on a menu in Atlanta and tells you Maryland is the greatest state in the country. But, I moved down south to Savannah, Georgia, on a whim when I was not even nineteen. I loved Savannah and the creative environment it offered.
Peoples first question, when I say I lived there, is if I went to art school there. I did not! I actually went to college for teaching and hoped to teach Gender and Sexuality Studies after college. Unfortunately, even though I absolutely loved college, I never received my degree. I followed other dreams and went on adventures that took me off that path instead.
Long story short, I am now a mother and a stay-at-home parent. I began having fun with art when we moved to Atlanta five years ago. I stumbled across the Free Art Movement, and somehow, it evolved from a hobby to a full-time job.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I would like to say that I pour my love of color and quirkiness into my creations. I feel like I add more color to life. I mostly create art on pieces of wood that I cut with my scroll-saw and then paint by hand. Sometimes I use other surfaces to paint on, and I enjoy making glittery resin keychains, but painting with acrylic paint on wood is most certainly my favorite medium.
My art mostly consists of nerdy objects like robots, space ships, trippy butterflies, and The Office quotes, but I also have my Feminist Agenda shine through as well.
I’m a sarcastic mess, and I hope that shows!
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
I honestly never could have imagined all of the amazing opportunities that have presented themselves in only a couple of years. I started participating in the free art movement, which is essentially an art scavenger hunt around Atlanta because it wasn’t just fun, but it made people happy. I’d like to think that when someone finds my art via FAFATL or from buying it, it brings a little sunshine to their day.
This may sound corny, but my idea of success is when someone thanks me for my art. Or when they say they gifted one of my pieces to a loved one and they adored it. That’s how I feel like I’m successful as an artist. I feel like my favorite artists are humble. They appreciate the people who buy their art, and they love what they do. I hope others see and feel that with me.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find a piece of my public art (a bench covered in butterflies titled, “Everything is Temporary”) in the Avondale Art Lot in Avondale Estates. I also painted street signs in Little Five Points for “Look Up L5P” as well as a street sign in Decatur for “Look Up Decatur.”
I sell my art at the Homegrown GA restaurant and Trackside Tavern.
I am also constantly participating in markets and art pop-ups in and around Atlanta. You can find out where on my website and social media pages.
I’m also posting on Instagram almost daily.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bearcakestudios.com
- Email: bearcakestudios@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/bearcakestudios
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bearcakestudios
Image Credit:
Macey Milstead
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