Community Highlights: Meet Alicia Holman of Twisted Moon Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Holman.

Hi Alicia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Twisted Moon Studios is the result of almost 15 years of day dreaming, late night learning, spilled paint, crumpled paper, broken crayons and the reminder that we live with what we create and that creation can be beautiful!

Alicia, the owner of Twisted Moon Studios, began as a self taught artist. She began her artistic journey as a child playing with cameras and posing younger family members as models and practicing her sketching skills by copying the side of her Disney VHS tapes.

After college, Alicia faced a life changing moment that led her to the doorsteps of an art center that taught art to adults with special/different needs. Spending time working at this center, Alicia knew art was life changing and it had to be a part of her journey as an adult. She began dabbling in various styles of art in her free time while making photography her chosen career. While raising a family and homeschooling her children, Alicia found ways to incorporate art into her daily life and the lives of her children.

With the endless support and encouragement of her husband and children, every opportunity as a camp counselor, art teacher, private tutor, homeschool mom, etc has allowed Alicia to bring her dream of owning her own studio to life. Utilizing years of learned skills and knowledge, she has built a unique place that cultivates a safe place to explore creativity and brings art to her community. Now holding a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and an Associate’s degree in Art, Alicia strives to show her community how therapeutic the act of creating can truly be.

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I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I would say it has been a winding road. But as with all great journeys, roads bend and curve; we find dead ends and turn back around. Sometimes the roads are paved by those who have gone before us, and sometimes we are crawling through undisturbed soil, carving a new path.

For me, my road was never a straight road to success. I had to find the artist inside me before I could help others find their artist. Because art can be so personal and intimate, it can be hard to let yourself be vulnerable enough to share it with the world. I had to take those risks so others could feel safe to do the same. When I wanted to pursue additional education in art by working towards a masters in Art Therapy, I lacked the formal studio credit hours in art within a academic setting. So I went back to college in my 40’s to purse an art degree. It felt backwards to have my art business and then get an art degree. But, alas, that is how the most worthy journeys go. Roads have sudden turns, detours happen, routes get re-calculated.

My art comes in a variety of forms. Sure, I can paint. I can draw. I can write. I can take amazing photos. But I also find my art in crafting the atmosphere where people want to come to find their inner artist. I create a safe place for people who need art to help them through life. We have people who come in because they just need a little fun in their lives. We have people who come to us to build their own foundational skills. We have people who come to us because art helps them with their educational challenges or learning challenges. We have people who come to us who have trauma and want to use art as a way to process it and heal from it. So, I credit my own struggles in my life for allowing me to be empathetic to the needs of our community and help cultivate creative ways to help those who come to our studio use art to fill whatever gap they have in their lives.

So, no the road has not always been smooth. My own personal journey with trauma and life altering experiences have molded me as an artist over many years. But through my struggles, I found the strength to help others with theirs. That is definitely a road worth taking.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the owner and visionary of Twisted Moon Studios, a local art studio in Bogart, GA. Twisted Moon Studios is a place for the community to come and explore their own creativity in a variety of ways. We offer weekly art classes for kids, workshops for adults, drop in activities, paint your own pottery, canvas painting, paint and sip style workshops, summer camps, birthday parties, and so much more.

While there are other studios out there, Twisted Moon Studios is unique in that we offer it all in one spot. If someone wants to learn clay, we have clay classes. If someone wants to schedule a paint and sip workshop for their friends or office party, we offer that as well. Kids come to us weekly to learn and develop their art skills from foundational drawing skills to digital art to learning to throw pottery on a pottery wheel.

I take pride in knowing that I built Twisted Moon Studios from the ground up. It isn’t a franchise. There was no playbook handed to me on how to do it. Every part of the studio is authentically built from trial and error, listening to our community, passionately wanting to share art with others, and stubborn commitment to building a lasting pillar in our community. I take pride in knowing that we are known for being a safe place for marginalized groups and individuals, those with special and different needs, those with neurodivergent minds, and everyone in between.

My ultimate goal for Twisted Moon Studios is for people to hear the studio name and know that it is a place that welcomes everyone. I truly believe that art is for everyone and that is the brand motto that I build into every decision. I want people of all walks of life, struggles, journeys and paths to walk through our studio doors and know we will meet them where they are at in their creative journey and help them grow from there. I want them to know that my ultimate goal and marker of success is whether or not someone left our studio feeling valued and connected. I want people to see how incredibly powerful art can be in improving our daily lives. Twisted Moon Studios is built on these principles and these principles will always remain the driving purpose of our brand and business.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
If someone wants to become an artist–start! Pick up the pencil, the brush, the camera, etc. Begin creating. Then put yourself out there. Build a strong brand for yourself. I know that can be hard for some artists. But find your tribe. Follow other artists that inspire you. Reach out to them. Partner with them. I am a strong advocate for supporting local artists and small businesses. For me, when I can partner with another small business or local artist, I get excited. I know I will be able to bring them exposure and in the process the studio grows too. So I utilize local networking opportunities. I joined our Chamber of Commerce. I am on the Women in Business committee within the Chamber. I look for opportunities to partner with other businesses and individuals in a meaningful way that will help both parties grow. Take risks–get out there. Visit museums, visitor centers, small towns, big towns, send the DM to the page you have been following and would love to collaborate with. The worst that could happen is someone says no to you. Lots of no’s may happen before you hear the first yes, but someone is out there waiting to say yes to you. Find them.

As for mentors, surround yourself with those you respect, admire, and see traits in them that you would like to reflect in yourself. Find people who allow you to ask questions so you can learn. Be willing to exchange some of your time and resources for someone else’s knowledge. Sometimes the best advice doesn’t come from landing your dream job or opportunity. Sometimes the best advice comes from the late nights staying a few minutes later to help someone finish a task or meet a deadline. So, build your own brand of being dependable, reliable and coachable. Mentors are observant. They can see potential in someone.

And if you still find yourself unsure of what to do next or where to turn your energy, reach out to me. I love mentoring and giving people a chance to walk their own creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twistedmoonstudios.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twistedmoonstudios00/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twistedmoonstudios

Image Credits
Alicia Holman