Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Dumas.
Hi Valerie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Painting is my side hustle. My full-time job is owning & running (11 years now) a small lifestyles boutique in a suburb outside of Atlanta called Gillyweeds. Apart from clothing, I sell several home decor pieces, and I just wasn’t finding the artwork that I liked to sell in my shop. All the “art” in the retail shops near me were either churches, angels, cows, or chickens. I do NOT have a farmhouse store!! I am a Floridian who is landlocked in Atlanta, so I crave bright tropical colors. As I mentioned before, I just couldn’t find the artwork I was wanting to put in my shop, so I was determined to make my own with bright & bold island colors.
I’ve been painting coastal landscapes with Encaustics wax since 2010, and I had always wanted to branch out into acrylic painting. So, during covid, I made it my goal to learn everything I could about abstract acrylic painting and started to get comfortable with the medium. I began selling my artwork regularly at Gillyweeds and had a gallery in Apalachicola, FL. Contact me to showcase my artwork there. I did that for a little while, but my husband and I have always had the dream to live on Tybee Island, so I decided to take all my art out of Apalachicola and find a new “gallery” in Savannah to exhibit my abstract paintings.
Since being a contributing artist at the Savannah Gallery of Art, I now have collectors from all over the world discover and purchase my artwork. One day, we will become homeowners in Tybee, but in the meantime, I enjoy my bi-monthly trips to the gallery to bring new work.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of the struggles along the way for any artist would be self-doubt and having no confidence in your work. The “imposter” syndrome is very real!!! And to be honest, Abstract Art looks easy from the outside. If I had money for every time I heard, “I can make that,” I would already own my Tybee Beach home!!! So, I am fortunate enough to have found a home in Savannah with like-minded artists and friends.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Although I do still paint with Encaustic wax, my current works are acrylic abstracts. I like to paint pieces that would fit in any home decor whether it be traditional, modern, or contemporary design. Bright colors would be my speciality! I try to infuse a tropical style into my abstract art, drawing inspiration from my Floridian roots, as well as my time spent living abroad near the beaches of Antigua, Philippines, Jamaica, and the South of France. I am the most proud when my customers tell me that my artwork makes them feel “happy.” My ultimate dream would be to see my work in a design magazine one day.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Actually, I’ve recently started listening to more art podcasts like Honest Art with Jodie King, Art2Life with Nicholas Wilton, and Art Juice with Louise Fletcher & Alice Sheridan. I also listen to business podcasts for Gillyweeds, such as The Retail Whore with Michelle Sherrier and Crystal Uncorked with Crystal Vilkaitis. You’re never too old to learn something new!
Pricing:
- Sigmund the Sea Monster, 30″ x 30″ $900
- Go Tell It on the Mountain, 24″ x 24″ $650
- Under the Banana Tree, 36″ x 36″ $1295
- More or Less, 24″ x 24″ $650
- Lowcountry Living, 16″ x 20″ $325
Contact Info:
- Website: www.valeriedumasart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriedumasart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vkdumasart/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ValerieDumas
