Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Smith.
Hi Andrea, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
7th & Palm is an eco-friendly collection of artwork, stationery and greeting cards, gifts, and home goods designed by artist Andrea Smith.
Based in Bluffton, South Carolina, I created the 7th & Palm brand intentionally with bold purpose. Committed to leading by example with a 1/1/1 giving pledge, I strive to change how we think about business by prioritizing giving back to the local and global community with time, profits, and more. This empowers you to support small businesses, vote with your dollar, and make a difference by giving back through your purchases.
Born and raised in the midwest, my husband and I left city life in our mid-twenties in search of fresh air and water views, happily calling the Lowcountry coast home now for 11+ years. When not creating, I love spending time with our two rescue pups, kayaking, swimming, traveling, and taking copious pictures of palm trees.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! I think anyone who owns their own business knows how hard it is to wear multiple hats—and you often don’t get to spend as much time creating as you think you will! It’s been a learning curve, but learning how to do my own bookkeeping, building my own full e-commerce website, balancing wholesale versus online sales versus in-person markets, and so much more, has taught me to value and appreciate all the successes (and failures) along the way so much more.
I’m committed to building the business without investment capital, so it’s also been a slower on-ramp as a result. But I’ve discovered that each victory is a little bit sweeter because I did the hard work and built something from scratch.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After 16+ years of professional design and marketing experience, I left the corporate world to launch my own business, 7th & Palm, in 2015. Working full-time as an artist, freelance graphic designer, and owner of a paper goods product line, I showcase my art and illustration work through eco-friendly greeting cards, painted canvas, leather goods, gift items, and more.
My current abstract work in acrylics and mixed media is influenced by the history and practice of drawing, photography, sculpture, metalwork, and various painting mediums including watercolors, oils, and acrylics. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the coast, my current work with acrylics pulls from deep emotion, a love of the water, playful texture, and pattern, and is featured in collections around the country including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and beyond.
I’m most proud of what I call my “everyday art,” which are smaller pieces of useable artwork that take the form of ornaments, smaller canvases, keychains, bookmarks, and more. They’re all original, hand-painted pieces, but by providing smaller, more affordable, and accessible items that can be integrated into daily life, I’m hoping to cultivate new art collectors that will eventually seek out my work to find larger, special pieces for their home. And even if not, the smaller pieces are meaningful, handcrafted objects that make beautiful gifts that can be enjoyed at any price range—and we all definitely need more joy and reasons to smile every day!
I’m currently an exhibiting artist at the Art League of Hilton Head and participate in local markets, pop-ups, and art shows around the Lowcountry regularly. You can view more of my work at 7thandpalm.com.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I’ve had amazing mentors in the form of many teachers, family, friends, and relatives throughout the years who helped develop my skills and encouraged my work. My parents are music educators, so in being raised to play and appreciate music (and all the arts) at home and at school, choosing a creative career was fully supported and encouraged. I have a BFA in Visual Communication and gained lots of background experience with different art forms and foundational subjects through my degree.
As with most careers, I’ve learned so much on the job as well—my project management, design, marketing, and business skills were developed by multiple mentors, bosses, and coworkers over the years, and I think it gave me a big advantage when I decided to go solo. I had the opportunity to work for a large software company from startup to massive growth, and the opportunity to work successfully with our clients—including multiple Fortune 5oo companies—as a young designer gave me confidence, experience, and expertise that I’m so thankful for.
My clients today, both of my art and design work, are wonderful—I’ve been blessed with a variety of businesses and customers who have valued my work, purchased it, commissioned pieces, and helped me grow through referrals. I’m so thankful to be able to do what I love for a living!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: 7thandpalm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7thandpalm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/7thandpalm
Image Credits
Carrie Friesen Photography ( for a&b-57.jpg)
