Celebrating the launch of her new collection in our grand opening show, we sat down with with North Carolina artist Elizabeth Sheats to talk about her art journey, creative milestones, and her joyful painting style.
When did you start painting / what is your earliest memory of being creative?
I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Wilmington, NC, I was one of those kids who was always pulled aside by the art teacher and given special projects to work on for county-wide competitions and such. I ended up majoring in Studio Art at UNC-Chapel Hill kind of by default. I had every other major under the sun but once I took one class in that other field it just didn’t seem right. So, I went with my “backup” (I had been taking art classes all along as electives). After graduation, I had a “gap year” (before that term was coined) and I went to work at various art and craft schools. I first did a work-study session at Penland School of Crafts and explored metalsmithing. Then I enjoyed a work-study fall term at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Then I went to Telluride, Colorado and spent some time as a work-study student at the Ah Haa School of the Arts. That’s where I took my first watercolor workshop and fell in love with the medium.
What I haven’t mentioned is my decision to go to graduate school in interior design. Following the Colorado journey, I started school at George Washington University in DC. I went to school again thinking that “this time I’ll get a practical degree, something that will land me a job and I can start a career”. Well, I did just that. I loved the program and was able to develop my perspective drawing and rendering skills. I did some lovely presentation boards and enjoyed learning CAD and Photoshop too. Shortly after school, I got a job at an architecture firm and started to learn the complexities of interior design that I didn’t learn in the classroom.
After we got married, my husband and I started looking for jobs in NC to be closer to my family. It didn’t take long to find an interior design job in Wilmington, so I started working full-time and didn’t really pursue my art again until my kids were born. I started my art business about eight years ago, when my oldest was 1 and I found out another was on the way. I originally was just going to showcase my interior design work, but I quickly realized that art was much a more flexible profession to do from home with young kids.
When I first started working from home in 2015, I was just doing commissions for friends and family who knew that I was artistic. They would ask me to paint pictures of some local scenes in Wilmington and I had a good time doing those. I participated in some plein air events with Wrightsville Beach Museum of History and the Burgwin Wright House Museum in Downtown Wilmington. Within a few months, I had a couple gift shops selling my work and I was working with a print shop to make prints. Within that first year, I built an Etsy shop and had built up my website showcasing my work at the time. I used Facebook, Instagram, and local art shows to get my name out there. In 2019, I started an art marketing group for young women which met at my house a couple times a month. Now that group is called the “Wilmington Art Collective” and still meets monthly to discuss art marketing and business topics.
Now, my days usually consist of dropping my kids off at school, working out, and hitting the studio. Since my youngest just started Kindergarten, I’m learning how to structure my days more efficiently and get my painting time done early in the day and leaving the rest to the time after lunch before I pick up the kids. Producing content for my social media platforms, email newsletters, and website editing can really take up so much time, so I have recently hired a marketing assistant who I can delegate some of these tasks to a couple mornings a week. That’s allowing me to have more time to focus on artwork and products and less on the other stuff.
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My biggest struggle along this journey has been time commitment to my art business. My studio is still at my house, and that has its drawbacks. With three kids, things can get a little hectic, and my work sometimes takes the back burner as a result. It’s been hard to find the “off” switch with work, since I got used to using my “fringe hours” for so long.
I’m constantly feeling like I’m struggling to keep up with communications in particular. There’s at least 5 ways to contact me right now (FB messenger, IG DMs, 2 email accounts, texts, phone calls, etc.). It’s overwhelming and I need to streamline my system somehow.
I’ve also struggled with feeling like my work isn’t “gallery worthy”… a form of imposter syndrome, I guess. My style is loose and playful at times and I just think of it more as a gift-store style and not as complex as something you see at galleries. But this is ever-evolving. I’m planning to reach out to a few galleries this year now that I’m producing enough work to have the inventory necessary to support this endeavor.
One last struggle is deciding what to do next. I’m at a crossroads of sorts, feeling like I could start launching more art products. But it’s a balance because I know this would keep me from working on originals and commissions, which have been my core business for a long time.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc.
My subject matter at the moment focuses on landscapes and seascapes. I’m inspired by the Carolina coastline: water, sky, clouds, tree canopies, shadows, and textures that connect everything together. I’m not afraid to play around with mixing media and occasionally I’ll include gold leaf, paint pens, collage, palette knife, combing and other techniques.
I am regionally getting known for my landscapes, local scenes, and seascapes. When I paint, I try to do so in a style that I haven’t ever seen other artists do before. This helps make my work stand out in a very broad market.
I create heirloom house portraits which have become quite popular. My style is much more rigid for my watercolor house portraits. Because I paint so many of those, it’s made my other work much looser as a sort of release from all the itty-bitty brush strokes that go into a house portrait.
As many artists will agree, watercolor can have a mind of its own and it’s not very forgiving. Acrylics offer me way to keep working on an old watercolor and give it new life. Sometimes the painting stays relatively the same scene with new colors added on top, but sometimes I change the scene entirely. The watercolor then becomes a nice under-painting that is still visible. I like to preserve glimpses of the old painting to add depth and character to the piece. Many of my watercolor pieces are on canvas, which allows me to avoid having to frame pieces under glass. These pieces have a waxed finish which is keeps them protected.
What are you most proud of?
That’s a tough question. I thought about this a lot and I think that my goals have changed over the years, so my proud moments have changed also. When I first started painting, I was proud every time I had a show or sold a piece, or had a milestone like selling a painting for over $1000. I’m proud that I took my family in 2023 on a blowout week at Disney with my earnings from my business the previous year. I want to contribute to the family in tangible ways that I can look back on and say “Wow, that was great fun for our family and I made it happen.”
In 2024, I’m proud of myself for finally hiring someone in January to help me with the mundane work or the work that I’m not stilled at. I’m working toward having more work-life balance so I’m proud of myself when I make a change that helps me save time or effort.
This year, I’m proud of myself for doing my first solo show at a gallery in downtown Wilmington in March. I’m proud of the ways I’ve been planning out my time, preparing more for the upcoming selling seasons, and setting up systems now that will pay off over time.
What sets you apart from others?
I think my background interior design is one of the main things that sets me apart from other artists. It has helped me with having confidence in my color palette, use of texture, and framing decisions. It also has made me aware of the small decisions that I make and how they come across to my clients. The little details: the thickness of the paper for my note cards, the paper for the calendars, the packaging of my prints, etc. Those all add up to what makes my brand unique.
Looking ahead, I’m gearing up to launch a wholesale side of my business to help bring in a steadier income. I will be working to sell my calendars, note cards, and small gift items to a larger audience. I’m considering branching out into textiles, wearable art, and a broader range of gift items.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am excited to connect with anyone who finds me here and wants to learn more or keep in touch. If you are looking to use my art on your products, I’d love to collaborate! Look me up on Instagram @elizabeth_sheats_art and message me there. You can contact me on my website (click the ‘contact’ button and fill out the form) and I will reply back as soon as I can!
To support me, you can spread awareness of my artwork by telling your friends and family about me, visiting my online shop, following me on Instagram, signing up for my email list, and attending some of my upcoming shows! Encourage your family and friends to SHOP SMALL, SHOP LOCAL whenever possible. It really helps!
How do you want people to feel when they look at your art?
I started painting tree tunnels just before Hurricane Florence hit my town of Wilmington NC in September of 2018. When I returned from the 10-day evacuation, I found the tree canopy in tatters and heaps of trees and debris lining the streets. Many parts of my neighborhood will never look the same, but the live oak tunnels bounced back. They are the most resilient trees in our area. They are a symbol to me of strength and endurance through life’s storms.
Alleys of live oaks that were planted a century ago are breathtakingly beautiful. They often form natural shadowy tunnels with a light at the end. This has been a beacon of hope for me during trials. I look for tree canopies throughout the Wilmington area, and often paint them when I find them. Over the years, I realized that the tree canopy series was evolving into paintings that have a strong Christian message. They give hope and encourage the viewer to seek the light (Christ) during rocky or rough roads in their life. These paintings have served to provide hope to many during tough times.
Favorite art supplies?
I’m really digging the acryl-gouache tubes from Turner right now. It’s buttery smooth and has a nice velvet finish.
Favorite time of day to paint?
The early morning right after my kids leave for school. It helps me get more done because once lunchtime is over, I’m headed to pick them up at the bus shortly after.
Go-to painting outfit?
I wear a rainbow striped apron. It’s my signal to myself that I’m in “art mode” and I rarely wear it for anything else.
Favorite place in the world?
Bald Head Island is near and dear to my heart. I love the maritime forest there and the island has a magical slowness that gives me instant calm and rest when I’m there.
Coffee or tea?
Tea! With Caffeine, maple syrup, and almond milk added :-)