Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Candace Greer Leger. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Candace , thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Hi there! My optimism seems to have always been built within my inner self but I really had to grasp it when I faced a huge health crisis in my mid 30’s. I have always been one of those empathetic people with a big heart and a love for the sea, sunshine, children, animals, painting, laughter and just happy things. But when I truly faced a health crisis that altered my whole outlook and trajectory, it forced me to hit a bottom of sorts. I had to dig my heels in and work really hard to climb out situation I was facing. The whole process was extremely painful and the scariest thing I had ever faced in my life. I threw myself back into my work and used painting as a way to heal like I have most of my life. It has always been so therapeutic for me. I found an incredible community of positive, spiritual and grounded people that helped me. And I was so lucky to have an incredibly supportive network of family, friends, colleagues, etc. that helped me along the way. Adversity taught me the most incredible lessons in humility, perseverance, faith and trust in a higher power. It also taught me that I am truly am a creative and absolutely need to have some type of creative work always current in my life. I thought I was a positive person before I went through this, but I really discovered the power of optimism and positive thinking when I came out on the other side. Your glass maybe empty at times but at least you have a glass to fill and fill!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Candace and I have been painting professionally for the past 10 years. I became a full time artist in 2020 during covid and my business is Candace Greer Fine Art. I draw my inspiration from the coast, water, nature and my travels. I work with a variety of mediums including high flow and fluid acrylics, oils, watercolors, gouache, charcoal and oil pastels. Using layering principles through out my work, I usually begin my process with shapes and negative space. My work has always been very healing, therapeutic and almost a spiritual practice for me. I truly use my work as a healing modality and so many of my collectors tell me that my work is very calm, soothing and peaceful. I will be releasing a new collection of larger, coastal abstracts in mid October and I am so excited about it. And I am also working on public relations and branding campaign with a creative agency that really has helped me focus on bigger goals and dreams. Big things are in the works and that is always inspiring!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Education: I got my undergraduate degree in English literature and took several art classes in the first couple of years of college in graphic design. I also got my MBA with a concentration in marketing and that business education has served me well in the years before I started my business in sales, marketing and public relations. And then was such a great foundation for starting my own business. I continue to take classes, do workshops, travel, etc. to grow and learn to be a better artist, business owner, wife, bonus mom, daughter, friend, human being, etc. Being a life long learner is so important to our personal and professional growth.
2. Work ethic – I learned my work ethic from my parents and extended family. It takes an incredible amount of blood, sweat and tears to be successful in any endeavor but especially owning your own business. There are literally times of feast or famine and you can’t count on a stable paycheck or anyone else to catch the slack so you have to pray, hustle, work hard and believe in yourself!
3. Never ever give up! I have had so many roadblocks during my career as an artist like most people and there were so many times that I wanted to just quit and give up. But I kept going back to the paintbrush and canvas. Painting and creating is truly what I am passionate about and what brings me joy. I also believe that we are all given special gifts from above and mine was to create and try to make the world a little more beautiful and peaceful.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Social Media! I was able to connect with new buyers and sell my most of my work for the past several years over all the social media platforms. But I noticed last year that things started to slow down with the economy and the change in the algorithm. I also realized that I was spending an inordinate amount of time videoing, photographing, editing, planning, etc. for my website, marketing and social media platforms that I was suffering from burnout. I was also not seeing any results and spending less and less time creating. So I finally made the decision to invest in an incredibly talented creative agency that is helping me and coaching me through all these challenges. It has been such a breath of fresh air and given me so much more time to do what I love – paint and create!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.candacegreer.com
- Instagram: @candacegreerart
- Facebook: @candacegreerfineart
Image Credits
Andrea Kinnear Photography & Design, LLC
www.andreakinnear.com
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