Meet Conniie Roberts

We recently connected with Conniie Roberts and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Conniie with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I grew up in a family of farmers. Everyone works and no one complains about it. My mom moved away from the farm before she started a family and I only visited several times a year. We went each year to help with harvest and canning. I loved to scamper down the rows on my haunches picking strawberries, and pushing through the heat and tiredness at a very young age. I always wanted to keep up with the big kids and adults.

I learned a lot about process and teamwork when we canned. All the ladies (usually my mom and her five sisters, plus various cousins) started in the living room breaking green beans into bowls in our laps as we sat in a circle and chatted. As the time wore on, without speaking, the older ladies quietly got up and moved to the kitchen to get ready to cook the first batch. No one had to give orders or ask questions, they moved as one. We all ended up in the kitchen eventually and by then the cleaning tasks were taken by the younger girls. I learned to look around at what needs to be done. No one questioned the hierarchy, which is about knowing how to lead and how to follow.

I learned to love a project with a beginning, middle, and end when my mom opened a shoe store when I was in middle school. I seemed to automatically understand batching, making price tags first, unpacking the boxes and putting each price on as I stocked the shelves. I learned how to do her books, which took focus and patience but served me well in my career.

The biggest driver of my work ethic is an inborn competitive spirit, both with myself and with others. I was never the smartest or talented kid or employee, but I excelled by simply working harder, smarter and longer than others around me. I worked most of my career in male-dominated fields, always having to prove myself. And I did, progressing in my career even though I only had a semester of college. To this day I track how long I work on tasks for fun, and see if I can beat my own time.

Early in my career I began to see the financial rewards of the hard work and that was even more fun than beating my time. It is interesting that society rewards workaholics with money and praise. I still push myself in my retirement as I transition to full time artist. I still work more than eight-hour days and have never been happier!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a Chattanooga-based artist known for vibrant color and texture, and paintings that range from folk to abstract art. I work with acrylics on cradled board or gallery wrapped canvas. I have spent more than 50 years in the marketing and advertising industry, starting as a graphic designer while still in high school. My early design influences were Andy Warhol, Peter Max, and Milton Glaser. I built a successful, award-winning career as a self-taught designer and marketer, progressing to my last role as a Chief Marketing Officer for a Baltimore technology group. I transitioned to retirement in January 2024 and am happily invested in mastering fine art by taking courses and creating daily.

At the end of 2018, on a whim, I painted a few pieces for my home. I was painting in my basement, which has poor lighting and no running water. That year for Christmas I got money, and I used it to get a standing easel. I assembled in my office (which is one end of my living room) and decided that the light was amazing there and I had room to put my art supplies.

So I began to paint in earnest. Landscapes, abstract, florals, using friends’ photos for reference or my own. I decided that the best way to get better was to paint every day, so I challenged myself to paint every day for 100 days. During this time I read a dozen books, took a live online abstract course and finishing 84 paintings.

With an inventory like that, the question was what to do with them. So I applied and was accepted to the Chattanooga Market. The first couple of years were tough with not a lot of sales. Since I have a marketing background, I tracked a variety of metrics and by the 3rd year I had figured out product mix, pricing, and booth layout to make that venue work profitably.

I continue to take online courses in various techniques as I transition from graphic design and a crafty painting style to fine art and informed creation.

The most rewarding and exciting part of my new art career is seeing the response from customers and collectors. When they connect, I feel that I am fulfilling my purpose, even if they don’t purchase. I have so many personal and rewarding conversations with strangers who often become friends.

The most special part of being an artist is the community. I have made many, many dear friend with common interests, attend tons of social events, and gallery openings. We collaborate and support each other in ways that I never had in the corporate world.

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?

CURIOSITY: I was a quiet child, which meant I watched EVERYTHING! I learned about body language, story telling, carpentry and car repairs. I also read voraciously as a way to escape daily conflict that surrounded me at home. I read every book in my elementary school and had special permission to take a new book home every night. The Dewy Decimal system was the most fascinating thing I every learned because it was consistent, the rules never changed, and it gave me a sense of control in a chaotic world. I loved learning new things, figuring things out and roaming through the woods to examine nature up close.

FAST SELF LEARNER: Having dropped out of college after one semester, I had to find another way to build a career. Since I had a graphic design portfolio from my high school job at a newspaper, I was able to get jobs at agencies and then a regional advertising department for Sears at 19. I was a fast learner, only needing to be told something once. I spent a lot of time at the public library in the reference department devouring books on various topics that interested me. I was able to retain what I read without taking notes. (A great asset when “Trivial Pursuit” came out!) When I had a shot a big promotion later in my career that would take me from graphic designer to a strategic role, I had a friend check out books from the local university. I ready 4-5 text books on marketing and public relations before my interview. I got the promotion!

FOCUS and ORGANIZATION: The ability to focus on a task and to break out the steps to completion have been the cornerstone to my success, both in business and in art. I was doing project management and timelines long before this became the norm for business. I received training at one point, and I could have written that course! This innate skill is surely from the farming background and natural talent. I have always been able to produce more than my colleagues from a combination of good process and willingness to work until the job is done.

ADVICE? Ask questions, be a life-long reader/learner, be open to constructive criticism, take care of your health so that you can put in the hard work that is necessary. Make a plan everyday the night before when projects are top of mind. Use your calendar. Learn about and use tools that automate tasks. You are never too old to learn and do new things. When you lose a job, remember: You were looking for a job when you found that one. Life goes on and good things are waiting for you.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Age and health are now my biggest obstacle. I am sixty-nine, and in this new art career for six years. I have a sense of urgency every day to paint everything I want to paint before I am out of time.

Attending a weekly market and participating in a lot of shows is physically demanding. I have a lot of arthritis which can sap energy and make movement difficult. I usually have at least one surgery every year on some joint or another: several finger fusions, should replacement, rotator cuff tear. the list goes on. In order to do what I want to do, I find work arounds AND ask for help. I plan to do this for at least another ten years, maybe more! I can’t participate in every pop up and show, especially outside events. I have narrowed down what my best opportunities are and give those all of my attention.

Actions I have taken:
– Investing in a permanent booth at the weekly market, which earns me the privilege of driving my SUV into the pavilion to unload at my booth.
– Installed a stair lift for my basement stairs to protect my back and knees, and opened up the use of an amazing space for working and storage.
– I have my groceries delivered to save time/energy and to avoid heavy lifting.
– Splurging on housecleaning service to free up energy and time to focus on art.
– Lost 25 pounds which helps all the health issues.
– Fiercely protect my time from distractions and activities that do not give me joy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.connierobertsart.com
• Instagram: @connieart4sale
• Facebook: @connieart4sale
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connierobertsmarketingpro

Image Credits

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