We were lucky to catch up with Eve Tiday recently and have shared our conversation below.
Eve, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic stems from a desire to accomplish meaningful work for myself and other’s sake. The basis of this mindset arose while I was growing up in the Bay Area, California. I pursued drawing as a skill because I could use it to communicate ideas that impacted me. Out of all the subjects I learned in school, I felt art showed the most tangible progress, which motivated me to continue studying it. I chose to go to college and get a degree in Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design, chasing that love of creation and turning it into a career. I find that everything I work on, even if it doesn’t meet my standards of success, is another challenge I have overcome and counts towards my forward progress.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started my small business, Tiday Art, creating artwork featuring people and places. In March of 2024, I became a resident artist at The Millworks in Harrisburg, making sales out of my studio there. I chose to focus on portraits and landscapes because I find them meaningful ways to capture the beauty of my community. The traditional media I use most frequently include oil paint, watercolors, colored pencils, and ink. I also paint digitally with the software Procreate and Adobe Photoshop. In addition to selling original artwork and prints, I also take commissions.
Another facet of Tiday Art is my greeting card brand Papa’s Letters, which features a variety of watercolor prints. I created the brand for my dad, who sent me letters weekly in college. Communicating through snail mail became how we stayed close to each other during the COVID-19 pandemic since I was in Florida and he was in California. Creating my line of cards was a way for me to help others share the joy of sending and receiving letters.
My YouTube channel, Eve Tiday Art, is a great way to learn about my process. I make monthly videos featuring topics like sketchbook tours, time-lapses of my digital paintings, and behind-the-scenes videos focused on aspects of running my business. My Instagram @eve.ningstar is also a great way to keep up with what I’m working on.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
It may be surprising to hear that the three most important skills I have used on my journey so far are not art-related. There is a misconception that all you need for a career in the arts is the ability to create high-quality work. I have found that the skills I use to get my work in front of customers and keep pushing through tough times have been just as valuable as my ability to paint.
The first impactful skill has been the ability to teach myself how to do things through my research. For example, when you encounter a wall learning a difficult software such as Adobe Photoshop, figuring out which keywords you need to search up to find answers is a lifesaver. Keep an extensive bookmark list of websites and forums that helped you in the past.
The second piece of advice is to remain perseverant. The arts are a notoriously unstable career path, so there will be times when things get tough. Be patient with yourself when results don’t turn up right away. Stay consistent in your art production to ensure you continue growing and have up-to-date examples of your work to show prospective employers.
Finally, no matter what kind of art you are pursuing, you must be able to take critique. At the beginning of college, it was hard to listen to professors list all the mistakes in my art in front of my peers. I had to adapt my mindset to feel less personal about my artwork so that I could see it objectively. Stay humble enough to know your work can always be improved and wise to know when it is time to move on to the next piece.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who has a story to tell. Perhaps they want a portrait of their child to brighten their day or to celebrate a favorite part of their garden in a landscape painting. I want my clients to bring home a piece of art that reminds them how beautiful life is.
I also enjoy doing commercial art, such as apparel and website design, so if you are a company looking for freelancers, I would be happy to work with you.
If you have an idea in mind, please get in touch with me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.evetidayart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eve.ningstar/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evetidayart/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYAF_v2EZsbD_IKx57Zr3Vg
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