Meet Grace Wilbanks

We were lucky to catch up with Grace Wilbanks recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

A Tiny Mustard Seed of Faith

When I started my art career, I had a mustard seed of faith that if I entered one of my collages in an exhibition that something might come of it. Acting on that tiny bit of faith has opened up a whole new world for me, even if I was rejected from that first exhibition. I went to the opening anyway, and I stuck around to meet the juror for the show. He was an established artist and seasoned art professor. He encouraged me to enter more exhibitions and jump with both feet into the art world.

In the two years since that first “no,” I joined an art collective, traveled to New York City for an exhibition and participated in many local shows and completed several commissions.

Tons of Help

My first commission was creating an 8×8 foot outdoor collage, that was only possible because I asked for help. I had never worked with wood panels before nor made an outdoor piece. So, I asked for help from my art friends, the wonderful staff at my local art supply store, (shout out Sam Flax Atlanta), and even Home Depot employees to figure out how the paper collage would survive outdoors. At one point, I almost used boat sealant! I’m happy to report the collage is alive and well, still sealed and on display today.

Confidence

I had to accept that just because I didn’t go to art school, doesn’t mean I’m not an artist. Whether I have the confidence to call myself an artist or not, I am. For years, I was the only person standing in my own way. There’s no such thing as “art police,” and they certainly weren’t going to bust down the door of my studio and declare, “you’re not an artist!” Since I’ve gained the confidence in my own work, I’ve unlocked a whole new level of creativity and passion for my art.

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

I make collages out of magazines, photographs, advertisements, restaurant menus… anything I can get my hands on. National Geographic magazines are my favorite. I enjoy combining nature scenes with vintage advertisements featuring women because it not only makes for some appealing visuals, but I like to think it gives the original artwork new life and new freedom.

I love collage as a medium because it can be applied to any subject matter. I’ve had the opportunity to be commissioned to make collages of my viewers’ favorite things. I’ve done pieces about rock bands, sports teams, sea life – it’s all equally chaotic and satisfying.

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. Willingness
2. Ambition
3. Confidence

I’ve learned that in order to grow, I have to accept opportunities that come my way… No matter how busy, tired, etc. I am. I like to think opportunities come into view for a reason, and I shouldn’t let them pass me by if they made it this far. Be willing to say ‘yes,’ even when you don’t know how you’ll pull it off. Even after rejections, be ambitious to land a ‘yes’. Lastly, even if you don’t feel qualified, be confident in knowing you’re there because someone else believes in you… You might as well believe in yourself!

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I would love to connect with any small business owners who would like to collaborate on artwork for their businesses. Please send me a DM through my Instagram account: Grace_Wilbanks_Art_ or fill out the contact form on my website www.gracewilbanksart.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gracewilbanksart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace_wilbanks_art_/