Meet Holly McMahon

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Holly McMahon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Holly below.

Hi Holly, 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.

I have come to perceive imposter syndrome as a chronic flare-up, and not something that I have completely overcome. I always have to remind myself that growing and healing is not always linear and feeling secure as an artist is the same. It has always been hard for me to take up space, to feel comfortable or worthy of other people’s time and attention. There is nothing more vulnerable to me than putting my art out there for people to see. When I first started out, it felt like the ultimate audacity to think that anyone would even consider purchasing something I had created. The biggest way to kill your self-esteem and creative drive is comparison. Comparing yourself to another artist is never going to lead to productivity or creative growth. There is a huge difference between looking at someone’s market display and getting inspired to try something you had never thought about before, and thinking “oh god, their setup is so much better than mine, I look like a joke compared to their booth”. For me, the local art community has been an incredibly supportive resource for growing and learning. Every artist I’ve spoken to has been nothing but enthusiastic and helpful. As I started making more sales and booking more markets and events my belief in my abilities started to increase. Consistent sales did wonders for that little voice in the back of my head that tells me to give up, that nobody cares about my art. This is a double-edged sword unfortunately. Every compliment and purchase was a high like nothing I had experienced. On the flipside, every market where I lost money or someone made a negative comment was a crack in my chest that allowed the creeping dread of imposter syndrome to consume my thoughts. That rollercoaster of emotions becomes exhausting over time. It sounds cheesy but you really have to learn to believe in yourself and your vision. You have to believe in yourself even when sales are low and you’re struggling. That’s when you’re most vulnerable to that feeling that you don’t belong, that you’ve been somehow scamming everyone into thinking your art is worthwhile. Over time I’ve started to identify a few key supports that keep me grounded. I surround myself with friends, family, and other artists that also believe in my abilities and will catch me when I stumble. I keep very careful records of what I have created over the past year and what I have sold. Often looking at hard data is enough to keep that voice at bay. Looking back at photos of older pieces and setups will often remind me how far I have come. I’m now at a point where I know and accept that those feelings will come creeping in when I’m vulnerable. I just have to take a deep breath and keep moving.

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?

My name is Holly McMahon and I’ve been developing my art business for the last few years. I actually went to school for film production. I always knew I would end up being some sort of artist. I always had a love for storytelling, film, and the arts in general. I took an oil painting class my last semester before graduation on a whim. I ended up falling in love with it and continued to paint after graduation. Film will always be my first love and I hope to make more short films in the future, but painting started to consume my life and free time. I got into a small art show in Troy and after that I started looking more into local markets and art fairs. I switched over to watercolors and gouache to save money and in the last few years I have started making digital art primarily for my stickers. I owe a lot to the Troy Farmers Market and the Big Gay Market in Albany for taking a chance on me and giving me a platform to reach more people and grow my following. As a fellow lover of art, I try to create products that are accessible and affordable for anyone who wants to add some weird art to their space. I focus primarily on selling prints and stickers of my original paintings. I am always on the lookout for oddities and halloween or night markets as that is usually more my crowd. Holly Berry is art for the weirdos, the nerds, people who are unapologetically queer. I am a shameless nerd and I have started making more fanart of media that has made an impact in my life. I’ve started branching out into anime and comic cons and have met so many lovely supportive people. 2024 was a big year for me as I left my full-time job and decided to make being an artist my priority. It has been the most exciting and scary year of my life. I am grateful to Hangin’ Handmade Vendor Boutique and Cafe Euphoria in Troy for making my art available to more people. I have a lot of goals and hopes for 2025. I’m working on generating more online sales and I am looking more into wholesale opportunities. I also have a lot of fears for the coming year as things get more unsafe for my queer friends and family, but I take comfort that I can continue to cultivate a brand and space that stands for what I believe in.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

A willingness and drive to learn is really what got me here. I learned some color mixing and technique basics in the class I took but that only got me so far. I spent hours researching, trying new mediums, watching youtube process videos from other artists, and following artists on social media. Take advantage of any opportunities you can. Participate in that figure drawing event, look for free workshops and tutorials online. Having a base knowledge of composition from my time as a film student also helped me think about paintings as a carefully composed shot. I think taking the time to learn composition will never be time wasted. Patience has played a major part in my time as an artist. I don’t consider myself a patient person and often wished to be at that perfect point of “success”. Taking the time to appreciate my accomplishments and enjoy the journey has really changed how I view the concept of success. I am more skilled and capable than I was a year ago and that is because I consistently worked towards my goals and trusted the process. To anyone starting out, practice art every day in even the smallest ways you can manage. Engage with other artists that post tutorials and tips. Educate yourself with free resources online and trust in yourself. Understanding that things take time has really helped me keep going even when things feel hard.

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?

As a full-time artist, financial struggles have been my biggest obstacle. Art supplies, ordering stickers and prints, displays for retail locations, market and vendor fees, etsy listing and selling fees add up quickly, and that’s just a few of my expenses. I have been cutting down on costs by printing and cutting my stickers at home. That still required an up-front cost for the two machines, but over time they will pay for themselves and will save me a good amount of money. This time of year is particularly difficult as online sales slow down and markets are less frequent. Often markets and craft fairs for the summer are also looking for your deposit early in the year so it’s definitely a balancing act. I am looking into grants for small businesses that assist with some of the costs during the slower months. I am also looking into wholesaling more products with vendor stores across the country. Even when things are tight, I remember to trust the process and believe in my goals. I genuinely can’t imagine myself doing anything else and I’m supporting myself with my art which is something I never dreamed I would achieve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shophollyberry.etsy.com
• Instagram: @holly_berry_art
• Other: Cara: @hollyberry
  TikTok: @shophollyberry
  Alignable: Holly Berry
  Ko-Fi: Ko-fi.com/hollyberryshop