Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Jane Blankenship.
Hi Sarah Jane, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Art has always been a part of my life. I went to the Savannah College of Art & Design but always had the starving artist worry that you couldn’t make money doing hands-on art. So, instead of focusing on what brought me joy–drawing and painting, I looked for careers that made money and involved art in some way.
First, I tried computer art, seeing that Toy Story was all the rage back when I went to college (1998-2002). However, I really struggled with cartoons and “drawing” through the computer. My junior year, I switched to a major in Historic Preservation, seeing art in the beauty of the craftsmanship in historic buildings throughout Savannah, Georgia. This led to a 13-year career at the Texas Historical Commission’s Main Street Program doing computer renderings illustrating how owners could respectfully make changes to their historic buildings from color schemes to full restorations. I pushed through the “drawing” through the computer struggle and was able to make it work for buildings. Though this was a great career, I always missed drawing and painting by hand.
In 2005, I got my first opportunity to do a mural as a volunteer with Georgetown’s Main Street Program. I designed, planned, and executed the whole thing with help from local volunteers. A fellow Main Street volunteer, Gordon Baker, owned a sign shop and was able to help me figure out how to transfer the small design to a large mural. This ignited my passion for mural painting. As luck would have it, one of the volunteers worked for a company that did murals and faux painting. What, you can make money doing this?! I applied promptly and worked for them (In Your Space Collaborative Arts) for three years. In 2008, I had my first child and had to leave this painting company as the fumes and heights weren’t good for the baby. I went back to the Texas Historical Commission and the computer.
By 2016, I was itching to paint again and took the next scary step– my first job as a free-lance artist, restoring a historic “ghost sign” (vintage ad) on the side of 600 Degrees Pizzeria. From there, new jobs started to trickle in. In 2017, I took a part-time job as Georgetown’s Arts & Culture Coordinator as a transition because I still had that fear that I couldn’t make enough money for my family painting. Well, you can! One job led to another. The connections and volunteering over the years led to more projects. I’ll also give credit to “Thumbtack” which led to some early mural jobs. It only took three months in that part-time job to realize I could make a full career and business strictly out of mural and sign painting. Today, I am a full-time muralist!! I own my own business, wow!! It has never slowed down since day one, there continues to be wonderful clients to work with. I am truly fortunate and thankful! The push and encouragement from my husband and kids every step of the way has made it all possible.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has been a smooth road in terms of jobs continuing to come in. The main struggle I’ve had since day one is balance. I’d be working crazy hours trying to make projects happen and feel like I was neglecting my family and get completely worn out. This stemmed from my fear of scarcity and job security in the mural field. It also stems from my fear of letting people down. It took a couple of years for me to realize how much opportunity is out there, it’s okay to say no to projects or tell people your schedule is full for months. You’d be surprised how many people will wait if they like your work. I’d always be trying to squeeze projects in to make clients happy but it left me drained and with little work-life balance. As an artist, it’s hard to be creative when you are completely drained. I would advise others to leave gaps in between projects to reset. I have not fully mastered this, but continually try to refine my approach.
The other main struggle is business knowledge. I went to a wonderful art college, but there was NOT A SINGLE CLASS in business. The idea of working for myself was absolutely terrifying for years. That is a fear I’ve had to push through. I started with a business mentor with the SBA. I met with her several times to ask initial questions about setting up a business, paying taxes, etc. She walked me through setting up an account with the Comptroller’s office, the IRS, and some initial business strategy. Then I was off! But, there are always things along the way that will pop up that you’ve never even thought of. My first giant job, they asked for a Certificate of Insurance with them listed as a Certificate Holder with Commercial General Liability of $2,000,000 General Aggregate. What is that!!! I didn’t even have insurance at this point. Well, I spent the next day calling all sorts of insurance companies figuring out what this all meant and got it done. Now I know and have it. Another job asked me to send a proposal. Huh?? I’ve done so many one page estimate sheets, but a proposal? Well, I spent the next few hours researching what a contractor proposal is supposed to look like and made one. It got accepted! My advice would be: you aren’t going to know everything. When those huh requests come up, say I’ll get back to you right away, then research away and you can find the answer.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The majority of my work is interior commercial murals, often combined with the client’s logo. I also paint exterior commercial murals, residential murals and restore ghost signs.
I am most proud of being able to bounce off of my client’s vision to make their space work for them. I love walking into an initial client consult meeting and hearing how excited they are about transforming their space. Small business owner’s are one of my favorites. You can just hear their passion as they speak about their hopes and dreams of their business. I love being part of that passion and playing a small role in sharing their dreams with the community. I look at the space as they describe what types of things they like and I can piece it together in my mind. I like the different ideas they allow me to explore. Then I follow up with a computer rendering to show what it will look like. The many years of design on the computer have been beneficial in the end for this purpose. I take a picture of the existing space and then show the mural design(s) on the photo so they can really envision it in the space before it is painted. I am proud of being able to bend styles to fit their needs. I think what sets me apart in this aspect is approaching projects with the mindset that it is not about me, my art preferences, or my style, but it is about them and their business or home and helping make a wonderful atmosphere that they will be proud of.
Tell us a little about your upbringing or childhood.
I was born in England and moved to the U.S when I was 5. Both my parents are English, so it was always fun to have friends over to hear their accent once mine wore off. I grew up in upstate New York, my parents gave me a wonderful childhood. We loved boating on Lake Ontario and spending summer vacations in Canada or the Adirondack Mountains. Always more of an introvert, always doing art. I’d carry my dad’s old briefcase full of art supplies on vacation and sit and draw bridges or whatever I saw around me. I stitched together old placemats and binders to make my art portfolio because it was more creative than buying one. That actually sealed the deal for getting me into one college, it wasn’t even the art inside that won them over during the interview, lol. I played volleyball in high school, that was loads of fun, team sports make for so many good memories!
Pricing:
- $400/day for painting +materials +tax.
- Full wall murals typically take 1-2 weeks, base range of $2000-$4000 + tax + materials
- Logos are typically 1 day: $400 + tax + materials
- Design fee if design is not provided: $400
Contact Info:
- Email: sarahjblankenship@gmail.com
- Website: www.sarahjblankenship.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjblankenship.art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahjblankenship.art
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWmGDih_ASgAm8gxD7rNlw
