Today we’d like to introduce you to Colette Walters
Hi Colette, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Several years ago, I made a conscious decision to take control of my own success, seeking more autonomy than a traditional office job could offer. After months of research on how to turn my art into a small business, I launched Fogbarrow. While I had studied art in college and had been drawing passionately since grade school, I still didn’t feel fully prepared.
Imposter Syndrome holds so many of us back. To grow my skills and confidence, I enrolled in online courses (which I continue to do). I began selling my work online and at local art markets, and I was fortunate to be creating “cottagecore” art before many really recognized the term. Over time, I shifted from farmers markets to more specialized events, such as “goblin markets,” “punk flea markets,” and the Oddities & Curiosities Expo. I had found my audience.
When the world began to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic, people were more invested in curating their home spaces and eager to engage in events again. This shift greatly contributed to the growth of my business, allowing me to transition to a full-time business. These shows also introduced me to Austin, a city I quickly grew to love, and I am now proud to call it my new home base.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being your own boss has it’s own struggles. Small businesses, like plants, need nurturing and hard work. It took a while to find my footing, and figure out what made sense for my brand. Originally, I sold a variety of items within my aesthetic, but eventually streamlined to products featuring my designs, such as prints, stickers, stationery, and accessories. I also learned through networking and communication which shows were worth the time and travel to attend. I’ve ironed out a lot of the kinks, but I support I’m still figuring out how to make the taxes part of things more bearable.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work, at its core, captures the life cycles and mysteries of the natural world. I have a BA in anthropology, where I primarily studied the folklore and religion of several cultures. These interests heavily influence my art, where, through watercolor and digital mediums, I try to capture elements of life and death. My pieces are full of patterned greenery surrounding mushrooms, bones, and the strange creatures of folklore around the world. People seem the enjoy the soft, cozy moods that I apply to the unusual or macabre.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Nature! If I can curl up with a book and a cup of tea in the forest, I will lose all track of time. The smell of soil, the sounds of birds, the parades of little creatures in the undergrowth–it’s absolute bliss.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.fogbarrow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fogbarrow/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fogbarrow/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Fogbarrow
Image Credits
Photos taken & edited by Colette Walters
