We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Jane Check and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary Jane, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
While I’ve been painting for over 20 years and selling work occasionally, I was really spending that time looking to improve my skills and find my niche as an artist. Luckily, I finally found my style during the pandemic around the same time my youngest child was starting school. I really started focusing on the business side of my art because the alternative was getting a job. I started marketing myself, having booths at juried art fairs in my state, making print reproductions of my work, and getting to know the local art scene.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I refer to my style as contemporary whimsey. A few years ago, I painted a lion lying on a stack of pancakes on a whim. It got a great response so I knew I had found my niche. Now I pretty much exclusively paint scenes with animals surrounded by food, flowers, and other objects. I like to play with scale, and shrink down the animals. My art often includes humor and puns as titles. It’s very unique and I have a lot of fun coming up with concepts and layouts.

I discovered art fairs while looking for ways to expose the public to my art, and of course, make a living at it. I’m not referring to big, gallery art fairs like Art Basel and the Armory Show, but smaller juried shows that exist all over the country in downtowns and parks. I primarily exhibit at these fairs because I get to keep all my profit minus show expenses, and I actually get to speak with the public and my patrons. I plan on doing some gallery shows in the future, but right now I’m enjoying what I do. I love nothing more than sitting in my studio and painting, but it’s important to learn the business side as well. There are so many opportunities out there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m thankful for all the support my family has given me in being able to travel for and spend time building my business.

Website: https://www.maryjanecheck.com

Instagram: @maryjanecheck_painting

Image Credits
Bethany Bandura, Cara Chambers

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