Meet Abby Schroeder | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abby Schroeder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abby, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business was not something I ever imagined for myself. If you would have told me even a year ago I’d be doing quitting my corporate job, starting an LLC, and going full time as an artist, I’d have said “absolutely not, you’re crazy.” But the thing is, once I started putting myself out there more with my art, getting more opportunities, and LOVING it, I saw no other way. I finally allowed myself to claim what I wanted, which was to be an artist. I quickly realized this is what I truly want to do: to be successful with my art, to do it full time, and to support myself with it.
Starting a business became the natural progression after that.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make intentional art to empower, uplift, and help people feel connected to themselves and to this beautiful earth we share!

I primarily focus on women subjects to show the power and strength in femininity, which is so commonly and incorrectly viewed as ‘weak.’ Women have been silenced, disrespected, and hyper-sexualized for far too long. And we are still seeing it to this DAY. It is so important to me to represent women in a way that shows their depth, their strength, and their power. I believe by uplifting female (and marginalized) voices, we uplift humanity as a whole.

I work with a few mediums, including acrylic paint on canvas and digital art that can be printed on products such as tapestries. Right now I am focusing mostly on intricately designed enamel pins that can be worn on bags, hats, vests, etc. or displayed at home on cork board. I am so excited about the ways in which I have found to be so expressive in such a small and more limited space! It has truly been a creative journey for me to learn this medium and I feel like I’m finally finding my style within it.

I honestly feel that I am still finding my way in this artist profession. It was only a couple months ago that I was still working my 9-5 as a registered dietitian for a corporate wellness clinic. And while I have been slowly building my art business over the last 3 years, I’m finally stepping into it fully and claiming it as my career. It has been thrilling and challenging all at the same time.

I overcome challenges daily, mostly within myself. I’ve noticed the biggest hurdle in being an entrepreneur and artist is the constant voice of self-doubt that inevitably worms its way in every step of the journey. It’s not about getting rid of it though. There’s no way to avoid self doubts or imposter syndrome. And the more you try to ignore it or pretend you don’t have it, the worse it gets! For me it’s about recognizing it when it comes up, and actively choosing to remind myself of where I’ve come from, the skills I have, and that I wouldn’t have these opportunities if I wasn’t ready or deserving.

You have to have those conversations with yourself, otherwise it’s just going to be an uphill battle the whole way. And personally, I did NOT quit my corporate job to be a full time artist, just to have self-doubts control me or to take my opportunities and accomplishments for granted.

I care. I care so deeply about leaving a positive impact on this world, as so many of us do. If me and my art can be a glimmer of hope or happiness for one person, I feel truly honored. That’s why I love to make my art accessible and functional! Display my art on your wall, yes, but also wear it as a statement piece pin on your favorite hat, or display it as a tapestry on your wall.

I’m so excited to continue growing my business to offer even more variety in how you can display, use or wear my art!

I have some big ideas, so stay tuned 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Salt Lake City, my two favorite activities to do are hiking and dancing.

Nature is therapy. I love being able to escape the noise of life by going into mountains, and we have some incredible hikes near Salt Lake.

As for dancing, I love frequenting the local monthly event we have in SLC called Syndicate (at Soundwell). It is a fully immersive experience with live painters and local artist vendors, with soulful electronic and live music to keep you moving all night. And it always brings the best crowd! I do live painting there sometimes, so if you go, maybe you’ll catch me there doing my thang.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner, Gene. He is my partner in every sense of the word, especially in this business. Running a business is SO much work, and you have to wear a LOT of hats. Having someone to not only bounce ideas off of but to help manage the workload is everything, and has allowed me to fast track my goal to become a full-time artist. He truly understands and shares my vision, he’s my #1 hype man, and I couldn’t be more excited for this business we are building together.

Website: https://abbylouart.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/abbylouart

Facebook: fb://group/385199322393697?ref=share

Other: tiktok.com/@abbylouart