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

Hi James, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I worked at Jeff Koons studio in New York for over 5 years and from there was hired by another art finishing studio in Brooklyn, NY. After some time in that position, it became apparent that I had acquired the skill set to start my own shop, and the need was there.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Art school for me always was a way to find a career in the art world. Not necessarily selling art in galleries, but finding a productive way of maintaining a good quality of life with a specialty in art. I work in a very niche industry of helping artists realize a final work of art by using means that most artists don’t have access to.

Through experience of working with artists, galleries and (art) fabricators, as well as embarking on technical training programs outside of work, I felt I developed a foundation to start my own business–Archetype Paint Studio.

My father was a small business owner. My brothers and I all grew up observing that mentality and all the stress it brought my dad too. That likely set us all up for that direction in life. Once I decided to start my own shop, it was a long, painful, and costly process. The shop started as a 350 square foot studio In Brooklyn and is now a 4,000 square foot facility in Philadelphia. Persistence and perseverance while never sacrificing the quality of work is what kept the business afloat when work got thin. The idea of aggregating minor gains over a long period of time is what keeps the business growing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a father of two young girls and still happily married after 10 years. As such, I rarely go out in the city. Some spots I do find enjoyment in–whether by myself or with family–are the Philadelphia’a Art Museum or restaurants in the trendy Fishtown neighborhood. The food and coffee in Philly are great.

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 wonderful, and supportive wife, Loren.

Website: www.archetypepaintstudio.com

Instagram: @archetypepaintstudio

Image Credits
Galen Gibson Cornell

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