Today we’d like to introduce you to Remy Wharry.
Hi Remy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an artist all of my life. Drawing with pencils has always been my first love; drawing here and there at home is just a hobby. Once I started to showcase my work with the encouragement of family and friends, I began to explore acrylic paints. My very first art showcase was in 2017. Once I began to share my work on social media, I started to get several people reaching out to me for commissions and illustrations of children’s books. On top of painting and drawing for others, I was in a tumultuous relationship and became a new mom in 2019. I quickly became burned out and took a couple of years off from being an artist for my mental health.
Fast forward to 2021, after going through the thick of COVID, searching for my purpose in different career paths, I picked up a brush again. I was completing my first piece in about 2 years, and that piece sold to celebrity and socialite India Westbrooks. I was ecstatic. I felt like I found my passion again. From there, I finished my nursing degree, graduated with my BSN, and got to work. I got my LLC, business bank account, etc. I’ve continued to work as a full-time nurse and part-time artist doing commissions, art vendor events, networking, promoting myself on social media, showcasing my work in galleries across the US, speaking with young students about being an artist, one on one art tutoring sessions, and even completed several murals across the city. I have just received a studio residency at the Interurban Art House in Overland Park, KS, and have been working behind the scenes to create my line of art supplies. I’m moving toward becoming an official full-time artist and entrepreneur, and I’m so excited to continue my journey and share my knowledge with others along the way!
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My struggles have gotten in my way. I let the opinion of others and my inner negative thoughts sway me into not pursuing my passion for the arts full-time. I never saw a black woman artist making a living doing art full-time. The power of social media connections I’ve built with other local artists and artists from across the nation has opened me up to exploring new positive perspectives on being a successful full-time artist and entrepreneur. I also needed to set better boundaries with my clients. I have always been a “yes” girl. Agreeing to complete things knowing that I did not want to, it did not align with my vision, I did not have the time for it, or they may have had other motives to try to get over on me. I soon learned and am still learning how to communicate with clients professionally, set boundaries, require deposits, invoices, contracts, etc. It’s a life changer when you take your business seriously because it requires that others also respect your business.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a visual artist working with several mediums, such as acrylic paints, graphite pencils, watercolors, oil pastels, and collage work. I specialize in portrait work by painting human beings in their purest self. I enjoy painting black life, portraits, and whatever comes to me in my creative spirit. I am known for my realistic portrait work and for being a storyteller of African American life. I am proud of my growth overall as an artist and entrepreneur. I am taking time to practice my skills and teach myself about the business side of being an artist. I’ve talked with other artist friends about our “styles” and what we notice about our work. They have highlighted for me that my work captures the movement and fluidity of the main characters. It humanizes them and my lighting, which I’ve worked so hard to pay more attention to. I can capture different lighting to highlight certain features, emotions, and moods. Overall, I work to be the best version of myself when working with others. Whether it be a commissioned piece, a collaboration, or being hired for a mural, I take the time to truly get to know my client and their vision and work to make it come to life for them. I truly enjoy moving my clients emotionally when completing pieces for them.
What makes you happy?
I’m a mother, first and foremost, so seeing my daughter happy makes me happy. I enjoy exposing her to different experiences to see what she likes. When I see that spark and joy from that exposure when she laughs and smiles at me, when she kisses me and says, “I love you, Mommy,” it’s a feeling that can’t truly be described. I’m honored to be the mother of such a strong-willed, outspoken, and creative daughter.
Working in my studio also makes me happy. Not only am I working on art, which in and of itself fills my cup, but I’m also working in a space I’ve prayed for for years. I’ve always wanted a special space dedicated to my art, and finally, having that space means the world to me. Moving from working on the carpeted floors of my home, trying not to get paint everywhere, to being in a space where messes don’t matter, everyone around me is doing art, and there’s support and resources there are just amazing.
Contact Info:
- Website: reabbie.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/reabbie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reabbie
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/reabbie
