Artist Womanpreneurs You Need to Know This Holiday Season

“Shop Small” has been a thing now for a few years, and I absolutely love it! But let’s take it a step further. This holiday season, let’s make it a point to support the amazing womanpreneurs of the world! Let’s step away from the big box stores and make sure our money speaks to how much we treasure those awesome and talented women who put themselves out there in beautiful ways! And your loved ones will know they’re getting something really special!
Here are 8 womanpreneurs you NEED to know about this holiday season!

Kaleigh Anne Howe

Kaleighanneart.com
Instagram: @kaleighanneart

Ceramics

You might remember Kaleigh from being the very first Roaring Artist I featured. She has some seriously gorgeous art in the form of earrings, necklaces, bowls, and mugs, and you KNOW you’ve got that person on your list who needs it! (Or if you’re like me, everyone!) Particularly, go check out her coral series of bowls and vases. I’ve never seen anything like it!

Marrin Lee

MarrinLee.com
Etsy: MarrinLeeStudio
Instagram: @Marrin.Lee

Poetry and Painting

Marrin is a multidisciplinary artist who just happens to have published a book of her poetry surrounding her experiences in motherhood. Just about every mom on my list is getting one. Sorry to spoil the surprise, y’all! :)
I’m going to let Marrin describe her book in her own beautiful words. See if you can even not own this book after you read it!!
“Moody Nudies” is a book of poems that addresses my deeply personal experience swimming in the turbulent ocean of new motherhood. I explore my insecurities, expectations and most tender feelings while reaching for an antidote to Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. Lines were written during naps and stolen moments throughout the day (and night), often with my babe at breast. It is my fiercest desire that the words resonate with my fellow mammas, and provide comfort in shared experience . . . -Marrin”

Lauren Dawson

www.LaurenFaithDawson.com
Instagram: @laurenfaithdawson_art

Mixed Media - 100 Day Project

Besides her obvious talent, Lauren is on this list because she’s a great example of how you can buy some seriously awesome art, straight from independent artists! Lauren is doing a special 100 Project on Instagram- 100 days of nuanced and beautiful artwork, only $100 each! Check out her Instagram to see what she’s doing and see some videos, as well. Pictures just don’t capture the beautiful details, especially in her pieces where she’s sewn into the paper!

Amanda Salazar

www.AmsalaCreative.com
Etsy: Amsala
Instagram: @amsalacreative

Pet Portraiture

Amanda is a talented graphic designer and calligrapher, as well as a children’s book illustrator. Recently, I was excited to find out she is offering pet portrait commissions, as well! Amanda’s animal illustrations are full of personality and movement, and I think a pet portrait from her would be such a beautiful, treasured gift for the pet lovers in your life!

*Amanda’s cutoff for illustrations in time for Christmas is currently December 6th, but don’t think it’s too late if you can’t get it in by then! She offers gift certificates that would allow the pet owners themselves to choose the picture she draws from.

Adrienne Brown-David

www.AdrienneBrown-David.com
Instagram: @adriennemeschelle

Minikin Paper Dolls

I don’t even know where to start with how beautiful these paper dolls are- both the story behind them and the dolls themselves! In Adrienne’s own words, “Our goal is to make sure ALL kids can have a one of a kind, handmade toy that represents them.” Each Minikin set is hand-drawn, and they’re really a gorgeous piece of art!

Aleah Ford

AleahMichele.com
Etsy: Moth on the Wall
Instagram: @Moth.On.The.Wall

Moth, Butterfly, and Bee Sculpture

Aleah is another Roaring Artist! She’s a seriously talented photographer who also makes surreallistic sculptures of moths, butterflies, and bees. Delightful, unexpected, and a little mysterious, Aleah’s pieces are the addition to your loved ones’ art collections that they didn’t know they needed. But they do. I know, because I gifted myself a Picasso Moth recently!

Lisa alberts

www.SpecificPigeon.com
Instagram: @lisaalberts.art

Cyanotype Bandanas

Lisa Alberts of Specific Pigeon is an artist specializing in botanical cyanotype art. Cyanotype is a kind of printing process with a rich history that uses light sensitive materials to produce a one-of-a-kind print. Lisa describes her process for making her bandanas and other beautiful pieces on her website, and I think you’ll find this is the perfect gift for the history/art lovers in your life, too!

Ashley Funicello

Etsy: AFClayworks
Instagram: @af_clayworks

Stoneware Bells

Each of Ashley’s hand-crafted stoneware bells is one of a kind, and each has a beautifully organic feel to them that makes them the perfect gift to add art to the patio of the outdoors lovers on your list! (Or to the kitchen windows of the indoor cats!) I’m so happy she has an Etsy shop now, because I’m planning to grab some for my own list (and..um..my own patio.)

A Journey of Intuitive Realism :: Anat Ronen :: Mural Art

“I have discovered my true calling and am forever grateful for this journey that both brought me here, to US soil – and made me who I am.”

www.AnatRonen.com
Instagram: AnatRonen1971

The first time I saw the art of Anat Ronen, I was fascinated! Her street murals looked like you could walk right into them, but that’s not exactly what drew me into her work. It was the subjects- the animals and people she paints with the most amazing expressions! Even the objects she paints seem to have a personality! I feel such JOY looking at her work, and I was so excited when she agreed to be interviewed! It turns out Anat’s story is as awesome as her art!

Anat Ronen currently resides here in Houston, Texas, but she was born and raised in Israel, as she says, “on the other side of the world.”
”I was always a little talented when it came to doodling and arting, but I never though it was out of the ordinary,” she says. “I saw it as that something people often have- being better at something. I always added my touch to wherever I worked, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it could be something I’d do for a living!”

“We fell in love with the size and abundance of opportunity.”

At age 35, married and with a 10-year-old child, Anat decided to make a move across the world to the United States, following a 3-week vacation here. She says, “We fell in love with the size and abundance of opportunity. We got ourselves a work visa – a costly move, but worth it.”
This was a terrible situation, however, as a work visa means that an entity is “sponsoring” an applicant. It’s, as she says, “not very different from a pimp-prostitute relationship”

“The only way to break free was to set sail with a special skill.”

It took 2 years for Anat and her husband to come up with a creative plan that would allow them to remain in the US without a work visa. “The only way to break free was to set sail with a special skill – an extraordinary ability – one of us sports. My husband is extremely talented in so many ways, but visual art is, well, more visual and impressive, and so we gambled on me.”

Anat applied for an O1 visa, which is given to people with extraordinary abilities such as actors, athletes, and of course artists!
”To my great surprise, delight – and horror – the visa was granted. From that moment on I had to make a living doing only art, and my husband could not work any more. I have never done it for a living before, and had to get to it, fast.”

“I started... never saying no and always learning, challenging and pushing myself to grow.”

At first, Anat cast her net wide, advertising graphic design, illustration, and murals, having done a few back in Israel.
”After a year or so, it became apparent that murals are going to be my thing, because the rest could be done anywhere on the planet. Murals are local. Also, I was already eyeing the next hurdle – the green card – and to obtain that, I’d need to show a lot more than I did for the visa process. And so I started participating in festivals and projects, never saying no and always learning, challenging and pushing myself to grow.”

“In 2016, 10 years after arriving to the US, 8 years after changing the visa, we got our green card. By now I have discovered my true calling and forever grateful for this journey that both brought me here, to US soil – and made me who I am.”

“Like many artists, I am overly sensitive, so really, anything and everything inspires and affects me.”

Anat describes her style as “Intuitive realism" It’s such a beautiful way to describe what she does so well! Although she now includes the use of acrylic paint as well as chalk and tempera for her work on the ground, she started with latex paint. “Earlier on in my professional career I worked with a company that paints the roads, and they introduced me to latex, or house paint. It’s cost efficient and durable, and we buy “oops” paints at hardware stores (paint that was mistinted and rejected by the client, sold cheap) and even take paint that’s been left behind in recycling centers”
Anat’s inspiration comes from everything around her. “I think the late start of my art career, at age 38, means I have quite the pile of life experiences to draw from, life lessons, inspirations, etc. Like many artists, I am overly sensitive, so really, anything and everything inspires and affects me.”

Anat’s Roar

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“My greatest joy is that I found my true calling. Easily that calling could have been missed, unless we made the move and followed our dream to live here. I won’t have to worry about the meaning of life or about being bored ever again. Highly recommended!”

Where Nature Meets Art and Science Meets Folk-Lore :: Aleah Ford :: Sculpture

“Metamorphosis is a reminder that we each already contain within ourselves the blueprint for our greatest potential.”

Etsy shop: MothOnthewall
Instagram: @moth.on.the.wall
Facebook: Moth on the Wall

The most beautiful giant Picasso moth lives in my favorite spot in my house, nestled against antique books and fossils. It looks as if it flew in and lighted right there on the edge of the shelf, knowing that's just the perfect spot. That ethereal quality is what Aleah Ford brings to all of her artwork- something a little mysterious and surreal, but oh so beautiful!

Aleah Ford currently resides on the coast of Rhode Island, but she grew up in upstate New York. “I was a strange child,” she says, “very adept at keeping myself occupied with make-believe and art. I was both speech impaired and delayed, so I sometimes drew pictures as I spoke. Even now, I feel more at ease sketching an idea than I do explaining it!”

“I feel like a Victorian collector putting on display the beauty of these fascinating creatures.”

When Aleah was 8, her family moved to Germany for a short time. She says, “The history, folk-lore, and rich landscape fascinated me and still inspires me almost 20 years later! The school curriculum was very different than in the US. Nature, culture, and art were consistently woven throughout the other subjects.

Inspired by nature and fantasy, Aleah's art is faux taxidermy sculptures that are realistic representations of moths, butterflies, and bees. “I approach these creations both symbolically and scientifically” she says,”The lepidopteran family is home to hundreds of thousands of species of moths and butterflies with an incredible range of color and markings. These creatures are also the subject of beautiful symbolism across cultures. I feel like a Victorian collector putting on display the beauty of these fascinating creatures.”

Aleah is also fascinated by the process of metamorphosis. “It is a reminder that we each already contain within ourselves the blueprint for our greatest potential.”

“With a background in folk-lore, faerie tales, and mythologies, I am constantly looking at the natural world through the lens of a mystic. At the same time, I love to learn about the scientific inner working of the natural world.”

“Create, fail, and then create again”

Aleah's sculptures went through four iterations across four years of gaining new skills and knowledge before she landed on her current method. “Create, fail, and then create again,” she says to other creatives, “Failure is a wonderful teacher, especially if you're stubborn! Everything that you’ve created up to this point is the foundation for your next piece of art. That includes the successes, the disappointments, and the downright disasters.”

Aleah’s Roar

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“You have permission. That’s right, you have permission to create the way you’ve dreamed of creating with the subject matter that makes your heart sing. You have permission to shift course. To fail. To succeed. Realizing this was a turning point in how I create. I tend to make rules for myself and then get anxious at the prospect of deviating, as if I am not allowed to explore another winding path.”

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The Story of an Artist :: Kathy Skarvan :: Mixed Media Artist

Artist Portrait by Kathy Daly, Denver, CO

“Wide eyed, I started out on the journey. I was blown away. It seemed like every person’s story was more interesting than the last. They were caring, willing to share and be my teachers. I think that is where I get my passion for people. There is so much good in this world if you’re willing to look for it.”

www.KathySkarvan.com
Instagram - @akskarvan
Facebook - Kathy Skarvan Art

I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy when I was living in a subdivision of Denver called Stapleton, through the (then) brand new artist group there. I just loved her instantly, and when I saw her art, I was struck by how it fits her personality perfectly- bright, vivacious, and bold! Each of her pieces feels so full of movement and emotion, and you find your eyes excitedly following the lines and explosions, just knowing there has to be a story! But with Kathy, life is about the stories, and I think her story is one that will resonate with many artists- and with many women!

Kathy grew up on a farm in Southwest Missouri, and in a town with only 10 students in her graduating class, there was not a lot of culture and diversity to be found there. She describes her young self as being “a good kid with very little confidence.” Once she was introduced to the world through her first job and college classes, however, the world opened up! She says, “It was a whole new world. It made me curious. I wanted to investigate. Wide eyed, I started out on the journey. I was blown away. It seemed like every person's story was more interesting than the last. They were caring, willing to share and be my teachers. I think that is where I get my passion for people. There is so much good in this world if you're willing to look for it.”

“I was a late bloomer. As a single parent with a career in sales and sales management, when [my daughter] Jamie was growing up, I didn’t have the time to pursue much outside of that routine.”

Kathy tried her hand at quite a few mediums- sewing, wood cutting, tole painting (“when that was in vogue,” she says) but it wasn't until she was gifted a film camera and began taking black and white photos that things began to change. And then she received her first digital camera and fell in love! Kathy says, “That was my first entry into the “art” world. I participated in Somerville Open Studios for 2 years while I was there. Some of the photography sold, and that gave me the confidence to continue.”

Kathy's first foray into creative business came in the form of a mobile framing business. She had worked in a frame shop, originally “so I could get a discount and frame my own work.” she says. But she found herself enjoying the entire artistic process, from designing to framing to delivery to her happy clients, and this turned into a full time career. Kathy owned Ava Art, her mobile framing business, for 8 years before moving to Denver.

“I was as late bloomer,” She says, “As a single parent with a career in sales and sales management, when [my daughter] Jamie was growing up, I didn’t have the time to pursue much outside of that routine.”

“I say I’m like the dog and the squirrel. I see a new medium and SQUIRREL!!!! I absolutely love trying new things!”

In Denver, Kathy found herself at a turning point. She could restart her successful business or see what else was out there. Kathy decided to go for the latter. “Hitchhiking on photography, I started taking workshops. I learned about software packages that could enhance your photos and in many cases change the composition and make new art. Then I started to paint. That really changed my art. I still use technology for some of my images, but now I’m showing more and more painted originals”

Kathy describes her art as “Ever evolving! Definitely abstract. Contemporary, colorful, mixed media.” She says, “I say I’m like the dog and the squirrel. I see a new medium and SQUIRREL!!!! I absolutely love trying new things. Right now I am mainly using acrylic and charcoal. I’m loving the Golden Open acrylic. It has a longer drying time, more time to manipulate and blend. I also, love, love, love texture. Recently, I’ve had fun with spackling paste, sand, and sea salt.” Kathy's work is painted onto canvas and paper, printed onto metal, and she has even begun expanding into apparel and home goods, allowing her collectors to experience her bright, bold designs in many different ways!

“In life, I am inspired by friends and family. In art, I’m inspired by networking with other creatives.”

In art and in life, Kathy's main inspiration is, as she says, people!

“In life, I am inspired by friends and family. I know that sounds like a cliche, but the people that make up our Colorado family are epic. So much love and support. I’m truly grateful.
In art, I’m inspired by networking with other creatives. I feel so fortunate to have been in on the ground floor of Stapleton Open Studios. This year is our 7th year and the artists I’ve been able to show with are and have been incredible. I also was part of the founding group of Stapleton Artists, our non-profit organization, and have served as Board Chair for 3 years. It’s rewarding helping to bring people together.”

Kathy’s Roar

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“Get out of your own way, and as friend and fellow artist, Katy Tartakoff says, “let the spirit take over!”
Play, play, play and practice, practice, practice.”

Textures and Colors of Life :: Kaleigh Anne Howe :: Ceramicist and Oil Painter

“My paintings as well as my ceramic designs are my way of connecting myself to the things around me, a grounding mechanism if you will.
The work I create is my way of reliving those moments and how I felt – and possibly inspire others to take notice of theirs as well.”

www.KaleighAnneArt.com
Instagram — @KaleighAnneArt
Facebook — Kaleigh Anne Art

I came across Kaleigh on Instagram and was instantly captivated by her raw but beautiful, intuitive but skillful ceramic designs. Her work recalls that magical feeling I remember as a child, picking up a leaf and holding it in my hands, fascinated by nature in a way that adults tend to grow to ignore. But there’s nothing childish about the skill and artistic choices that Kaleigh makes in her art!

Kaleigh grew up in Lufkin, Texas, a small town about 2 1/2 hours northeast of Houston. She says,
”For as long as I can remember I have loved making things and creative problem solving. I was quite the little entrepreneur – I crocheted scarves, made hair bows, beaded bracelets and proceeded to sell them to anyone in proximity. I think the moment making went from a hobby to a necessity was when my therapist had me draw after losing my dad at age 6. Drawing and painting became woven into the fibers of my identity. 
In highschool I had an amazing teacher, Ellen Harris, who metaphorically shook me and said "It's okay to make a career of art, if you love it you can make it happen". That was the moment I decided to take this integral part of myself and make it my life's mission.”

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“I put my hands in the dirt and came alive with this new found art form.”

Kaleigh got her start as an artist in painting (you can still see some of her beautiful oil paintings if you follow her on social media or visit her website), majoring in painting and drawing at Stephen F. Austin State University. But about a year ago, she found clay. Or, rather, her best friend, Jackie, found it for her with the gift of a 25 lb bag of clay and tools. She says, “I put my hands in the dirt and came alive with this new found art form.”

Those special moments of really noticing and connecting with nature is evident in Kaleigh’s work. “My paintings, as well as my ceramic designs, are my way of connecting myself to the things around me, a grounding mechanism if you will. 
I see the world in a series of inspirational moments – captured by the texture and color in nature. I take a drive and wonder what colors I would mix to paint the passing trees. I walk the beach and consider the way I would make a barnacle I found from clay. The work I create is my way of reliving those moments and how I felt – and possibly inspire others to take notice of theirs as well.”

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I will admit that I was pretty much clueless about the full process that went into ceramics! I knew it took a while, but I was fascinated by what Kaleigh shared!
”With all of my ceramic work being hand built I begin most pieces with a chunk of clay formed into a ball. At that point I pinch it into a simple cup form and go from there, adding layers for more height or varying shapes. Once I've made the clay into the form I want, I carve designs or pinch nature inspired embellishments to add to the piece. A few weeks later, once completely dry, I'll fire the work in my kiln and paint it with glaze- which I then fire again to a hotter temperature! Lastly, if there are any gold accents I will glaze them as well and put them back into the kiln for a third firing.
My favorite part being the sculpting process, I love to Netflix and pinch!”

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“The life of an artist isn’t always the glamorous window one peers into on a social media page. It can be frustrating and disheartening at times.”

Artist life isn’t just about the creative process, however. Kaleigh says, ”The life of an artist isn't always the glamorous window one peers into on a social media page. It can be frustrating and disheartening at times. I have been so blessed to have an amazingly supportive group of friends and family behind the scenes uplifting me everyday. Most of all my husband and my parents. 

I'll share a text I received from my dad just the other day –
"Love you bunches! I am so proud of you for doing what you want to do and sticking to your guns even in the face of adversity." 

Kaleigh’s ROAR

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“Passion is what you make of it, find something you’re passionate about and give it hell. It’s okay to work an 8-5 so that you can pay your bills in the meantime – but never leave what you love behind. Hustle until those dreams manifest into your reality. You will face moments when you are unendingly frustrated with yourself, your work and lack of motivation. That’s okay, those moments are fleeting but making your mark, if not for anyone’s sake but your own – that will last a lifetime. So, stick to your guns my fellow makers, we’ve got this!”

The start of something exciting...

I have been The Roaring Artist for about ten years now.

It started as an umbrella under which I could throw anything- from photography (my start) to graphic design and branding for other creatives to a mixed media jewelry line, and eventually to the medium where everything came to a halt and I felt like I was home- abstract mixed media.

Some of my previous work in photography & jewelry art

Through all of it, “The Roaring Artist” has been a source of confidence- a way of telling the world that although at the surface, I am a pocket-sized, soft-spoken person, I have things to ROAR. And my work always has!

But on this journey, it’s never been just about me. When I was starting out, figuring out what kind of photographer I was, it became quickly evident that all I wanted to photograph was women. And I wanted to photograph them in a way that they could see themselves as the powerful art I saw in them. I developed my branding and graphic design business to help other female creatives to grow their businesses in a way that was authentic to them. I started a professional organization- The Denver Photo Betties- to provide growth opportunities and community to the awesome female photographers of Denver.

Through time and self exploration, it’s become clear that photography and branding/graphic design were not things I ultimately wanted as my career. They aren’t really where my passion lies. But what has also become clear is that my career, my calling, and my big ambitions won’t be satisfied unless I bring other women along with me on the way up. And every step along the way has brought me to where I am now.

So now, as my confidence has grown in the work I am passionate about and I’ve felt myself developing my own artistic voice, I’m making a change. For the first time in my creative career, I’m Katie, just Katie - KatieBradfordOsborne.art to be specific. It’s not a case of growing out of the name- it’s a case of coming into my own with my own name. After all, I’m still roaring louder than ever!

I’m not THE Roaring Artist. I’m A Roaring Artist.

My hope is that the The Roaring Artist will become a platform for me to pass the baton on to other female artists, so the world can hear their ROAR! I’ll start with introducing you to two emerging female artists a month- on the 15th and the 30th- from my current home in Houston and beyond. I’ll share their stories and their art with you. And my plan is that next September, I’ll bring as many of them together as I can for one majorly amazing Roaring Artists gallery show! And who knows where we can go from there!

If you’re a fellow artist, I hope you’ll find inspiration and community here.
If you’re a fellow art-lover, I hope you’ll come to meet some amazing creative womanpreneurs who you can support and follow.

Big things are coming for Katie Bradford Osborne and for The Roaring Artist. I can’t wait!! And I hope you’ll ALL come along on this crazy ride with me and share your own ROAR!