Hi, my name is Brigid. I'm a full-time professional artist (that's a sentence that would have blown my twelve-year-old self's mind).
I'm not very good at writing this kind of bio, so I thought I'd answer a few questions I'm often asked. If you have a question for me, feel free to get in touch.
Did you go to art school?
For me, it's a bit of a yes and no. I won a scholarship to the Corcoran School of Art, but unfortunately I couldn't afford it, even with the scholarship. Instead, I attended a community college for a while and also attended the Maryland College of Art and Design. Although I didn't earn a degree, I had wonderful professional artists in my family while I was growing up. My great-great-grandfather, George Bockius, had a huge influence on my artistic development. My parents also supported me, and I was able to take private art lessons as a child, where I learned all about watercolor, oil, acrylic and much more. Unfortunately, after years of traditional painting, I developed nasty sensitivities to chemicals, so I had to switch to digital art for the sake of my health. I learned digital art by taking online courses, reading books and practicing tons. In 2016, I became a Corel Painter Master*, which was pretty cool.
How did you get started?
I started my career as a graphic designer using Corel Draw and Adobe Photoshop. I designed materials for websites and print media while continuing my art studies on the side. Eventually I discovered the world of art licensing and realized I could use my graphic design skills to create artwork that would appeal to a wider market. I try to create diverse art collections that cover different styles and subjects while following trends and keeping a consistent appeal. And guess what? Here I am, twenty years later, with a successful career in art licensing.
You're probably wondering how I make money, right?
Well, I earn my living as an artist by diversifying the styles and themes of my work and selling it in different ways.
First, I license my artwork to manufacturers. Basically, companies that make things like puzzles, diamond painting kits, calendars, cross-stitch patterns, jewelry, clothing, home decor and much more pay me to use my designs on their products. That's where most of my revenue comes from.
But that's not all! I also sell my creations in my Etsy shop. I've partnered with a professional printer to create awesome products like t-shirts, zipper pouches (perfect for tarot bags), coffee mugs, wall art, shirts, kitchenware and tote bags. When you buy from my Etsy shop, these items are delivered straight to your door.
*Corel Painter is a digital painting program for PC and Mac. It's the first digital painting program I fell in love with. I now paint exclusively with Procreate on iPad.
