Mind Over Medium
A Podcast for artists who want to make money doing what they love. Each week you will learn how to attract your ideal commissions, approach galleries for representation, have a great online launch of your work and how to do it all with less overwhelm and confusion. You will hear from amazing artists who will share how they have built their successful creative businesses. My hope is to create a space where artists and the creative curious can learn about one of the most important tools creative entrepreneurs need in their tool box, their mindset.
Mind Over Medium
Transforming Spaces: Hope Austin on Art in Interior Design and Artist Collaborations
Can art truly transform a living space? Discover the answer as we sit down with Hope Austin, owner of Hope Austin Interiors, to explore the vital role of art in interior design. Hope imparts her wisdom on sourcing the perfect pieces, emphasizing the significance of understanding client preferences while allowing artists to maintain their creative freedom. Learn why trying art in its intended space is crucial for a harmonious design and get a glimpse into the diverse tastes of her clientele, ranging from abstract to figurative art.
Ever wondered how artists can successfully pitch their work to interior designers? Hope shares invaluable insights on this dynamic relationship, discussing practical strategies for artists, including the use of social media and tools like ArtCloud. She recounts her experiences with artist pitches and the powerful impact of visual aids on decision-making. Additionally, we delve into the challenges of incorporating original art into design projects and managing client expectations, underscoring the value of authentic artwork.
Balancing a thriving design business with personal life is no small feat. Hope reveals her approach to maintaining this delicate equilibrium, highlighting the importance of effective delegation and a strong support team. From establishing a client base in a new city to leveraging marketing efforts via social media and art shows, Hope's journey is both inspiring and instructive. Listen in as we wrap up with tips on building artistic partnerships and connecting with like-minded creatives to foster growth and innovation. This episode is a treasure trove of practical advice and inspiring stories for artists, designers, and art enthusiasts alike.
Connect with Hope Austin Here and on Instagram
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Thanks for being here.
Hey everybody, before we get to the episode, I wanted to give you a heads up that I am going to have a studio sale. I haven't done this in probably three or four years, so it's very exciting. I'm excited to clean out my studio and pass along the goodness and the benefits to y'all. It will go live to the public on July 29th, but if you're on my email list, I'm going to release it to people on my email list on the 28th, so you'll get a full day if you're on my email list to shop the studio sale. So you can, if you're not already on my list, go ahead and get on it in the link below in the show notes and if you have any questions, just reach out. You can find me on Instagram.
Lea Ann:Thanks, welcome to Mind Over Medium, a podcast for artists who want to make money doing what they love. When you tune in each week, you will learn how to attract your ideal commissions approach, galleries for representation, have a great online launch of your work and how to do it all with less overwhelm and confusion. You will have the opportunity to hear from amazing artists who will share how they have built their successful, creative businesses. My hope is to create a space where artists and the creative curious can gather to learn about one of the most important tools creative entrepreneurs need in their toolbox, their mindset. Thanks so much for tuning in to Mind Over Medium podcast. Let's get started. Thanks so much for tuning in to Mind Over Medium podcast. Let's get started. Hi everyone, welcome to the podcast.
Lea Ann:My guest today is Hope Austin. Hope is the owner of Hope Austin Interiors. It's an Atlanta-based interior design firm. In this chat she shares really great information about what interior designers look for when sourcing art and finding new artists to work with. I hope you find some useful nuggets for your creative career in this chat. Okay, here we go. Hello friends, I am excited for today's chat with Hope Austin Hope. First, let me say thank you for joining me. Yeah, I'm excited to chat with you, and why don't you take a minute to introduce yourself, tell people who you are, what you do, all the good things.
Hope :Okay, hope Austin. I am an interior designer Just about a year ago moved out of the city to Madison, georgia. So I still have clients in Atlanta. I've got clients at Lake Oconee, at Lake Talks Away, in North Carolina. I do a little bit of everything, from new builds, renovations, just furniture, pillows, whatever it might be.
Lea Ann:So Well, you're very good at it Well.
Hope :Thank you very much. I have great clients Thanks clients.
Lea Ann:I'm so excited to have you on, because learning from a designer what you look for when sourcing art is a really big deal for my listeners. I was doing a little research Let me pull it up here before we got started because you know, for a lot of artists, like being in a gallery is kind of the end all be all, like that's when I've made it. But when I was doing my research for our chat, I came across this statistic that it said in 2023, there were only 5,000 art galleries in the U? S, but there was over 180,000 interior designers. So that's over 30 times as many interior designers as art galleries. So tell me all the things First I'm going to ask you here's the big question In your opinion, what makes a designer choose an artist's work? What are you looking for?
Hope :So so much of it depends on my client's preference, right? Like, sometimes you can just walk into a gallery and they're like that's it. I love it, I want that piece. But to me it's like it pulls everything together. You know, I could have somebody wants a blue sofa and you know gold something, and you know, and then and they're like, all right, well, it's just like finding a print that has all those pieces in it, right, so, let so, let's use this for a pillow.
Hope :But really, when it comes down to it, art plays such a big role in like pulling the whole thing together, like finishing off a look. I typically don't do like a lot of commissions, because I feel like sometimes it puts the artist in a box that like I don't know. I just I feel like there's so much art out there that there's got to be that one piece that that just kind of works and pulls everything together. That piece in my living room and I got it home and I was like, oh my gosh, this could not be more perfect. And you know, it's crazy how, how things pull, you know, all together.
Lea Ann:So, yeah, that was really remarkable when I saw that piece hanging.
Hope :Yeah, it's like it's the perfect size, the colors I love it, and you were like I'm just going to paint over. And I'm like, no, at least. No, yeah, like sometimes I do stuff and I don't even realize I'm doing it. You know this, just like you just, oh, let's try that piece, and then it's wow, okay, this is this, is it? I also really like being able to try it out in the space, too, when it comes to buying for clients. You know, sometimes I have people that are like just bring over a truckload, let's see, bring stuff that you like. Okay, great, I can absolutely do that. And then some people like abstract, some people like figures, so it's kind of across the board.
Lea Ann:Yeah, yeah, I guess it is. You are restrained in the sense of knowing your client's wishes Right, exactly, yeah, do you feel like you have to do a lot of education for your clients about the value or why original art in the home is important, or do you feel? Tell me about that.
Hope :You know, again, I have like a range of clients. Or do you feel, tell me about that? You know, again, I have like a range of clients. So I like to go to places like Atlanta Artists Collective or like Greg Irby. You know, there's a lot of upcoming artists and it doesn't have to be so incredibly expensive.
Hope :I think some people think that you know it's going to be a $7,000 piece or something like that, but I'm like, no, we can, it has everything we need and it's not, it doesn't have to be so expensive. And then, and that's kind of how I, you know, like to work and also just the relationships with the galleries that allow me to like just pull stuff and take stuff out on approval. But yeah, it's. You know, sometimes like like fine art photography is a little different beast, you know, because it's like it sticks around for a really long time and you know it's that that one is a little bit more difficult to sell. You know, because it is more expensive. And but I think you know, when it comes to just having original pieces, I think the misconception is that you're going to have to spend a whole lot of money to have an original piece of art and it's just.
Lea Ann:That's not true, I mean, you certainly can, if you want to, but you don't have to.
Hope :Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can go to HomeGoods and get you know whatever, and there's nothing wrong with that. Like, I think that you know, if you're just trying to fill up a space and you need a giant piece of art and you can afford it, then yeah, that's fine. Just go grab something and I call that a placeholder until you find or can afford that piece that you want. You know, I think it's worth waiting to just really get something you love.
Lea Ann:Yeah, I agree, I absolutely agree. So where do you look for new artists to source?
Hope :I really. It's just when I go to the galleries, you know just primarily galleries. Yeah, Mostly galleries. Um, I you know I'll do some online research, but I really just like to see things in person. Yeah, it makes a big difference.
Lea Ann:Yeah, and what advice would you give to an artist who wants to pursue collaborating with designers? Like, let's say, someone might not be in a gallery.
Hope :Mm-hmm, I think just that. So much on social media. Now. It's like just it's just getting involved in that way, just kind of spreading the word, you know, because I'll just be flipping through and another designer might have posted something.
Hope :Or you know, I was in, I was in a shop in Sullivan's Island and there was this like cowboy piece of art that was on cardboard and I was like that's really cool, but it wasn't like a big gallery, it was just like on the wall, you know, in a store. And then I kind of went down the rabbit hole and I can't think of his name. I'll look it up, but it's just's really cool and I think you know. Another thing is so many people out, you know, again going back to something that like the love for art, but maybe you don't have the means quite yet, you know, but just like looking at reproductions, and then somebody has a, you know, a print out or whatever and you're like, oh well, what else can they do? You know, just like more of like a retail base just putting it out there. But I do, I find a lot of on social media.
Lea Ann:Yeah, that's cool, I mean it's. Isn't that the way anymore? So?
Hope :true it's interesting because I don't think with my. I think like with my business. I get recognition on social media, but I don't think that I get clients necessarily based on social media, but I get like I don't. It's interesting. You don't, if you love a piece you can just buy it, but like you don't necessarily you have to know a lot more about hiring an interior designer. Um so much of that. What I do is word of mouth, but I don't know.
Lea Ann:Yeah, yeah, that's interesting and it made me think of something and it flew out of my head. It'll come back and talking about social media and recognition. Oh, you just had something with real simple, didn't you? Yeah, I did. And recognition oh, you just had something with real simple, didn't you?
Hope :Yeah, I did, that's cool, tell me about that. Oh, it was home goods. It was, um, they were asking like some of my go-to things that I'll get at home goods, you know, just again, it's like accessories. Not everybody wants to spend thousands of dollars on, like filling up the bookshelf. So it was. It was a just a little couple of comments on how I like to do. Like you know, you can get good coffee table books at TG, max or HomeGoods that are less expensive than ordering online, and then sometimes like little boxes or just small accessories, that or even larger accessories that can take up more space on a bookshelf. But so, yeah, that was the real simple thing.
Lea Ann:That's cool. How do those things come about for you?
Hope :So I have a marketing person that she has a team. So the media Tara Tiberball she's awesome. I'm with the culture sphere. Melissa Wilson started it, and so I have Melissa and then I have Tara, and then I have Morgan. That does my social media.
Lea Ann:Oh, that's great.
Hope :It is good Cause I, you know being busy and I'm not, I'm not real good about it. You know taking pictures and stuff. You realize that you're like man, this would be great. And then I go back and I'm like I swear I took some pictures and it never happened. So, but Tara handles the media part, so she gets I mean, she gets um media across all the time so she'll send it out to the whole you know team. Be like, do you have anything that might fit the bill? So it's all that's. I can't take credit for any of it.
Lea Ann:Oh, yeah, but I mean, you knew enough to hire good people. Yeah, yeah, so that's really yeah for sure. Speaking of like posting and taking photos, I just had like a total cringe moment with my 22 year old son. He's going to run errands with me after that. This I have to pick up artwork from the frame or I have to drop off artwork to the gallery. And I said, said, you have to take videos of me doing all this.
Hope :What did he say?
Lea Ann:fine, it is funny like I'm like dude. This is just what I have to do.
Hope :My best, the best ones, that so, when the girls are like 10 years old and they are 10 but they follow me around that they had to work with me one day and so they just like they just took my phone and they were like, ah, you know, and we did like a whole reel, a day of shopping. But it is kind of like I don't want to ask people to do this, like very I don't know, like, like, like trying to make people think I'm like super important and my day is really exciting. But it's what they do. That's the ones that get the most like comments and the most likes are the ones that involve, I'm sure, you on on screen?
Lea Ann:Yes, unfortunately, yes, yeah, anyway, so that's what I'll be doing and I'm sure there'll be some really good images. Do you have artists who pitch themselves to you, or other designers? Is that a thing?
Hope :On occasion I'll get like a Instagram message, but not really.
Lea Ann:No, do you wish you got more of that, or do you? How do you feel about that? Like I'm trying to help the artist figure out how to get you know in front of people exactly like you.
Hope :Put themselves out there. Yeah, I think I mean it's like when I get something, then I'll like go to their page and start following, you know, and I might not be ordering anything or buying anything, but like they're showing up, you know, on my feed now which.
Lea Ann:I think is important. I know I see some artists like will do a post where they'll put their art and then tag designers. I think that they think will might like yeah, the aesthetic kind of matches up. So does that happen? Is that what you mean? Something like that? Or they do.
Hope :Yeah, I haven't really had any sort of tag, but like a direct message from artists. I've had that, but I haven't had anybody really specifically. I mean, there's, you know, some artists that I have relationships with that might send me a quick note. This would be, or I've had some like oh, this is this, this piece of art would look awesome in this room and they literally specifically send me a piece of art, a photo of a piece, which I think is awesome. I'm like, yeah, that looks awesome, you know. But sometimes there is like I don't really know how it all works. But you know Brian Coleman, he's an artist, he's in North Carolina. I met him for the first time at he.
Lea Ann:He shows at Anne Irwin okay, oh yes, I know exactly who you're talking about.
Hope :Yeah, I have a few of his pieces. I I just think they're kind of they're interesting, but he'll do like he'll do that he does. I think it's art cloud. You're able to like take a photo of a room and insert your art.
Lea Ann:Yeah, have you have you done that? Um, I I don't. I don't know if it's. It's like um, I forget what it was called, but it they're like kind of fake rooms, yeah is that what you're? Talking about and you pick your art.
Hope :I don't know I don't really know how it's all done again, because I'm not super tech savvy but it's kind of like you know, when you're, when you're looking for new glasses online, and you can just make sure and you get the glasses on your face, yeah, but they do like view it in your room or something like that there's. I've seen some of that which is kind of interesting, and so, with him, I've seen him take someone's space like that, an interior designer space and insert a piece of his art, which is interesting. That's cool. Yeah, that is cool, because I think people are so visual, you know, yeah definitely.
Lea Ann:So let's say, you find the perfect piece and you take it to your client's home and you're like this is it? And they're like, yeah, no, I hate it. Like how often does that happen? Does it happen a lot? What do you do? I?
Hope :I try to. When I take stuff out, I just try to take a ton Like I just try to do lots of options and sometimes I'll do, I'll take stuff out because I'm having a photo shoot and just hang it and they end up being like, oh, I love it, keep it, I want it. And you know, I'll do a little bit of background work. You know, if I got, if I go to the gallery and but sometimes people are just so visual they can't, they can't make a decision until it's in their space. Yeah, so I mean, there's been a couple of times that it's been like a total. It's been a situation. There's been situations where you know, we hang a bunch of art and then the husband comes home he's like, you know, yeah, I'm like, okay, we got to pick everything up, sorry.
Hope :We thought it was really pretty, but then they got to know when it was not as pretty yeah.
Lea Ann:Yeah, that's yes. You know, when I first moved to Atlanta I worked at Bennett street gallery, which is now prior fine art, and you know you would let people take things out on approval 80 to 85% of the time. Once they got it in their home, they would keep it.
Hope :Yeah, yeah, I think it's really important to be able to do that. Yeah, especially with art.
Hope :Yeah, I think it's really important to be able to do that. Yeah, especially with art, yeah. And then also, you know some galleries. You know if it's a super expensive piece, they'll, they'll offer to bring it in there, you know, and have complete control. I mean, sometimes you have to pay them to do that, but the liability is there, you know, when you're taking a bunch of stuff out. So it's like I have three kids, I have three dogs. If it sits anywhere in my vicinity, like in my office or whatever, for more than 30 seconds, the chances of something happening is huge. So to be able to have the gallery drop it off or just something, just like a day, get in and bring it back If it doesn't work, Do clients resist having original artwork or are they generally open to it?
Lea Ann:They're open.
Hope :I think, again, it's just like that price point just depends on, like, what they're willing to spend, or you know if they, if they love it, you know if it's, if it's a piece that speaks to them, that they can't live without. But I would say no, I mean, I think that the only, the only thing would be price is like the. I don't think any. I would say everyone would prefer original art. You know, at least I encourage.
Lea Ann:Yeah, I mean I definitely know people that just don't value that. I mean it's fine, but they don't value that as a thing in their home. I don't get it. I don't either. It makes me very confused.
Hope :No, it's like I'm sitting here in my mother-in-law's dining room and like the art that she has and she's part of the like, like art and rugs, like, are just unbelievable. And she kind of helped me, guide me into this career. Essentially I started out fashion merchandising Like I, that's what I went to school for. And then, you know, I worked at Neiman's for a year and I was like, uh, this is awful, I don't want to do that. So for a year and I was like, uh, this is awful, I don't want to do that. So I started working at ADAC. She introduced me to ADAC and I started there and things kind of.
Hope :But but like, just sitting here in her dining room, like we've got this beautiful old rug and Dennis Campe above the, uh, the fireplace, and it's just, you know original art, she'll go and she like she'll again. It's just, you know original art, she'll go and she like she'll again. It's like those little fill-in pieces If you need just like something small, she'll do that. But for the most part everything she buys is original. Yeah, it's here and it's Atlanta, it's everywhere. She's got a piece of art at the farm. That's great, it's the nicest farm bathroom you'll ever see.
Lea Ann:That's amazing. Well, tell me a bit about your story. I don't think I realized that you did not set out to be an interior designer. Can you take me through that?
Hope :Yeah, I mean I thought, oh, I'm going to have my own store. I worked at this place called the Elephant Trunk in Athens where I grew up. I started when I was 16. I worked there through college. I was like this is what I want to do. I want to have, I want to have a kid's clothing store. I want to do this, this is. I love it. And then we got to. I got to Neiman's. I got it right out of school, started working there and I was like this is not what I want to do. I don't want to work retail hours. I don't necessarily want to work like with the general public, you know. So again. So my mother-in-law's interior designer. She introduced me to ADAC. I started working at the Brunswick and Fees showroom in 2007, I think.
Lea Ann:Can I interrupt you for a second? Can you tell people what ADAC is? I don't know that. Everybody knows.
Hope :It's the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. So it's where all it's like the wholesale, where you buy furniture, fabric, wallpaper, all the things. It's like a five-story building. If you're in Atlanta and you're on Peachtree Hills, it's that building with, like the weird towers out front, codem poles or whatever they are. They're wind chimes actually, oh, which is super cool, but they had to put dampers on because it was too loud. Yeah, oh yeah, it was like crazy loud. Anyway, so that's a design center.
Hope :So I started working there and worked at Brunswick. I worked at Schumacher, had my first son and went back to work and I was like I can't, I don't want to do this anymore, I can't. He's like I just want to be with him, I don't care, you know. So I kind of talked to a couple of different designers, was kind of helping them and that was going pretty good and it was just kind of piecing together and learning. You know I would do when, like, somebody was at maternity leave, I worked in a design office. So I learned a lot of the ins and outs, like the business aspect, and then, with working in the showrooms, I kind of got a lot, a lot of love for like the textiles and I mean just pulling things together and color and pattern and texture.
Hope :And then I got pregnant with twins and when they were six months old I was like I know, I need to go back to work like full time, I do not need to be with these children all day. So I basically went back to ADAC and worked at Lee Jova private brunch showroom and basically just worked to send them to daycare because it was just a wash, yeah, and did that for until, I guess. So that was in 2014. When I went back and then in July of 2015, I was like I'm, I'm basically designing all of these designers rooms. You know, I pulled fabric, I helped scale, like I do all these things. Why am I? I can do this. And so I just went out on man, that's great, I did, I had, I had started some. I did have some clients beforehand, like when I you know just that was helping with paint colors and stuff like that. And then I just took the leap and it's been good. Yeah, that's awesome.
Lea Ann:Yeah, like you do a lot of show houses and things like that, is that right?
Hope :I've done some Serenbe, a couple of Serenbe show houses and one um. Right, I've done some Serenbe, a couple of Serenbe show houses and one um in Chickamauga. So that's been. That was fun. Uh, met a lot of good people doing that and that's another. You know, one of those recognition things. It's just kind of putting yourself out there. A lot of it is also just like relationships, you know. I mean I love going to Serenbe. Now it's like I see all the people and hugs all around and everything's all you know. I mean I love going to Serenbe now. It's like I see all the people and hugs all around and everything's all you know. So I did that two years in a row. I'm not doing it. I didn't do it. I'm not doing this year. I need a little break.
Lea Ann:Yeah, I know that's a lot of work. I know it's a big deal for artists to get their work in a show house. I mean, that feels like a feather in people's caps, for sure. And when you're sourcing work for something like that, probably just kind of the same mindset like what will work, pull everything together, right? Is that how you approach it?
Hope :The last Serenbe show house, Thomas Jackson had done his residency at Serenbe.
Lea Ann:Yeah.
Hope :So there was. I want to show you this Like if you can use it, let me know. And I was like great, yes, let's do that.
Hope :Yeah. So I kind of pulled because he had some really pretty bright colors and so that that situation was like, okay, this is what's happening. So I kind of designed the room based on the art in that place. And then I was working with Jackson Fine Art and so I did one space with Thomas Jackson and then another space can't remember his name was over the dining table. It's this giant piece that was hanging on the wall at Jackson.
Hope :I was like this is gorgeous and it was very different photography, but it was a nice like compliment to what was going on in the other space. It kind of like calm things down in the dining area where it you know, it was very whimsical in the living room area. That was fun. So in that case, like I was working with Thomas Jackson I mean Jackson Fine Art with the Thomas Jackson and then I saw the other piece and I was like this is great, this works. And then in other times you know it's been, let's see what was it. The year before I I had already selected all my fabrics and everything and then just kind of started working through art. That was with Greg Irby.
Lea Ann:Oh, go ahead, I'm sorry. No, you go ahead. No, no, no, finish your thought.
Hope :Oh, and then the Cloudland Station in Chickamauga was Muriel at Atlanta.
Lea Ann:Artists Collective. Did I have one of your pieces in there. I feel like you did. I feel like that's how we met. Yeah, something I don't know.
Hope :I don't know. Yeah, but yeah, that's how I've learned about you is through Atlanta Artists Collective.
Lea Ann:Mm-hmm, does it often happen that the art comes first and then you design it around, design a room or home around it?
Hope :Yeah, I mean if it's a personal piece of art that the client loves yeah, that happens a lot.
Lea Ann:What a great jumping off point.
Hope :Yeah, well, it helps with, you know, just color-wise too, just getting kind of exactly Just like jumping, jumping off there, and also when you're looking, it's like if they love that piece of art, they love those colors, they love that texture, they love that light, you know. So it's a, it's a easy.
Lea Ann:It's an easy starting point, for sure why do you think we need art in our home?
Hope :I mean, it's just just makes you happy and just like nobody wants to stare at a blank canvas. You know, like people I mean there's like people have beautiful plaster walls, but putting a piece of art on that just makes everything better.
Lea Ann:You know art makes everything better.
Hope :Yeah, it's so true it does, and I think the same with rugs too. Like rugs make me happy.
Lea Ann:Yeah, yes, I agree, and pillows, unfortunately, like rugs make me happy yeah, yes, I agree.
Hope :And pillows unfortunately. Pillows, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love pillows too. Color and wallpaper yes, exactly. I like even putting, I love like a busy wallpaper and then putting a piece of art on that as well. I mean it's like you don't want to cover up the wallpaper per se, but it's like it almost breaks it up.
Hope :You know it's a nice kind of and I think a lot of people don't think about doing that. You know, a lot of clients were like, oh really, you want to put a piece of art there. And I'm like, yeah, can you play into this pattern? And yeah, yeah, that's great.
Lea Ann:What does an average day look like for you?
Hope :that's crazy um, I wake up. I wake up pretty early just because I with kids and dogs today, I mean, they've gotten into the sleep-in mode, though today was like an eight o'clock day and I was like, is everything okay? Um, I start off the day like hit the ground, running, I mean, and not like running exercise, like drink my coffee and like sit down at my computer and really try to like knock out some stuff in the morning. But you know it's either hopping in the car driving to Atlanta, having to like be super organized on where I start, where I finish, to kind of work through the day, and that's kind of that's new because I've you know I've removed some days like I'll wake up and come up here to North Carolina, work all day and drive home. You know it's a lot of time in my car.
Hope :I'm working with a builder at Lake Oconee now on a few projects. So that's been really fun, cause I can, you know, I have like all my tile samples there and I can get there Like, do you need baskets? So I have like little baskets with my jobs and it's been really good. So all of that's like new build, my jobs, and it's been really good. So all that's like new build. So, you know, lately I've been collecting tile, countertop material, working on paint, working on exterior rock choices and stuff like that, which has been fun. You know, I love the soft goods because I feel like, yes, we can build this house, but if you don't have the right stuff in it then it's not gonna it's not gonna work.
Hope :So, but yeah, so and and things have changed quite a bit, just as my kids have gotten older. Like I used to have to get everything done in a finite amount of time because I had to go pick them up, and now my husband's teaching the kids. You know, they're all the, all the schools are on the same campus, so they leave with him in the morning and they come home with him in the afternoon. So, um, it helped a lot on my days in Atlanta or in North Carolina. But, yeah, I get, most of my brain activity is first thing in the morning and then by two o'clock I'm like some fabrics, you know. So like the creative process, like the business part, happens in the morning, and I think the creative process is more like, as my brain is off of all the to-do list, that I can like start working, yeah, or making things pretty.
Lea Ann:Well, you're very good at making things pretty. What do you feel like was the hardest transition in moving from being in the showroom to having your own design business?
Hope :Just so much of the. I think the showroom, having been in the showroom first, was really beneficial on just knowing how the business portion works. You know, knowing that you know you call a cutting CFA, is it cutting for approval and you get that to sign off on it, stuff like that. That a lot of I think a lot of kids you know in college have an intern this summer. I think a lot of kids you know in college have an intern this summer. They don't learn that in college. They don't learn. They learn how to draw and draft and you know they take some textile classes, but the little things that you really are important, they're not getting. So that was really good because you know. Now I know I'm like, oh well, I know that you can go check the warehouse and make sure that there's stuff like that, that beyond. Just like talking to a sales rep and then be like, no, we can't do that. And I'm like, no, yes, you can, I know that you can, we can make that work. You know I'm always very kind about it, but I'm like, no, you need to push further. But so that was. And then also just like learning how to do it all Cause you know I had, I had an office in Atlanta for about a year outside of the home.
Hope :But other than that, like just, even just as still struggle with like where I want to work within my house, even just, I still struggle with like where I want to work within my house. Like I have a desk, I have two desks. I work at the dining room table. Yeah, so every night it's all sitting out, I have to pack everything up and my little baskets lining the walls in the dining room. But, yeah, just finding that balance between being able to turn it off and like being present with the kids, and then it's still hard. You still don't really have it.
Lea Ann:Yeah, I don't know if there is a balance. Honestly, I think you just do the best you can.
Hope :Yeah. And then you know, and and having multiple clients in multiple locations and I've, I've this intern has been really great and she's awesome, and but again, even just like delegating stuff for me is hard because I feel, you know, just feel like I'm going to have to do it anyway, you know, yeah.
Lea Ann:But she's been great.
Hope :She'll, you know, I'll give her my credit card. I'm like, just go go to all these places. We're pulling accessories today. So she, she's been awesome. I'm going to miss her going back to school, yeah, but you know, and then also just finding, like now that I'm not in Atlanta, I have somebody now kind of helping me on the ground in Atlanta just running errands for me like picking up pillows and delivering them.
Hope :Um, because he was like this is so much driving. So I was like, yes, and compound that with driving into Atlanta and then driving around all day Like it. It's just, it's helpful to kind of those little errands that can be done sooner than what I can do. So that's been really good. And then having the marketing team is great. So I don't really have any employees per se, but I have, you know, now I have an accountant, which is great.
Lea Ann:You know.
Hope :So I have like a team yeah, not totally on my own, and so that's been. That's always really hard for me, though.
Lea Ann:Yeah, it's a work in process, mm-hmm. What advice would you give an artist Like if you could like leave with some words of wisdom about how to get your work in front of designers, like best practices, like how to be a good collaborator? What would you say to artists who want to be able to have designers source their work?
Hope :Just like you know, a lot of the social media thing is huge, I think. Just you know, if you're not in a, well, I think galleries are huge to be able to get into a gallery, just also being flexible and open. And you know, again, I don't like to do commissions, but if I'm saying we're using these colors, is there something. Or just the willing to work with the designer. I think having probably a website with what you have available, probably a website with what you have available, be it through a gallery or you're, if you're not in a gallery, I think I mean like art shows in general are really fun, like that's a even if you're having to do like a big art show and you're having to work, then that you get out there. In that respect, I mean it doesn't have to be anything major either, as long as I mean I love going to walk around a gallery with a glass of wine and typically end up buying something and I'm like I don't think I needed it, but I love it, kind of putting yourself out there and again like going back to that, getting it into show houses, getting it into retail, getting it into show houses, getting it into retail stores that might not sell art, but have a cool piece of art on the wall that you know you can refer, or even go into ADAT too, like all these showrooms. They don't have necessarily like a contract artist Like you can kind of just be, you know, do you? Do you need any art to hang here? Like, let's just hang it and commission it, it sells Great.
Hope :And then just like any sort of event, like a dining event I did the like design and dine or something like that at ADAC. I've done that a couple of times and have used Trish Anderson, the girl that does the. It's like carpet, like her art. She like like it's really cool. Oh my gosh, wait a minute, I can't think. I think her name is Trish Trish Anderson. She's she's got like the carpet gun and she does this art. It's all woven and it's cool it's. I'll send you her her Instagram. It's really cool. I would have never known about her. But the showroom like where we were doing this event, they had a bunch of art in there and I was like, oh, I'm going to use this is awesome, this works great, you know. So just, I think being in those like unexpected places it is beneficial as well.
Lea Ann:I mean, it sounds like just getting eyeballs on your work, like just getting your work out into the world in some way. You know, you just have to try a bunch of things Exactly, which is not usually the answer people want. You got to put yourself out there.
Hope :Yeah, you got to put yourself out there. What else can I think of?
Lea Ann:But it sounds like when people reach out to you directly, it doesn't bother you, like you don't feel, like I mean, that's like like when I'm working with coaching clients, like, oh, I don't want to bother someone, I don't want to be a you know like no, like they don't have to look at it. You put it in your DMs.
Hope :Yeah, you just can't, you can't like take anything personal exactly you know, yeah, yes, agreed and I think it like with you know, when I started interior design, it was like I had two little trees of clients like that just branched and then these kind of collided and then it just it's just you have to just put yourself out there and you just like it only takes one client, it only takes this one. It's been hard for me to just move into Madison. It's like I really want to work here but I don't. I mean I have, I don't have a single client in Madison, but there's like a Cody thing, just like one happenstance. Now things are growing, yeah, yeah, and I'm like this is kind of nice. I don't have to run into clients at the grocery store, yeah it's true Like hey, where's my thing?
Lea Ann:Yeah.
Hope :I can go to church and not have to be like, okay, I owe her a name, I got to call her tomorrow.
Lea Ann:Exactly.
Hope :Well, where can people find you? So I'm on Instagram as HopeAustinINT. I don't do like TikTok or any of that stuff. I have a Facebook page, but mostly everything goes on Instagram. And then I have a website and it's Hope Austin Let me double check.
Lea Ann:I think it's Hope Austin Interiors. I was looking Okay.
Hope :Yeah, hopeaustininteriorsllccom. Okay. I'll link to all that. Okay, I had to add some extras in there. So they've done a really good job on the marketing team and they do really good job on like posting things that like the podcast. This podcast will be on there. Any anything I'm, anytime I'm featured there. Also, we I'm starting a new newsletter. I've had one.
Lea Ann:I heard that I think I'm on your list. I saw that.
Hope :Yes, so you can. Now they figured out how to link it to my website. So that's the. That's. The next thing we're working on is and I think you can look at my last, I think you can look at the last one, but on on the website and then you know, I try, you know there's a. So I again live on a farm, so it's not only is it like interior design, featured stuff, I've been pretty inspired by what's happening around me on the farm. So I have a feather, your nest. So we are looking at different birds and just linking them up to some of my design and the color choices that I use. So that's been really fun.
Hope :Yes, and you have chickens. I have chickens and a goose. Oh, I forgot about the goose. Yeah, we were talking about goats last night, but we were like well, what are we going to do when we come to the mountains all summer? Who's going to take care of all the animals? You need a goat sitter. I need a goat sitter. I have a chicken sitter, I. You need a goat sitter, I need a goat sitter. I have a chicken center. I had a friend he worked at ADAC. He would house it because we had chickens in Buckhead, but all around ADAC. He was known as the chicken tender.
Hope :That's awesome Anyway. I digress but yeah, so you can find me in all those places.
Lea Ann:That is great. Well, thank you so much for joining me here. It's been super helpful. I don't think. Yeah, it's like you know, our, our, um, worlds, like, are parallel and we want them like I know, my people and me, you know, want them to collide with people like you. So this is a really good, a little behind the curtain, of how to make that happen.
Hope :Yeah, Well, thank you for having me. This is fun, I didn't. I just looked at the clock. I'm like this was great. I mean it's an hour and 17 minutes and we're still going, and I was here worried that, um, you know that I was going to fumble around, so you did a great job. It was delightful. So thank you so much.
Lea Ann:Thank you so much for listening to mind over medium podcast today. If you found the episode inspiring, please share it with a friend or post it on social media and tag me on Instagram at Leanne Slotkin, or head to my website, wwwleanneslotkincom. To book a discovery call to find out more about working with me one-on-one. You can also head to my website to get a great tool I've created for you to use when planning your own online launch of your artwork. It's an exercise I've taken many of my coaching clients through and it's been very helpful. It's my way of saying thank you and keep creating.