Last week I read a comment on IG that made this post topic come to life. The painting in the image below was styled in a space and someone asked who the artist was. We no longer have Target in Canada but I knew that it was available there as everyone on the internet appears to have purchased it. As I continued to read the comments, one appeared that said "I'm the artist", I was curious to find out more.
After browsing Pamela Munger's Etsy shop and seeing her work I sent her a message. We chatted back and forth and she has been so kind to share a bit of her journey. If you have ever thought about licensing your designs or artwork this post may be helpful for you.
Photo from Emily Henderson of Pamela's painting "October" available at Target.
I know not everyone enjoys big box art, but this is very beautiful and affordable as well. It comes framed as shown above.
There are a number of artists out there that may have feelings of self-doubt, believing they need an education in art to be taken seriously. Pamela is self-taught and here is a bit about her. Her Etsy shop has been open since 2006, and she enjoys working with oil and acrylics.
"My career as an artist started when I was teaching English and was looking for something to do creatively. I was given some art supplies one Xmas, painted my first painting and that was it. I was hooked. What started as a keen hobby grew to be a part-time income and now I work full time as an artist. I’m from southern California and currently reside in rural western Colorado where my husband and I have a farm where we grow hops for the Colorado microbreweries. The big open sky and land are a constant inspiration for my art."
Pamela has sold work through Anthropology, HomeGoods & other retailers. Her work has also been featured on the television show Mad Men. "I’m all about experimentation with paint, surfaces and subject matter but I like to keep it simple and innocent, avoiding detail and not giving away the whole story. I lean towards the abstract because that’s where I can truly be creative and people can develop their own interpretation based on what they see, but I also do the occasional painterly landscape or still life."
"I was very lucky to be contacted online by the director of a major art manufacturer company called Artissimo Designs based in Los Angeles. She thought some of my art would work in the retail stores they work with so we agreed on a contract and I started submitting my images to them. They create samples of my work to present to the retailers such as Target, HomeGoods, HomeSense, Kirkland, etc. If one of my pieces get chosen, the retailer orders so many units and I get a royalty from that."
"When Target needed art for their new brand called Project 62 my painting 'October' was chosen to be reproduced under that line. It turned out to be popular with their consumers and has been great exposure for me as some design bloggers have featured it on their blog. I have my name on a tiny sticker on the back of the painting so that helps also."
"Licensing art can be a great way to increase your income and get more exposure as an artist. Some artists don't care to have their work in the mass market industry and I can understand that but for myself, I think that the more people who can enjoy art, the better!"