5 Years of Hollie Childe Art: 10 Lessons I've learnt along the way

It has been 5 years since I first put my work out there and started on my journey as Hollie Childe Art! So I thought to reflect I would share my main lessons I have learnt along the way and share them with you.

1. It takes Time.
   When I started out I remember people saying this to me and feeling so frustrated by it but 5 years on I can 100% say it’s true!
   Social media makes it really easy to look at others best moments and compare yourself, but it really does take time! Comparing my paintings from 5 years ago to now I’ve learnt so much and all those hours of practice along the way are so necessary!
2. The mistakes you make will be the times you learn the most.
   Mistakes and low moments  are also inevitable. It’s so easy to beat yourself up when things go wrong but very failure or mishap are lessons and you will learn from, even if it’s just I must remember not to do that again!
3. Be yourself and follow your heart!
   I remember being so crushed the first times at fairs when I would hear someone say ‘oh I don’t like that’ but learning the lesson that not everyone will like what you do and that’s okay is so invaluable, especially with artwork everyone has their own very personal tastes!
   If you stay true to your heart and to what inspires you, you will find your right people. Those people will turn out to be so lovely, supportive and be happy to join you on your journey and cheer you on along the way… Which will in turn give you more freedom to continue to experiment and keep creating (something that I couldn’t be more grateful for!).
4. Having a fluffy sidekick is the best!
   Working from home and being your own boss, though it seems like a dream and it has so many great benefits, it can get lonely. For the first two years of my business we were living in a 3rd floor flat rented flat in Manchester, I had two pet Rats called Scamp and Trouble who I loved so much but having grown up with lots of animals I really missed the championship.We moved into the countryside and brought our first home and I was able to have Pippin.
   He has since then, though a very naughty and hyperactive springer spaniel, brought so much joy! Been there to remind me to take time out to go for walks, be with me in the woods while I take photos, come on road trips, provide cuddles and fuss when needed and also proved to be a very good attraction for making new friends and drawing customers in at markets and shows! (He has to pull his weight in selling somehow to pay for the many socks, glasses, door frames he has chewed!)
5. Find people like you!
   This is one of the biggest reasons I love going to so many markets and shows is to get to chat to other traders and meet like minded people. Even if it’s a very different business to your own, it’s still great to talk to other self employed people, share knowledge and just have a chat! Without working in a office for example where you would have other people to talk about your work to all day who understand what your going through, it’s important to find people you can reach out to and even better when it leads to making some real lovely friendships!
6. Putting yourself out there will never not be scary, but it does get easier!
   5 years ago I remember posted my first paintings onto my Facebook page after continuous nudges from my Mum. Even though it was only family and friends on there at that point, it was terrifying! Creating artwork is so personal and every time I post a new painting online or attend a show or fair I still get nervous! I remember looking at everyone else thinking how are they so confident and I just have no clue what I’m doing, when the truth is… nobody does! Everyone is just trying their best and making it up as they go.
7. Remember your why you started.
   I’ve heard this be the key advice from so many people. When times get hard remember your why. I remember all the hours in my bedroom when I was little with how to draw books, trying different styles, making pictures for family, covering my walls in my drawings. I do this because I love art and creating. It was never a conscious decision that ‘this is the career’ I choose, it was just what always made sense to me and made me happy! If you take away the business side, I would still be there doodling away in my bedroom!
8. Family and friends are heroes- know that you can ask for help.
   I couldn’t be more thankful for the help from my family and friends. They have been there through every up and down, card folding, early mornings at shows, through the creative melt down, delivery trips and so much more. Love you loads xxx I know this is a common theme with so many other small business owners is that it really does become a family affair!
9. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket- but also learn when something isn’t the right fit.
   In my experience this one is so important for my business. From social media and online, to markets and shows, to trade and stockists, to commission work and to displaying my work in local pubs, cafes etc. I’ve found it’s great to have lots of different ways of letting people find my work and to try different things, it also means its really interesting and I feel like I can learn new things! Over COVID this has proved to be really highlighted for me to be able to just shift my focus more to different things, for example take the extra time I would have been at shows and markets to work on my website and take on more commissions. This said however, sometimes you will try things that won’t be the right fit so make sure to keep checking in and know what works for you. Everyone is totally different so it doesn’t matter what works for someone else, it has to be what works best for you. And if something doesn’t go to plan as I said in point 2, that’s just another lesson learned!
10. (the hard unspoken one for..the young people who love art) Being an artist is achievable and valuable.
    This is a hard one to discuss but for young Hollie I think so important. It’s taken years of me doing this to even feel comfortable when people ask what I do to confidently say ‘I’m an artist’ and the inevitable next… yes this is my job. For any young person having to hear over and over that it’s not a real job, you will never make any money or when choosing art at school have teachers not want you to study it and consider it a unimportant subject. Now more than ever with social media, you can start right away sharing your work (for free!) and getting yourself out there, it won’t be easy but you can do it! If science or Maths doesn’t make sense to you, thats okay. The world deserves to see/watch/listen to what you create! I am absolutely in awe of the artists and creators I have met along the way and they are such a testament to this! Everything they do it so inspiring, thoughtful and valuable. Let those people be your light along the way!

I hope this has been helpful and I hope to be able to look back in another 5 years and add some more well lessons to the list!


In my next post I will adding some of my top lessons and insights for attending markets and shows so let me know if you have any questions!
Hollie xxx