For senior Zoe Thompson, her business began as a way to declutter.
“I made a lot of artwork, and it had to go somewhere,” said Zoe.
Zoe’s art room had paint splattered on the ground, endless portraits stacked over each other, and brushes scattered everywhere. She didn’t like keeping her art, so she gave it away. Quickly, other students recognized her talent and towards the end of 2021, she received a lot of commissions for paintings.
“I thought maybe I could start selling more officially and mass produce printed stickers or other pieces of art,” Zoe said.
Since then, Zoe has been selling her artwork on Etsy. She specializes in acrylic painted pet portraits.
Zoe’s first pet portrait was for her brother. She painted her dog which he loved very much. Her mother saw the portrait and liked it. She encouraged Zoe to make more. Zoe was convinced, but the chief reason she started selling her portraits was because she didn’t want her work to go to waste.
Zoe’s favorite painting is her self-portrait that she made her junior year for her AP art portfolio. It’s about overcoming her aversion to physical touch. Her work placed third for the painting category at the LISD art show and second for the painting category at the Marcus art show.
When she first started selling on Etsy, she would drop off portraits on people’s porches.
“Before it was just more word of mouth. Like I’ll give you the cash and drop it off at my house,” Zoe said.
Zoe never dreamt she would have a business, especially a business as successful as hers.
When she graduates high school, Zoe wants to pursue a career in art education. She would like to teach teenagers who aspire to become artists. She wants her future students to use color unrestrainedly, one thing she wishes she was taught in school.
If she has the opportunity to join an international teaching program, she will move countries every year and will be able to teach children from all over the world.
“I would like to teach students the fundamentals of art because it’s so helpful, and I want to encourage building those foundations,” Zoe said.
