Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Stelter.
Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I have been selling my artwork on and off since 2018, but in Spring of 2020, that all changed. This sounds odd to say, but it started with a Middle Finger. In April of 2020, the world was shut down, and I found myself in my room with too much time to spare. I had just gotten off of a phone call with my mother, telling that I shouldn’t be posting artwork of nudes and swear words on Facebook because it was inn-appropriate. Naturally, I turned to the paper to get my feelings out. I filmed myself painting a middle finger and uploaded it to TikTok with a voice-over urging people to NOT care what others think about their artwork. If it’s beautiful to you, others who find it beautiful will come. It went viral, and after nearly 1 Million views I had people asking if they can buy prints of it for their own inspiration. I started an online store with one, drop-shipped product: my middle finger print. This, was the beginning of it all.
From there, every time I had a video go viral, I added it to my collection of prints. I registered for my L.L.C. and, after a few months, I had earned enough to purchase vinyl stickers and ship them myself. After that, my business slowly grew. I switched from a drop shipping platform to shipping prints myself, upgrade to a paid website, bought a domain, registered for art shows, applied for galleries, etc.
After only 1 year, I had quit my job and started pursuing art full-time. My second year brought so many new ideas, lessons, and exciting plans. I’ve now expanded to have over 10 different revenue streams, sell my own drawing kits and teach drawing classes, have had my art in multiple galleries, and most excitingly have been able to make six figures as an independent artist.
I am on a mission to change people’s lives through art and I am well on my way, with so much more growth to happen in the future!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For the most part, this has been a pleasantly smooth journey, which I know is not typically the case. I have been able to leverage many free platforms to organically grow my audience, slowly building my path with zero investment. That being said, my biggest hurdle has been finances.
About halfway into my 2nd year, my accountant informed me of the astronomical amount I owed the IRS for estimated payments and I started to panic. I do not have a business background and immediately turned to the internet, searching for the best money management system. I ended up reading several business finance books to turn my situation back into a positive thing, and now can happily say I have a stable money management system in place.
From accounting, to time management, to sales tax collection, to bookkeeping, I have learned so many things I never would have imagined I would need to know.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do many things as an artist so I will explain just a few.
Scribble Ladies: I am rather known for my “Scribble Lady” Portraits. I focus on creating a body positive and self-loving community, where every person feels like they not only belong, but are celebrated. I do custom portraits of women in my style to show them their beauty through my artwork. A lot of people have different things that they dislike or are insecure about, and by transforming their bodies into a piece of art, I help celebrate their differences and individual beauty.
Glass Pens: I do all my artwork with a glass pen, and at the start of 2021 I created my own glass pen kit that I now sell. It comes with all the supplies and video tutorials one needs to explore a new medium. Along with this I teach virtual drawing classes every month and provide hours of free drawing tutorials on TikTok (@hannahstelter2) and Instagram (@designed.by.hannah).
Stickers, Prints: I sell my artwork as stickers and prints online and In-person at art markets and shows. This makes up most of my income and at the same time melts my heart knowing so many people love and appreciate my artwork.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me the most happy is seeing and hearing people’s reactions to my artwork. I have had people message me saying I inspired them to start drawing again after 20 years, or that following my tutorials has taught them to love art in a whole new way, and it’s so magical to see that my work can have such a beautiful impact.
In addition to inspiring others to draw, my scribble ladies have been my biggest mission as an artist. I have had so many women tell me that I encouraged them to love themselves more, and one lady who I drew as a scribble lady told me she hadn’t taken a photo of herself in 5 years, but felt confident and comfortable because of what I am doing as an artist. One of my favorite stories happened a few months ago at a show I was vending at. This girl was looking through my scribble lady prints, and paused on a certain one. She immediately starting crying because she felt such an intense connection to the piece. It’s things like this, being able to show people how beautiful they are through artwork, that brings me the truest joy.
Contact Info:
- Email: business@itsdesignedbyhannah.com
- Website: www.itsdesignedbyhannah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designed.by.hannah/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designedbyhannahart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8840f0CfW9ypBeyKxtSvGg
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahstelter2?lang=en
Image Credits
Chase Evert
Hannah Stelter
