How would you feel if an interior designer more than 1,200 miles away commissioned you to create a piece larger than ever attempted on a short deadline?
In today’s episode, Chase Mcclough shares what she did to create this opportunity, how she managed to pull this off, and why other artists like yourself should always SAY YES.
Chase Mcclough currently lives in Northern Virginia, has a PhD in psychology, and is a recent member of the Acrylic Pouring FaceBook Community.
This episode is sponsored by Acrylicpouring.com – the leading fluid arts website which provides fluid artists around the world the inspiration and tips they need.
If you are new to fluid arts and want to get started now then go to https://acrylicpouring.com/ to learn the 5 fundamentals of making beautiful acrylic pours for FREE. Also, join their Facebook community where every day artists just like YOU are sharing their newest creations that just might end up on another one of these episodes.
Introduction
Welcome to another episode, the fluid arts podcast with your host Kévin White. Here, we dive into the wonderful world of fluid arts, including acrylic pouring, alcohol, ink, resin, art, and more. Each episode contains a one-on-one session with talented artists who share their techniques, inspirations and tips for creating amazing fluid art. Whether you want to earn a living making art or improve your work, this podcast is for you. So, please sit back and relax as we take you on a journey to learn more about this exciting and engaging art form.
As always, we have with us a special guest who goes by the name of Chase Mcclough. In this episode, she walks us through how she created this specific piece and how she sold it to an apartment leasing office.
A little bit about today’s guest
Chase hails from Herndon, Northern Virginia, grew up in Texas until about 24 when she graduated in Delaware. She later moved to New York, where she lived for about eight years, but according to her, her move to NYC wasn’t for the bubble, but mostly in pursuit of her post-doctorate and career as a clinical psychologist. Chase also added that she didn’t miss out on everything NYC had to offer; she still enjoyed the music, museums, Broadway, etc. during her stay there and was even among the 911 response team at the time of the incidence. She, however, concluded that her stay in NYC had little to do with her artistic side.
So, let’s know more about the jaw-dropping piece and the inspiration behind it.
Like many unique great works of art, she hasn’t found a name for the 60×60 squared inch acrylic painting. In her words,
“I was contacted by the interior designer who is part of the company building this apartment complex. She was in charge of decorating, and she had a very specific request. So the dimensions, the colors, all of that came from her.”
How did you guys meet; how did she hear about your work?
Chase Mcclough tells us how she met with the client and how the importance of social media in modern-day awareness creation can never be overemphasized. She said it all started with the Covid-19 lockdown; she was one of those who seized the opportunity the universe brought; the time to venture into other things you work, life couldn’t afford.
“Though the client is Texas-based, it had nothing to do with me being from Texas. That was a complete coincidence, they were building several apartment complexes in Herndon, and she, as I said, was in charge of the entire interior design of this lobby. She said she was looking for a local artist to do a piece for the leasing office’s entryway. She went on Instagram and she found my stuff from tags. I used some Herndon related tags to post some of my work on a local Herndon artists art space, an artists’ kind of community. So that’s where she saw my work, and, you know, went to my Instagram where she found my Etsy and then that’s how she contacted me. So it was very strange.”
So, when did it become a serious thing for you?
Our guest tells us how it all started, that it was a new flame that the lockdown gave her time to kindle into something great.
“I started this art adventure in March when COVID hit, so you know, I and millions of others stuck at home. At that time, I also had two teenagers who didn’t want me in their business all day long. So I had to find something to do, and my personality enables me to do things intensely so, I decided to start painting. And I’ve done some painting and crafts and things my whole life, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue, but to have that kind of time all day to devote to something was what I never had in my whole life. So, I thought; this is it. If you want to do this, you’ll never get an opportunity like this. So that was my mindset I went with, and I went ‘all-in.’”
How she got better; the social media community.
Nowadays, the internet has everything you are looking for, and all you have to do is ask.
“Social media was a part of it because it was the only way to communicate at the time. It was the only way to connect, to show and tell people what I was at the time. So I formed an Instagram page and joined Facebook groups, and all of that was important. I can’t remember how, but I found you guys on Facebook, I think it was the first thing I joined, and it was what launched me because you could ask questions, you could see what other people are doing, you could figure out. You can figure out who and what techniques or what the names say I, you know, when you first start, you don’t know anything. And I felt like it was a forum where I could very safely say, what’s the swipe? Or what’s it, you know? Are you using a hairdryer, you know, all sort of what felt like really basic questions? Um, it’s, it was where I started, I would say, it’s where I got all my, my first information.”
The parting advice from this episode’s guest; opportunity and effort
Let’s say the same situation happened where someone reached out to any of our listeners via social media and wanted to, you know, gave them a timeline? What advice would you give some of the listeners?
“My advice always starts with saying yes to every opportunity, unless there’s a really good reason not to because you don’t know what’s going to come from it. This situation was completely out of my comfort zone. I didn’t know if I could do it. But then I thought, what if I could do it? How amazing would that be? After all, if I don’t or can’t do it, who cares? So say yes to the opportunity that comes knocking even if you feel like you’re unqualified or unprepared. The second is expected to fail, and plan for that to know the costs and benefits. My mindset going into this wasn’t about money. It was about figuring out my capabilities, and I don’t care if I lost money in this venture because I took it as an investment in my abilities. And so I was willing to buy the three canvases. I was willing to buy a ton of paint because I was thinking of it as an investment in this knowing that I would waste a great deal of it learning, and that was okay, so that was my mindset.”
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You can learn more about Chase by checking out her social media, including her Instagram Account and Etsy Store.
Chase has been a life-long arts and crafts “enthusiast,” works as a clinical psychologist for more than 20 years, and currently lives in Northern Virginia.
She began an immersive exploration of acrylic pouring while quarantined in March, joined the Acrylic Pouring Facebook Community, and has not looked back since.