Brewtifully Made
Here, Tracy Dawn Brewer shares creative insights, discussions with creative souls who are invited to doodle along with her and share their creative processes, and more.
Adding a twist, each episode begins with a doodle prompt and you can catch the final pieces from the episode on her YouTube channel, linked on the website! If you choose to also create along with her during an episode, share your work with the hashtag #brewtifullymade so she can shout out YOUR awesome creativity too!
Brewtifully Made
Whimsical Art and Community With Miss Bobbi Pickens
Discover the enchanting world of creativity with our vibrant guest, Miss Bobbi Pickens. Once a maker of wooden dolls out of necessity in the 1980s, Bobbi has transformed into a celebrated self-taught artist, captivating audiences worldwide with her whimsical and spiritual canvas art. Join us as Bobbi shares her incredible journey, discussing how her personal experiences and creative processes have woven joy and emotional depth into her artwork. From her transition to larger, impactful pieces to the incorporation of inspirational words, Bobbi's story is one of resilience and artistic evolution.
In our conversation, we celebrate the expanding reach of Bobbi's art beyond Ohio, highlighted by heartwarming stories of fans discovering her work through social media. Emphasizing the importance of building an inclusive art community, Bobbi talks about her passion for connecting with audiences online and in person, including her recent success in teaching a bracelet-making class. We also delve into her current creative projects inspired by beach houses and mermaids, inviting listeners to engage with her journey and explore her past work. This episode promises to inspire and uplift, leaving you with a deeper appreciation for Bobbi's artistry and the vibrant community she fosters.
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Hello everyone, welcome back to Brutally Made. I am super excited to have the October exhibiting artist at my studio gallery with us today. This is Miss Darling Bobby Pickens. Hi, Bobby.
Speaker 2:Hi, Tracy darling, I'm so happy that you're having me.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I'm super excited to talk about your process and your artwork and all of the things that have made your pieces just stand out to everyone walking by. It makes them come in. They're so bright and colorful. So really introduce yourself and your business and really like what you do.
Speaker 2:Okay, hi, thank you. I'm Bobbi Pickens and I am a self-taught artist of many mediums and I have been doing art all of my life, since I was in kindergarten, I would say I remember finger painting and I can still smell the smell of the finger paint. Yeah, yeah, and I live in Ohio, sometimes in Florida, and I do work for a builder down there and furnish his beach homes for him with really funky art that I do, and I've been doing art, like I said, forever. But I have gone from doing dolls at one point in my life worldwide to art, then to art and art and art and art.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so when you're saying art, you're talking canvas.
Speaker 2:I'm talking canvas art. Yeah, okay, and I always end up going sideways and forward and which way backwards? On other things too, but I always come back to the canvas art.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We say canvas art.
Speaker 1:They're're oversized. Nice and big pieces, very big pieces.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love to do big pieces. I just think they're so vibrant. And the people that order them from me I get a lot of orders from Florida and I sold some from you also at the store um, they say that my art makes them happy. That's what they always say. I know I love that, so it makes me happy when they say that, so that gives me incentive to keep going.
Speaker 1:You know, yeah, yeah definitely You're inspirational, definitely inspirational, and it does the spin. You're inspirational, definitely inspirational, and it does the spin. Do you have a genre or a theme that you feel like fits your art?
Speaker 2:I think it's. I always say whimsical, funky kind of out there. I don't want to say outsider art, but sometimes More whimsical and very, very colorful and very, very colorful. That's not to say that I don't like to do muted dark colors also, but I do use a lot of bright colors and I like to do angels and anything that's like spiritual or um like they're inspirational.
Speaker 1:You, you incorporate a lot of words into your pieces that resonate with people looking at them and finding them. Because they're looking, they see them like hidden. Or some are very you know, just in your face, very blatant, because they're looking, they see them like hidden. Or some are very you know, just in your face, very blatant, because they're very bold. But, yeah, your pieces do have a theme with trying to resonate a feeling or an emotion with the viewer, definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what I try to do. I try and that's what people seem to like. You know, I do a lot of beachy stuff when I'm in Florida. So if you go to my website, you'll see that there's a lot of beachy stuff when I'm in Florida. So if you go to my website, you'll see that there's a lot of beachy stuff on there. But that's not to say that's only because I'm in Florida sometimes, so it's not to say that I wouldn't do any other thing. That's custom, you know. Right, right, right right.
Speaker 1:I love when we were talking about the history of like what you had done, your journey of businesses and really art inspired work. I had no idea that you had done everything. Talk about that like journey.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, in like 1980s I guess I was in a bad place, I want to say, and I made this Humpty Dumpty doll out of wood. My dad had a lumber company so I always used the wood scrap. So I made this Humpty Dumpty doll. Somebody bought it. It kept selling, and my friend was arts and crafts promoter Barb and I decided to do a show. Well, I sold out of all those so I made this one doll. I still have him. His name's George, and this was like the late 1980s, and I was doing this because I needed an income. So I thought, wow, okay, one doll, two dolls, dolls, maybe more dolls, maybe maybe there's a market for this. And so I looked up sales reps, like in Columbus, and I found one and she like met me and was like blown away, like just, I want to sell your work. So I was in the Columbus gift Mart for years and selling these funky dolls, kind of not life-size but bigger than the ones I'm doing for you.
Speaker 1:But you're making these one at a time. It's not like you mask.
Speaker 2:One at a time. I'm doing it myself, one at a time. And one day we're sitting there and my fax machine started going off and all these orders started coming over the fax machine, like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them from the show.
Speaker 1:That had to be exhilarating and frightening at the same time. It was.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh, this is so amazing, I'm so excited, I was so excited to see the numbers on the page. And then how am I gonna do all this? And so I started high. I hired a woman to sew for me. Then, from from that, I had like I ended up having like five to eight employees. I was even selling to Japan, yeah. So. And then when the market went to Zoom and nobody wanted to pay any money for artwork, it kind of filtered, started filtering. So that's when I started my canvas art and also I met my husband. So that took my life in a different direction too, but I never did stop doing artwork yeah, but that's kind of changed your medium and changed your focus yeah, but that was just one jump in my journey.
Speaker 1:Gosh, that is an incredible story. Yeah, especially when you want to hear how people find representation and licensing opportunities now, and we rely on the internet.
Speaker 2:Yes, so, Sarah, you are calling in this fact machine. Yes, I'm so interested in all of that now.
Speaker 1:I know I just love that history and it's just incredible to see your work. And, oh my goodness, bobby, I, I do. I have two dolls that are available in the shop right now and they're glorious. There's one that is this witch, that is just super cool, and then this jazzy little funky girl with the cotton candy pink hair. She's adorable and they're both available in the store and she created those and she'll. You know, bobby just comes bouncing in. I made the pattern and I made like everything it's not like she's purchased a simplicity pattern and like all that.
Speaker 1:She's created everything from scratch, everything.
Speaker 2:Yep, everything, the whole thing from scratch.
Speaker 1:And I, everything, the whole thing from scratch, I and I do the pattern over and over until I get it just the way I want it oh so really across the whole gamut of dolls to your canvases, to even like your funky blocks and your jewelry, everything all this medium like is there. Is there a consistent? I mean I know there's a consistent, a consistency, and bright colors and very like meaningful pieces that are incorporated in stuff. But do you have a favorite medium? Painting?
Speaker 2:painting um, yes, I, painting and fabric are my two favorite. I love to sew, I love to hand sew, so I I love creating these dolls. So making that one doll for you was like bringing back memories, and now I'm getting all these ideas about the dolls and yeah, yeah, I love the fact that you made them like even bigger than one.
Speaker 1:I mean the ones that I have sit on shelves and they're great. I mean, they're a nice presence. These aren't like tiny dolls that fit in your hand.
Speaker 2:They're tall, but even bigger.
Speaker 1:You've made them even bigger, which is fabulous.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have one sitting right here on my desk looking at me from years ago and it's a big one.
Speaker 1:I love that you have the first one, george, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so where do you?
Speaker 2:find your inspiration so where do you find your inspiration? Well, I'll go out on a day and go art shopping. That's a big inspiration, sometimes a little too much. And then I love leafing through old magazines and nature, nature, the beach, just you know. Going out and looking, just looking, looking, looking at other people's stuff, not to copy, but just like saying trends. I like to see what the trends are, you know. And inspiration comes to me from God Most of all. I'm just a God-fearing woman and I just believe that I've been given this gift to go on with my life with this stuff, you know Sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, our connection to spirituality is a huge motivator for us to find, you know, those meanings and things that we're seeing every day. So, no, I totally understand that. Yes, so what do you think your biggest challenges as an artist? What have they been through all of this like rollercoaster that you've experienced?
Speaker 2:My biggest challenge is promoting myself, getting out there and I'm kind of it doesn't seem like it when I'm in a group, um, but I'm a real shy person and I have a problem with like getting out there and being like, look at what I did or look at who who I am, or most people don't, even in my family circle, friend circle that I have here in Ohio, don't even know what I do.
Speaker 1:That's amazing to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I. That is my biggest challenge. So you have helped me in this stage of my life. Jump out of that box, good.
Speaker 1:Good, I hope I pushed you really far because you have just have your work seen and I love that because we really have talked about sharing it across the platform. That I have has given people the ability to find you, even if they hadn't seen you for a long time like oh, bobby's still working on art if they hadn't seen you for a long time like oh, bobby's still working on art.
Speaker 2:I want to order something and you've received orders. Yes, I have, I have. Since you opened and put me out there, there was a lady looking for me in Florida. She couldn't find me, but she happened to see on the feed your post. She's like oh my gosh, there she is. She ordered two big paintings from me, from you yeah, that's what I'm here for.
Speaker 1:That's what I want to do. That makes me so happy. That is fulfilling that want in my heart to expand the community of not only the people here in Stark County and our Ohio family, but beyond, because there's so much talent and I want everyone to see what we can offer.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I tell everybody about your place. I stopped a guy in Michaels the other day. He was asking me for help and he's a balloon artist and I said you've got to go over to Tracy's place and he's a balloon artist. And I I said you got to go over to Tracy's place and told him all about you. And you know, I tell everybody about your place.
Speaker 1:That's a thank you. That's very kind. And I everyone is, you know I want everybody there. I want all kinds of art and all kinds of creativity and I don't want anyone to be a fearful of their opinion of art. If they like it and don't like it, I mean all of that is good, it's positive, it's a discussion, it's worthwhile More of that. So definitely. I agree with you. So the month of. October is your month, but what after that's done? Where can everyone find your work?
Speaker 2:They can go to my website. It's bobbypickenswixcom forward slash portfolio and Bobby.
Speaker 1:B-O-B-B-I yes, I just want to make sure. B-o-b-b-i Pickens P-I-C-K-E-N-S. And I will have the link to your website in the show notes, so it's very convenient for everyone to be able to click it and go right to your site.
Speaker 2:Okay, it's Bobby Pickens art. I forgot to say art.
Speaker 1:So those are the reasons we got to get those links out there. So that'll be definitely on the show notes and you are on social media too, pardon me, and you are on social media as well.
Speaker 2:I am. Yeah, I'm not real techie, but I'm learning. But yeah, I am.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so definitely be able to find Bobby on Instagram and on Facebook and your website.
Speaker 1:And then whatever they want they can text me. I've done so many orders over texting and never even met the person. My goodness, Is your phone on your website then for them to yes? Okay, that's fine, We'll make sure that that's there. And we just finished a fabulous bracelet class. This week Got Bobby with all of her beads and the funky colors and shapes and just oh my gosh, they were so much fun to make. We did it. You did a great job. You were like so worried about teaching and you did a fabulous job. Probably have another one next year because we had such a great time.
Speaker 2:I was worried but I think I pulled it off pretty well. You did you absolutely did, so.
Speaker 1:is there any? Are there any other subject matters or anything that you've been working on that you want to share that people could look forward to?
Speaker 2:I'm working on right now for a lady in Florida, a beach house made with blue jeans and a mermaid, and they're real big pieces so I can put them online as I work with them. You know, get them finished. I like to do the steps and show people the steps, and that's what I'm working on right now, and then after that I'm going to be doing your little hearts and dolls. I can't wait. Yeah, yeah, so those will be really cool. Yeah, I want to get my hands in that.
Speaker 1:So we will make sure we share everything online and get you up to speed on that Instagram posting, because process videos and pictures people love to see how an artist gets through those steps before the final product, so that's a good thing that you're sharing now. Is that right? I think? I think you're right about that. Yeah, absolutely, people love to see the process. Okay, oh, bobby, thank you so much for joining me. This is fabulous. I just love talking to you and I'm going to like.
Speaker 1:try to grab some more pictures so everyone can see some of the things that you have done in the past too, and then all the links to your information will be in the show notes.
Speaker 2:OK, that sounds great. I appreciate you having me on your podcast. Oh, you are so welcome.
Speaker 1:Thanks for joining me, and if anyone has any questions in particular that we didn't discuss, you can send them along my way and I'll get them to Bobby and we can just post them on our social media. So thanks again, bobby. Have a great weekend. Thank you you too Bye, no-transcript.
Speaker 2:no-transcript.
