Today we’d like to introduce you to Skyler Cason.
Hi Skyler, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My art journey started as a child. I have always been intrigued by any kind of creative project, and I owe a lot of that to my grandma. She ignited a lot of my creativity and always urged me to use my imagination as a child. Growing up, drawing or painting was my go-to activity.
As life progressed, art grew into a passion, and I decided to take that passion into my career. When college came into play, I decided to pursue graphic design and marketing at Campbell University. I quickly learned that graphic design was a more challenging and rewarding form of art for me. I fell in love with it!
I graduated from Campbell University in December of 2019 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and majoring in marketing and graphic design. To say that was a relief was an understatement. My last semester at Campbell was a whirlwind. I was taking 21 credit hours, working 3 jobs to pay rent, planning my wedding to my now-husband, and trying to enjoy my last semester with my friends before I moved away, but I made it!
Following my graduation, I got married on December 28, 2019, and then moved straight to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri a few days after my wedding for my husband’s work. As we all know now when 2020 came around COVID hit. I was so thankful to have gotten to graduate and get married right before the pandemic, but of course, it was a bummer that as soon as I enter the “big girl” workforce, I couldn’t seem to find a job that is anything close to what I was hoping for.
I found myself in another state and wondering what to do with all my free time. I just thought to myself “Well, I have always had so many people ask me to do commission work over the years, and now I have the time to do it, so why not?” In February of 2020, I made a Facebook post that I did not think would get much traction, but it was the spark for Skyler Hope Designs.
From that point, I started to offer commission pencil drawings. Over time, I started to experiment with other art mediums like watercolor paints and went back to my high school roots of working with acrylic paints. Learning to use watercolor allowed me to open my Etsy shop (@skylerhopedesigns) where I sell prints of my watercolor art among other things.
After months of commission work, a hometown friend, and distant family member, asked if I had ever thought to do live wedding paintings and specifically if I could do a live painting at her wedding in October of 2021. I completely thought that, honestly, I was not good enough for that challenge, but I was determined to at least try; so I worked my first wedding as a live painter on October 2, 2021.
I truly believe that was a God-driven assignment, and I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have been asked to do such an important task on such a special day. After that one wedding, I had the goal to book 5 weddings in 2022 and boy did that goal get blown out of the water. I have booked more than 4 times that goal!
In November of 2021, my husband and I, along with our 3 furbabies, moved back to North Carolina and settled in my hometown of Clinton, NC (or as the locals call it Sampson County). I am currently living out my dream as a full-time artist and designer. Currently, my days are filled with live wedding paintings, commission art, print sales, design work, and more.
I still adore the graphic design and continue to work on logo designs and branding materials for small businesses. I consistently keep my faith at the center of Skyler Hope Designs. I believe that if it was not for my faith in Jesus, I would not be where I am today. Daily I pursue to create creations inspired by the Creator.
Skyler Hope Designs isn’t just a small business or passion project; Skyler Hope Designs is my God-given calling. I give all the credit to Him.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I think the way Skyler Hope Designs came about was pretty effortless, but of course, with every blessing, there is always work involved.
As I mentioned previously, I and my husband moved out of state, and that was when I started SHD. With all my clients being in North Carolina, I had to learn how to manage to be in another state along with dealing with COVID as well.
The pandemic did not make it easy, but it gave me room to grow into what SHD is today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a graphic designer and artist. I create logo designs, branding materials, pencil drawings, watercolor paintings, and acrylic paintings. I just recently started my journey in the live wedding painting world. I feel like that is now a special feature of my business that changed it for the better.
I honestly never thought I would be “good enough” to attempt live paintings, but here I am. I think out of all the work I have done, live paintings have been my biggest challenge and accomplishment. Every painting tells a love story and captures what to most couples is the best day of their life. It’s such an honor to be trusted to do that for my clients.
These paintings are one-of-a-kind pieces that will last year after year and generation after generation. But these paintings aren’t just to capture a couple’s big day, it is to remind them every day of the covenant that they made with each other in front of God. Each live painting is prayed over before, during, and after the wedding along with given a Bible verse on the back of each canvas.
1 Corinthians 10:31 says “So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” That is my mission with Skyler Hope Designs. Skyler Hope Designs is a platform for Christ first, and it is intertwined in every piece that is created.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Who hasn’t! After starting Skyler Hope Designs, I worked at a hospital for a while as their graphic designer in the midst of the pandemic.
Seeing every healthcare worker fight so hard for their patients’ health was inspiring.
I think my COVID experience overall taught me, even more, to think of others first, to fight for those without a voice, to pursue your dreams now because you never know when your last day is, to live every day as if it is your last one, and to never stop believing in the good of people.
Pricing:
- Live Wedding Paintings start at ranging from $800 to $1800. If you are interested in more information please check out my website.
- If anyone is interested in a commission piece they can visit my website to learn more about pricing.
- If anyone is interested in designing work they can visit my website to learn more about pricing.
- I have prints available in my Etsy shop (skylerhopedesigns) ranging from $15 – $32 as well as a few original pieces.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.skylerhopedesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skylerhopedesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skylerhopedesigns
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/skylerhopedesigns
Image Credits
Paige Lee Photography
