Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer O’Donoghue.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My love of all things art started in pre-school where I was introduced to the wonderful world of finger paints. My Dad proudly plastered the inside of the family van and his semi-truck with all my paintings. At 14, my Mom was able to scrape together enough to afford me weekly art lessons with a local artist. In college, I found myself drawn to art studio classes and my color theory teacher advised me to pursue a career as an artist. Twenty years and two kids later, I have finally made that dream come true.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I started The Salty Mermaid in July of 2019. I stepped away from my 9 to 5 to focus entirely on building a business around my art. As everyone knows, that was right before COVID came on the scene. At the time, I was setting up weekly at the local farmer’s market, doing local pop up markets and finding my niche. In January, I joined a local artisan market, Southern Persnickety. I was developing a growing number of local followers and fans. Then March hit and things completely shut down. I thought for sure that was the end of my steady growth and figured I would have to start all over again. Amazingly, I had folks buying online during that time and I was able to keep things going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work primarily in acrylics using a fluid art technique. The paint is very watery and flows easily. Once the paint is layered on the surface, I blow it out and it creates intricate designs due to the pigments reaction to each other. I specialize in functional pieces – charcuterie boards, cheese tools, coasters, utensils – just to name a few. The thing that sets me apart and the thing I’m most proud of is my attention to detail and quality craftsmanship. I’m using food safe products that make my pieces truly functional. I want the customer to not only have a beautiful display piece, I want them to use it.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Mentors should be someone you admire. I specifically went looking for mentors that are strong business women. I knew very little about running a successful business when I started. So surrounding myself with women who were succeeding gave me a place to ask questions and toss ideas out.
Networking is just getting out there and talking to people. Don’t be afraid to be your own loudest cheerleader. Pop-up markets are a great place to meet lots of folks that are also building a business and usually with a fair amount of variety. Use social media – it’s free and everyone uses it, so your audience is unlimited.
Pricing:
- I have something for every budget. I firmly believe that art should be accessible, no matter your bank account. I have products priced from $5 and up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thesaltymermaidnc.com
- Instagram: @thesaltymermaidnc
- Facebook: @thesaltymermaidnc
