Meet Liz Pritchard | Pyrography Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Liz Pritchard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Liz, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
It’s easy to give up. The phrase “starving artist” rings just as true now as it ever has. My business is art-based and there have been countless times over the last 3 years I’ve considered throwing in the towel. I put in a lot of hours planning, prepping, creating, and advertising my pieces and time after time, they “fail”. Social media is an ever-changing mystery; when I share a new piece I’m incredibly proud of and get 5 likes, it’s easy to think I should just quit. I take dozens of photographs and list them in my shop only to have crickets and zero sales. I see fellow artists sharing their beautiful pieces and see thousands of “likes” and comments; I compare my art to others and see how much better or different theirs is. It’s so easy to give up.
However, I’ve realized that I don’t have to be successful in the world’s eye to be successful with art. I have to constantly redirect my mind to remember that art makes me happy, and when I create something that I love, that is success. Maybe my art hasn’t found it’s target audience yet, or maybe that target audience is just me. Regardless of how many people purchase my art or react to my social media posts, as long as I’m enjoying creating and growing as an artist, I know I need to continue on.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
py·rog·ra·phy: the art or technique of decorating wood or leather by burning a design on the surface with a heated metallic point.

I’m a pyrography (i.e. woodburning) artist which is a unique art in and of itself that most people have never heard of. I’ve always enjoyed art and have dabbled over the years with different mediums, but I discovered woodburning during the 2020 quarantine and have been hooked ever since. I started out very simply – just sharing photos on social media – but that quickly evolved into opening an online store and eventually having a small presence in several brick-and-mortar stores. It’s not been an easy journey but I have to admit, once I started to develop my style, a lot of opportunities just fell in my lap. It’s been a challenge to keep up with social media fads and algorithms, but despite the ever-changing online world, I’m continuing to push through.
My original focus in opening my business was “must make sales!” However, I’m shifting my mindset to simply enjoy creating, pushing myself to learn new techniques and styles, and inspire others to create their own art.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you’re a Gilmore Girls fan, you’ll instantly know what I’m talking about when I say I live in my own personal Stars Hollow. While we don’t have Luke’s Diner, we do have a fantastic town square that boasts the world’s best coffee at The Bean, a gorgeous inn and restaurant just a few doors down, some of the cutest boutiques, a beautiful spa, the best pizza and craft beers at Southern Philosophy, a gorgeous art gallery at the old Firehouse, and the crowning jewel in my opinion – a gazebo in the center of the town square, complete with twinkling lights and music. After a day spent at the square, we’d spend some time enjoying some of the nature trails, then take the boat out to fish down the Flint River and maybe spot a couple of gators. The beach is a quick 2 hour drive which is an absolute must for any visit!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
About 5 years ago, I moved to a small town where I knew no one. Being an introvert, I tend to keep to myself. Thanks to the power of social media, I met a series of local folks who eventually led me to the Bainbridge Artist Alliance – a small group of like-minded local artists. I didn’t know a soul there when I attended the inaugural meeting last summer but have since found it to be such an encouraging, refreshing, and safe haven for my art. We only meet once a month at the beautiful art gallery off our town square, but I’ve met so many wonderful people and found so much encouragement through it.

Website: www.southernsomethings.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/southernsomethings.liz

Facebook: http://facebook.com/southernsomethingslp

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPhveTkHQMA4juyz1FbfIw