We had the good fortune of connecting with MJ Arabe (King) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi MJ, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I had been doing commission paintings and drawings for friends and family since I was in high school. I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career and thought I would eventually teach painting at a college level. After earning my Bachelors and Masters in Fine Art, I decided I didn’t want to teach. Instead I wanted to continue to paint and sell my work, whether it was working on a commission piece or one of my own. My drive came from the desire to have a creative career and no longer rely on the service industry as a form of supplement income. So I figured out my end goal- I wanted to grow my commission work, sell my own paintings, and create a name for myself. I wasn’t sure of the path I needed to take in order to achieve this, which is rather overwhelming, when trying to figure out where to start on formulating a business plan. I was scared and uncomfortable with the thought of starting my own business.
Fortunately as I started to learn more about being an entrepreneur, I saw I was already doing some things correctly. This was encouraging! On the other hand, there were a lot of aspects I wasn’t doing right or components I wasn’t even considering. I realized quickly that being an entrepreneur and commission artist, was going to require a lot more from myself than just creating the paintings.

Starting my own business has been and continues to be one of the scariest things I have ever done, but it also has been the most rewarding. In the past two years, I have seen growth in many aspects, but importantly within myself as a business owner. I am now an LLC and my paintings are in several local establishments throughout the upstate including a gallery in downtown Greenville. I have established some brand recognition and I am continuing to learn and grow every day! I am proud of what I have done in these past two years and look forward to what the future has in store for MJ King Art LLC.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create paintings in watercolor and oil. I specialize in portraits, house portraits, and pet portraits. The ability to capture a moment or tell a story is what makes art personal and powerful. This understanding has been a foundational part of my life and career as an artist. This results in art that is created for and inspired by you, the client, and your memories, bringing a sense of life and warmth to your walls. This transforms ones photos and experiences into a timeless piece of art. I am most proud of the growth I am seeing develop, no matter how small. I have grown to where I am today by promoting and advertising my art and business. Whether that is online, attending networking events, participating in local festivals and markets, or investing in promotional materials. All of those contribute to the brand growth and name recognition that is occurring for MJ King Art LLC, here in Greenville. However as I have stated earlier, I haven’t done any of this all by myself. I have had immense encouragement from loved ones and the local entrepreneur community. Nothing about being a business owner is easy, but it is exciting and worth every moment of each challenge that comes your way. With each challenge, comes new opportunity. The way to overcome them, is to remind yourself you are not alone. You can do this and there are people and resources out there to help you navigate the journey.
I have learned that I need to keep advancing my knowledge base on all things business. It will never be complete. Our world is ever changing, as is our business and marketing strategies, financial plans, legal accountabilities, etc. I need to continue to educate myself and invest in the growth of my business.
I want the world to know that if you have a dream, you can work to make it happen. If you want to be an artist, be an artist! Don’t let the stigma of the ‘starving artist’ or “artists only make money when they are dead” prevent you from living your creative life. With hard work and choosing to invest in yourself, anything is possible.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

My favorite spots in Greenville… that can be a hard question to answer. My favorite dining spots include Nose Dive, Kitchen Sync, Portofinos, Limoncello, Coastal Crust, The Cooks Station, Swamp Rabbit Cafe, The Cazbah and there are more, but that’s to name a few. Fun drink spots include Juniper and Spirit and Bower. My favorite local wineries are Elevation966 & Victoria Valley. I enjoy going to Conestee Park, walking around downtown, attending local festivals and concerts. Downtown puts on a lot of events through out the year. Their Saturday markets are always a blast to attend, Fall for Greenville, Artisphere, Downtown Alive, First Friday Gallery Crawl, and more! There is just so much happening in Greenville, with new things coming in all the time. You can’t go wrong with just exploring!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost my friends and family. They have been encouraging me and supporting my art work since the very early years. Especially my brothers though. When I decided to launch my own business, I really leaned on them for guidance and encouragement. I have a big family and they have all taught me something. For instance my brother Greg helped me learn about operating a business, Scott helped with my writing on promotional materials and website, Jeff assisted with any carpentry questions and tools (as I build my own frames and canvases), Tom provided insight on the backend analytics of my website, and Tim has commissioned me for various murals in his house. In addition to my brothers, my sister-in-laws, parents, husband, parent-in-laws, extended family, and friends all have been incredibly supportive each and every step of the way. From helping spread the word about MJ King Art, to coming to my events or ordering a commission piece, I am very thankful to have the support system that I have. Special shout out to my husband, Chris, as he goes through the highs and the lows of this process with me. No matter what he continues to push me to live my dream; reminding me along the way that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” As for a group or organization, last year I was apart of the Village Launch Program here in Greenville. This was a business entrepreneur course that lasted 10 weeks. Through this program one gained connections within the community, insight on how the business is operating and where your next steps need to be, and also everyone was paired with a mentor to really dive in and get feedback. It was a great program to be involved in and I found it to be very motivating.

Website: www.mjkingart.com

Instagram: @mjkingart

Linkedin: MJ King

Facebook: mjkingart

Image Credits
Headshot is courtesy of JaToya Lanisha Photography through the Village Launch Program.

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