Meet Becca Barnet | Artist, Proprietor of Sisal Creative

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

Hi Becca, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I am fortunate enough to have found out my passion pretty early in life – or at least what I’m decent at that also brings me joy. After college, I was working at the Museum of Natural History in NYC and making traveling exhibits for the exhibition department. I was also working as an assistant/project manager to a blacksmith in Greenpoint – Brooklyn – and the idea of creating something site-specific, with the clients’ passion in mind, education-inspired, that was fine art… without my name on it – made me realize that I wanted to continue to do that kind of work.

I had to get out of NYC so I moved to Charleston, SC – the biggest city closest to my hometown of Spartanburg, SC. I knocked on every museum door, every art affiliated entity – introduced myself, brought my portfolio and coffee to anyone who would make time to meet with me. Nothing really happened for a while so I worked retail.

I scratched my art itch by tutoring, painting pet portraits, album covers – but what really floored me was when the South Carolina Aquarium asked me to be the lead fabricator on the “Journey to Madagascar” exhibit. Once it was installed, instead of waiting for contract work, I decided I could try to figure out how to do this full-time for myself.

Additionally, my paternal grandmother passed around this time and my Dad asked me what my dream job would be. I described a job where I made beautiful, bespoke, considered art that brought joy and education to people – and he said, “ok then, make it happen, Becca.”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have a hard time talking about my successes, or even admitting what sets me apart, but I’m working on it. I think that I am a highly sensitive person, with a passion for making beautiful things that please people while still honoring my aesthetics, morals and goals.

I have a background in illustration, where we were taught to make art that fits your client’s very specific parameters, achieves their needs, honors (and perhaps showcases) your skillsets, and makes sure that you haven’t lost your own voice in all of it.

That’s how I go about site-specific art installations. I make sure that I get to know what makes the client excited about what they do. What is their DNA? What makes them tick? Could art solve a problem? (Sterile environment, sound abatement, storytelling?)

I make sure that what we create for them fits their brand, enhances their interaction with the space, and that it still reflects my insanely high expectations of standards for public art. Hopefully the artwork is not too overwhelming, not alienating, and is elevating, joy-bringing… if I’ve met a few of those criteria with my work, I’ve done my job.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I don’t know much about Atlanta!

As for Charleston, I’d show them the giant houses at the battery because they are insanely decadent, I’d take them to the Charleston Museum to show them the history of the area (and the Natural History Gallery we designed) and I’d probably take them to Botany Bay to show them the untouched beaches there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes to my teachers at the Rhode Island School of Design, who pushed me, challenged me, and helped me realize that my passions weren’t all random – that they actually fit together and made sense in an applicable way and could actually create a career if I pursued it.

My shoutout goes to my white privilege, because I recognize and honor that SO MANY of people didn’t get the same opportunities as me growing up (college, support, internships, the list is endless). This acknowledgement and sentence isn’t long enough to even start to begin this conversation, but let’s just say every day I am aware, and I try to use any placement I have in society for the powers of good.

My shoutout also goes to, at the risk of sounding egotistical, my unabashed and sometimes blind bravery, quick decision-making, fearlessly choosing really insane risks just to see what happens. Maybe it’s the Gemini in me, or perhaps I’m unwell.

Website: www.sisalcreative.com

Instagram: @beccabarnet @sisalcreative

Image Credits
Sisal Creative