Meet Hadrian Horton | Stamp Carver | Artist

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

Hi Hadrian, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance has been extremely challenging, especially this past year, which I know is true for everyone.

I will start by giving you a little look into my world. My husband has been working at home for over a year now. We have three amazing children, ages eight, three, and one. Together, we have gone through it all this past year. Seriously—from giving birth during a pandemic, figuring out virtual learning, helping my husband work at home uninterrupted with three littles under our feet, and making time for my dreams and small business on top of everything. It has been challenging, to say the least, but oh so worth it.

My husband works from 8:30 AM until 5:30 PM. I try my best to fit in an hour of work or two during the day between naps, but I usually do not start my workday until 9:30 at night, working until about 2:00 in the morning. This is probably not the answer you were expecting!

What I have learned is that you have to be flexible, which is easier said than done, I know. And sometimes you just need to give yourself a break. You might have full intentions of working one evening, but things do not always work out the way we plan and that is totally okay. Be honest with yourself and your clients, giving them realistic timelines for when they will receive the product before making the transaction.

One day all three of my kids will be bigger and in school and I will be able to have a “normal” workday. For now, we are just trying to navigate the day-to-day.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My favorite part of my job is telling people what I do for work. I like seeing their reactions when I say, “I’m a stamp carver!” But really, it’s pretty great.

I fell in love with printmaking in college. There’s something magical about taking a digital image and creating a tangible object with it. Each tiny imperfection is what makes a piece unique, and each print that is made is unlike anything you can pull from a printer. When I graduated from college I lived in an apartment that was far too small to fit a printing press. I picked up calligraphy because I also had a real love for making words look pretty. I would create signs for people for their weddings or homes. I was gifted a hand-carved rubber stamp for my small business and my eyes lit up. I thought, “I want to do that!” So I did.

It wasn’t as easy at that though. My first rubber stamp I carved looked awful. Just because I had a printmaking background didn’t mean much because I still had to learn the material. I had never carved on rubber before and learning a new material requires practice, practice, and more practice. Making stamps doesn’t mean I just make stamps. I make stamps for other businesses, prints, block-printed tea towels, cards, and the list goes on! I was recently approached by a wonderful and local boutique to print on their denim jeans and I think that it’s my new favorite!

I’m extremely thankful that my small business is continuing to grow, and one day soon I’ll be purchasing a printing press to put in my home.

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 grew up in Atlanta, but now I am living in Macon, GA, which is about an hour and a half south. This town has grown so much in the past few years, so I will share with you some of my absolute favorites.

If you are looking for a little beauty and history, head over to The Hay House to see its charm. Snag a bite to eat at one of the many amazing local restaurants. There are too many good ones to just pick one, but some of my favorites are Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen, The Rookery, Ocmulgee Brew Pub, and Fall Line Brewing Company. Once your belly is full, you should do some shopping! Frankie’s Boutique has the best clothes, and you can find some of my hand-painted and hand-stamped denim in stock there now. Then stop by Travis Jean Emporium just a few doors down. 7th Street Salvage is also amazing, and you can find a booth full of my goods there along with a lot of work by other artists too. The Society Garden is a must for live music and a wine slushie. I may be a little biased since I am married to the drummer, but my favorite band to see there is Magnolia Moon.

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?
This answer may seem a little cliche, but the person who supports me the most is, without a doubt, my husband, Jesse Horton. He is the secret assistant behind my brand that nobody knows about. Need something printed? He is on it. Need help managing my inbox? He keeps me organized and sane. Need a good podcast to listen to while I work? He delivers every single time.

Not to mention the fact that Jesse is the one who encouraged me to pursue art full-time. I think a lot of artists have to work a part-time job, or even a full-time job, while creating art on the side, and it was extremely scary to take the leap and pursue art full-time. A year and a half ago I had it on my mind and he said, “If you don’t do it now, then when will you?” Well, good question! I do not regret becoming a full-time artist one bit and my business has grown more than I could have ever imagined.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/hartstudioshop

Instagram: @_hartstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hartstudioshop