Meet Stephanie Gentry | Fashion Illustrator and Designer

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

Hi Stephanie, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued a creative and artistic career because I believe in doing what I love for work. Growing up I was taught to choose something I enjoy doing for work because it’s what I’ll be doing every day. I have always enjoyed doing art ever since I was a child. Since then, I have had a strong desire to be a professional artist of some kind. I used to draw fashion from fashion magazines and create from anything that inspired me. As I grew into my skill set and saw the value art adds to someone’s life, the joy, love and positivity I can spread to the world through it, I realized I could make a difference in the world by using art to celebrate love, capturing someone’s essence and making meaningful memories one art piece at a time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is inspired by love and the world around me. I aim to spread love to everyone with art, create meaningful memories that last a lifetime, and bring people together to make a difference in the world one art piece at a time. My art is inspired by flowers, fantasy, weddings, fashion, history, fashion history, and more. I seek beauty in unexpected places. I love to capture meaningful moments in art. My art is sentimental for many because it is inspired by something that means something deeper like the language of flowers for example as it is in my adult coloring book titled Blooming Fashionistas now available on Barnes & Noble. It also captures someone’s essence as a fashion illustration at an event or wedding. I can create it live on the spot at the event. This sets me apart
because it is a full experience when I entertain at events. You get to see the process and experience the joy, love and passion of creation for yourself from start to finish and then take it home with you for it to last forever.
I am most proud of overcoming my challenges with learning to set my price point, finding confidence in what I do, and finding my niche. This was not easy! I had to really think about what my bottom line was in setting my price and go up from there. I also had to learn to not sell myself short and to advocate for myself when things don’t always go as planned. I read a few books that helped me and compared my pricing to what other artists make. I was then able to set
a price. I have experienced a lot of challenges and setbacks. I’ve grown and learned from my mistakes. When I first got started, I had a lot of uncertainty. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, or who to approach. I was extremely scared and overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to move forward or even honestly how to do what I’m doing now. I was terrified of the what ifs. Still am. I took the
leap of faith and did it anyways. Because to every negative that I feared I realized there is a positive. So, then I’m faced with a choice. Do I let the unknown scare me out of it or do I do it?
If I do it at least I know I tried and did the best I could. That is the most anyone can expect of me. This thought pattern has given me a lot of strength and faith to keep going, even when it is hard.

Learning my niche was a process of trial and error that led me to realizing I was focusing on too many projects at once which often paralyzed me. I did a lot of internal processing around what I value the most. For me this is love. I then narrowed what I’m focusing on to one specific project at a time. This made a huge difference. I tend to get lost in ideas. Before I did this, I struggled with executing it well. This was something my business coach helped me think through. I’m no longer scrambling through too many thoughts and being paralyzed. Instead, I’m able to complete and present things one project at a time. This is how I was able to also develop and publish my book Blooming Fashionistas, live art and other things within my business that I offer. I want the world to know to not ever give up even if you fail. If you fail and you still have the desire to keep going, keep going. I have experienced so many failures and setbacks. When I tried repeatedly, I then mastered the thing I failed. When you are learning a skill, it takes time and effort and room for human error. Art for me is about practice, patience, spreading love, passion and joy. It took me years and years of practice to get to where I am today. I believe the difference between me and someone who doesn’t do art is simply the desire to create. It does come more naturally for some folks than others and I believe the more one practices the more one will learn it. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it to master a skill if it’s something you truly love.

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.
First, I would go to SCAD FASH with a friend. This is a cool museum at SCAD Atlanta where I went to college. I believe it is a hidden gem that celebrates fashion and film. Often, they have amazing costumes and fashion on display. I’d then have lunch with a friend at Ponce City Market and explore the shops there. Then I would rent a bike or walk the Beltline. I would go to the High Museum of Art with them one day and the MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art another day and then grab brunch at West Egg Cafe or Ria’s Bluebird Cafe, possibly dinner at Six Feet Under as a treat. If they like coffee, I would take them to Cafe 45 South in Norcross. They have the best lavender coffee! If it’s the second weekend of the month. I might suggest we go to Scott's Antique Market to get some vintage inspiration and enjoy looking at some amazing antique furniture. I would then suggest a day trip up to a lovely private family-owned garden open to the public called Gibb’s Gardens.

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?
There are so many people I would like to thank and give a shoutout to. First being my husband, Russell Gentry who has been my rock throughout all of this, through the ups and the downs. Thick and thin he has always been there. Also, my mom Emily Alexander and her friend Anita Jackson and my family who have been so amazingly supportive. When my mom got remarried, I created a fashion illustration of her wedding dress. It was one of my first ones I ever did! Her friend saw it and asked for a commission then her friends saw it and it just trickled into what it is today. I did my first live painting job through her as well. I’d also like to thank my career advisor Sarah Collins at Savannah College of Art and Design who taught me my art skills I know today and Brian from Phoenix Fashion Week. I did the emerging fashion design program at Phoenix Fashion Week years ago and have maintained my relationship with them since. A lot of what I learned from that program has got me to where I am today, and I would recommend it to anyone! I received business coaching from Bri Seeley and am still working with her to this day. I also want to thank anyone who has bought art from me, shown my business love, and thought to recommend me over the years. I love you all. You know who you are. There are so many of you and without any one of you I would not be able to do what I love for work. So thank you. It truly means everything.

Website: www.stephaniegentryart.com

Instagram: StephanieGentryDesigns

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SGentryDesigns

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

Image Credits
Taylor English Photography