How Snowboarding Led Hannah Eddy to Being Creative for Vans, Patagonia, and More

Hannah Eddy has built a career across murals, snowboards, apparel, products, and gallery walls while keeping her bold colors and playful characters easy to spot. Her roots in skate and snowboard culture helped turn old camp connections into collaborations with Vans, Patagonia, Hydro Flask, and more. She opens up about the project choices, business boundaries, and lifestyle decisions that protect her creative energy. You’ll hear how she stays easy to hire while keeping the work unmistakably hers.

Hannah Eddy is a Reno-based artist and muralist known for bold color, crisp lines, playful landscapes, and recurring characters influenced by skateboarding, snowboarding, and the outdoors. Her work appears across murals, gallery walls, skateboards, apparel, products, and collaborations with brands including Vans, Patagonia, Santa Cruz Skateboards, and Hydro Flask.

Connect with Hannah:

• IG
• Website
• Hannah Eddy at Gallery ERGO
• Hannah Eddy at ABV Gallery

Creative Finds:

• The 1" Angled Brush is coming back for good. Keep an eye on enjoyzibra.com for the drop date and save 10% on your Zibra order with code BANTER10.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why a recognizable style can make the right brand projects easier to land – and the wrong ones easier to decline.
• A look at how years inside the skate and snowboard community opened doors no cold pitch could force.
• What Hannah’s camper, six off-grid years, and low-overhead life taught her about protecting creative freedom.
• Why a one-year licensing term can keep an artist’s characters from quietly slipping out of their control.
• What artists often overlook when Instagram starts replacing gallery openings, local art nights, and actual conversations.

Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

Connect with Zibra: 

• Website
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook 
• YouTube
• Blog

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

I started skateboarding and snowboarding at a really young age. I kind of was obsessed with the art behind it. To see the joy that I my painting was bringing her, and she could see the wall from her bedroom window. She was just like so touched by it and was just like, do you know how much joy you're bringing me? She's been in the house for like 50 years, and that wall was just white. All I really thought about was like, if you're a legit artist, you're in the galleries, you're using oil paint, you're painting like big, serious landscapes. But then I was like, why am I trying to be this painter that I'm not?

SPEAKER_03 0:37

As much as you should live in your own passion and stay in your own lane, you also should define your own version of success.

SPEAKER_04 0:43

You guys would not be talking to me right now. I'd be in some weird shack in the desert just painting some crazy stuff and I don't even know what.

SPEAKER_02 0:53

Welcome to Brush and Panter, podcast where creativity meets real life hustle.

SPEAKER_03 0:57

Brought to you by Zebra. We go beyond perfect brush strokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

I'm Bree Hansen, a crafter at art, creative cheerleader, and president of Zebra.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

I'm Annie Bolding, muralist, designer, lover of all things at Sparkle, and founder of It's a Disco Data Design.

SPEAKER_03 1:17

And I'm Lauren Cooper, muralist, designer, creative mama, and founder of Rhodesmont Lane Design Studio. We're here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. So grab your favorite saber brush, pop in your headphones, and let the banter begin. Hey friends, and welcome back to Brush and Banter. I'm Lauren and I'm here today with my co-host Bree.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Hi everyone. Today's combo is for the artists who have more than one creative lane. Maybe you're painting murals, selling originals, making products, designing for brands, or dreaming about getting your work onto something bigger than a canvas.

SPEAKER_03 2:00

We're joined by Hannah Eddy, an artist and muralist based in Reno, Nevada. Hannah creates imaginative pop surrealist work filled with bold color, crisp lines, playful landscapes, and reoccurring characters that feel instantly recognizable.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Her lifelong love of snowboarding and skating has deeply influenced her art, and that creative world has led to her work with brands like Vans, Santa Cruz skateboards, Hydro Flask, Patagonia, Lush, All Candy, Snowboards, and more.

SPEAKER_03 2:30

What we love about Hannah's work is that it lives in a lot of places. Murals, paintings, skateboards, like we just said, products, brand campaigns, but it still feels so like her. And so today we're going to talk about how those collaborations happen, how she decides what to say yes to, and how she manages a creative business with multiple revenue streams.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

If you've ever wondered how artists get brand partnerships, how to build a body of work that companies actually recognize, or how to expand without losing your style, this episode is going to be a good one. Hannah, welcome to Brush and Banter. Thanks for having me. Thank you so much for being here. Let's jump right in. Tell us about your journey and how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_04 3:15

Yeah, it kind of all started for me at a super young age. Like probably everyone who's been on this podcast says that they've been painting since they can remember, you know, just a natural childhood evolution. But mine was a little unique in that I started skateboarding and snowboarding at a really young age. And I just became obsessed with like the graphics on the boards at the same time as I was learning how to do the tricks and like learning about the community and culture. I kind of was also obsessed with the art behind it. So that really fueled the beginning stages.

SPEAKER_03 3:52

That's awesome. Obviously, your style is so recognizable, like the colors, the characters, which I'm obsessed with, the movement and the outdoor influence. How did you develop that visual voice? And when did you feel like it truly became yours? Did those characters start when you were younger? I'm like so interested.

SPEAKER_04 4:11

Yeah, a lot of the characters did start when I was younger. And you know, I went through the drawing my own snowboard graphics and stuff like in my sketchbooks. I still have some from second grade when I was like drawing my own snowboard graphics. And then, you know, the natural like copying a logo I really liked. That kind of stuff just started influencing in my sketching, and um then kind of like you know, this lasted all the way through high school. I was still writing boards and drawing all the same sort of characters and stuff, and then went to college and studied art. Specifically, my emphasis was in oil painting, which is like kind of funny that that's the avenue I went. But I think at that time all I really thought about was like, if you're a legit artist, you're in the galleries, you're using oil paint, you're painting like big, serious landscapes. And that's kind of where I went with it, which I'm it's funny looking back on, but I'm also glad I did because I learned traditional color theory and how to like really work with paints and pigments and colors, and but I thought I had to go in this more serious avenue that just didn't feel like me, which in turn wasn't a viable career path or successful because it didn't feel like me, which I wish maybe the teachers had told me to just do what is truly authentic to me, and maybe that's what would work in the long run. Um so I kind of after school I became a baker because it kind of worked well with snowboard schedules and I could snowboard every afternoon, bake in the morning, you know, that kind of stuff, and just side hustled art on the side, just always was painting and drawing still. But then I was like, why am I trying to be this painter that I'm not? So I started to care less about that. Once once I was farther and farther away from school, I feel like I just started reverting back to the things I used to do when I was young, incorporating more characters and just being free and having fun with it. And that's when that's when the side hustle stuff started picking up a little bit more. And I I was seeing that those types of illustration-based, character-based things could work with the snowboard companies that I I had some sponsors and stuff in snowboarding, like that was a pretty huge part of my life. So I knew those brands and was starting to see though that type of art on the things I was wearing. And I was like, wait, if I did the stuff I used to do, maybe I could do a t-shirt for this snowboard company I ride for or whatever. So those things started just naturally flowing back to what I used to do.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

So how did you get from there to murals or to where you are today?

SPEAKER_04 7:14

Honestly, I owe everything to the community of snowboarding and skateboarding because I I was working at this snowboard camp that in that time, that was like 2008, I started working there. And at that time, like everyone in the industry would go. It was up at Mount Hood in Oregon because it's a glacier, so they have snow all summer. So everyone in the industry would go there. So I was just meeting all these people. I was a counselor, so I was like living with the kids and doing art art activities after snowboarding with the kids and stuff. Like that was kind of always a thing I did with the kids, and then brands would come and like sponsor. Maybe there's like a Burton Snowboard sponsors the art activity, and then I'm doing it, and then the team manager or art director from Burton is there, you know. Like it just naturally happened where I was meeting those people, and then extremely long story, kind of long still. Someone who used to be a pro snowboarder who would come through there, got into murals, he got me my first mural uh festival invite, and that's kind of like what spawned it, really.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

Wow, that's awesome!

SPEAKER_04 8:30

So, is that how you've gotten to work with some of these big brands then really originated back at the and a lot of times, like I mean, a lot of those brands I was working with, like we're 21, 22, we're working together as counselors or coaches, but now they run the brands five years later. So now they hit me up to do a collection or whatever, you know. And Dakine was the first. I don't know if you've heard of that, but they do like now they do outerwear and stuff for snowboarding, but they were like a big backpack glove company in snowboarding. And I worked with Colleen at camp, and then she became the marketing director of DeKine, and that was kind of my first big collab with a brand. Um, and then yeah, so everyone I owe I owe a lot to the community that I like just authentically grew up in, which I feel really grateful for.

SPEAKER_03 9:24

That's so cool that you had that iteration come back where you were to your authentic self because it sounds like even as you tell the story, maybe you weren't even thinking about those conversations with the networking brand like brain or like what's gonna come out of this, but just truly like living in your moment and like what you love and being yourself allowed you to get back to those roots and then expand from there. So that's really inspiring because sometimes it is just like being at the right place at the right time because you're like living in your passion rather than having to overthink it or be calculated, calculating or manipulative, really behind the scenes.

SPEAKER_04 10:04

And I think that's always my biggest like if people reach out and they're like, How do I start working with brands? I'm in a really unique and I feel really lucky to have been in the situation where I just have been really passionate about a few things my whole life and just stuck to it and didn't let too many things derail me. And then naturally you just know people for so long, and then you just see how things just fall into place when you're like really authentically just trying to be intentional and live live the way you want to live and do the things that make you happy, and kind of beyond that, it's almost like the rest is out of my hands, has kind of been my and I think I learned that from skateboarding and snowboarding at such a young age, where you're like, I can put a hundred percent into this thing, but I might absolutely eat it tomorrow, even though I've landed this trick 10 times and break my collarbone and not be able to do it, but I'm gonna come back and do it because it's almost like you're just so obsessed with these things that nothing can really stop you. So that's kind of been my MO, really. Just keep doing it.

SPEAKER_03 11:19

Yeah, just like get back up, keep going. I mean, to be honest, that was one of our questions before. Like, how do you collaborate? But hearing your answer, I think the better way to pivot that question would be like, do you have any knowledge based off of those collaborations on like what sets an artist apart to a collaborator? Like, is there anything that you feel like consistently they're looking for or that you can provide that they come back to time and time again, or that builds the relationship even better?

SPEAKER_04 11:52

Yeah, I think a consistent style is definitely like I wouldn't be able to do the things I do without a consistent style. So that a brand, if they approach you, you're both already on the same page. Like I'll get a rogue email that's like, hey, will you do a portrait of whatever on this thing? And I'm like, someone has not been looking at my art, I don't think. So it makes it a lot easier as the artist. Like, if you already know what you're putting out into the world, you know the the things that come in where they're asking you to stick with that, then you know it's gonna be like a smooth project and probably like a mutually beneficial situation. So I'd say style, consistent style is definitely helpful. And like, yeah, it's gonna grow over the years. Mine has and always will. Um but I think you can tell when someone's authentic to what they're doing, and if they just keep like keep doing that and like really hone in, hone in your style and be proud of it and have fun with it. I think that's what brands really like.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

I have more questions about style, but like going into that, has there been one project that pushed your limitations that like changed something forever in how you do your work?

SPEAKER_04 13:13

I mean, maybe murals to be honest. Once I started working on that scale has definitely twisted my brain for the better, I think, to be able to know if something's gonna work across multiple platforms. Cause I think that's really hard too. Like, if all you do is draw in on a piece of paper, you're gonna have a hard time imagining what that would look like on a snowboard or you know, that type of thing. So I think working across scale, and like you're saying in the intro, it's funny to hear, like, because I'm so in it, I'm like, oh yeah, my art is on all sorts of things, and like I don't really think that I approach them all so similarly, but once you work huge, I think that changes something in your brain of like the possibilities, even of what your art could turn into. Yeah, absolutely, it does.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

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SPEAKER_01 14:37

So walk us through the process of what um designing a collab looks like because people may not, they're very or some people are very familiar with how a mural process goes from like the time they reach out to a client. But how does it work when you're designing a collab for a product?

SPEAKER_04 14:53

It's pretty similar, the product to mural back and forth, but um I mean, usually it's I feel lucky now I work with a lot of recurring brands, so it's like a pretty easy, like, hey, we need another sword for the next year's line. But I think the thing that maybe people don't quite understand is you're working like at least a year out on things that you're hoping people are gonna like in the year, you know, and things change so fast of like what people are into. So that's kind of the hardest thing as an artist is to be like, I'm really excited about doing these flowers growing out of snails right now. But am I gonna want that out there in two years? Or have I already moved on to the next thing that I'm excited about? So it's an interesting timeline, is really kind of crazy. Um, but it all starts the same like here's the product that we wanted on, here's our timeline, which if you're lucky, you have six to eight weeks to do it. If you're unlucky, you have two weeks to do it. Um, or lucky. Sometimes it's fun to have a quick turnaround because then the client only gets one review or one revision on the sketch.

SPEAKER_01 16:20

Too much time to think about it.

SPEAKER_04 16:21

Yeah, this is what you're getting. So, but yeah, so it's sketches, and then it's usually like I'll send a project agreement. That's what I've learned, obviously, over the many years of not doing the right contracts or project agreements and that kind of stuff. You just learn, just learn by doing the wrong thing. Um, so I'll send a project agreement that really lays out like, okay, here's what you're getting. You're getting this many sketches, you're gonna have this many reviews on it. Then this is the project scope, this is what I'm gonna give you. Let's just sign this and just like make sure we're starting off on the right foot. That's that's key because we're all we're both on the same page. If it's a pro like I'm working on something right now and it's on a thing that I've never had art on or drawn on, a lot of times, like, you know, I used to paint on skateboards and snowboards, so it was easier for me to imagine what that's like. But if it if it's a product that I haven't worked with before, it takes a little longer. Like, I'll I'll be like, hey, can you send it to me so I can look at it and like maybe have a piece of paper that's the same size as it and draw, you know, it's helpful not just being on the iPad, just like imagining how big this thing is. So it's a really like tactile thing when you start working on on products, and I think that turn it's when it turns out the best when you can like see how big your character's gonna be on it. And sometimes you're like, oh whoa, I need to change that scale so much. Like a mural. If you don't change the scale, then it's just not working. So I have found the easiest way for me to do it is like with Illustrator. If I'm vectoring all my drawings for a brand, it makes life so much easier. Sometimes I'll do some like hand-drawn elements, like on the last snowboard I just did. Like the main graphic I drew and then vectored in Illustrator, and then I have these like uh watercolor elements on the board itself that I just like took a picture, like basically just scanned and used Photoshop to take the background out. Um but brands and I think everybody these days like knows how to vector things, and I think there's ways to do it extremely easy now. Um, but I do know that brands are always so happy if I have like all my files, all my layers labeled and like that type of stuff, because it goes a long way when they're they're trying to do a bunch of different things and they get one file that is like properly labeled and they can manage it and move stuff around, like that's been huge.

SPEAKER_01 19:15

Would you say that pricing wise, um, it's similar? If someone was wondering how to price a collab versus a mural, would you say that it would be similar or are there other nuances you have to take into consideration?

SPEAKER_04 19:28

I think it's pretty similar pricing the two. I always price my murals per square foot, which has its ups and downs. Um, and then I have like a general like basically that version for illustrations. But I I work with so many like nonprofits and small brands that it changes so much based on the project. And and I'll try to work it, you know, if I'm doing something where I feel like I'm given a pretty good deal on it, I'll make sure that it's something I really want to draw or it's something that I've painted that I'm like I've been wanting to see this on something else, you know, like really that's how I do the murals too. Like if I'm if I'm giving someone a if I'm hooking somebody up, like I want it to be something that I'm really excited to do. Right. So it's mine varies so much project to project. But if I have to do like some social media posts or something, like now we're now we're in the territory that is not what I want to be doing. So there's gonna be some some added situations on that. If I'm talking to the camera, we've got we've got issues.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

You'll be paying.

SPEAKER_04 20:56

Not that that ever really happens. Like, I'll say something like that. Like, if we're gonna do a whole video on this, like I'd love like a per diem or something, you know, and half the time it doesn't happen. But I'm just that's why I'm like, if I'm doing this, I want to be making the stuff I want to see in the world that I'm excited to make when I wake up in the morning. It feels authentic to me because I'm really not in it for the business side. Like, this is just what I want to be doing, and I want to do this for my whole entire life, and it's not sustainable for my brain to think about it like a full-on business. So I just have to kind of go with my gut, and I've learned I'm I mean, I've learned over the years to to do that, and it's not easy because things cost money.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Yeah, well, especially I think when you're so passionate about it like you are, and you're doing something that you love that it doesn't even feel like you should be like necessarily charging for it, but then it is your time. And you do have to make money. So it's like, okay, I do have to have that business hat on because it is my life still. And so um that is important. But it's also so cool that you are doing something that you just love so much.

SPEAKER_04 22:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Awesome.

SPEAKER_04 22:13

I know. I have failed to mention that my husband, we've been together, we've been married for 11 years and together for like 18. Um, he has the business hat. He's a better wearer of the business hat. So he without someone, I don't know what you guys would not be talking to me right now. I'd be in some weird shack in the desert just painting some crazy stuff, and I don't even know what. So he definitely has been good and he was a pro snowboarder for 20 years. So like he understands the like personal marketing and importance of taking your passion. If your passion is your job, like these are the types of things that are helpful to manage. So he's been really helpful in that. He is a more he's more type A brain and good with numbers, and yeah, so that's really helpful. Having someone to bounce this stuff off of is so key too.

SPEAKER_03 23:12

That's the thing, is like if you I mean, obviously you're so talented, and it's nice to be able to live in your passion and not also have to like expand yourself too much because that might like make you lose some of that secret sauce. Um, but when it comes to like the reality of the business and all of the revenue streams, how how much are you focusing on like what's next in the longevity and filling those buckets? Like, is it really intentional, or do you continue to lead with passion and purpose and kind of like plan out, you know, just the next project to get to where you're trying to go?

SPEAKER_04 23:54

I think there's been different times in my creative life where it's more planned out or it's less planned out, but I think the thing that I've found the most useful is being more intentional and planning in my life to in or in order to set myself up to be able to be led by passion. So we've lived, we just moved out of living in 300 square feet for a really long time. We've lived in our camper truck, cab over camper truck. We've lived off the grid for six years. Like, I think we've set up a life of not needing a whole lot in order to be able to follow our passions. And that's something that Tim, my husband, had to do with his snowboarding too for so long. Because you never know when the next thing is coming, but you don't want to have to sacrifice your passion for that. I think setting up a lifestyle where you're not your overhead is not very high. Like we live in Reno, Nevada. It's relatively affordable here. I have a great studio that is so much more affordable than like all my friends in LA, you know. So I've kind of chosen that path over having to be like, all right, we gotta cover these high expenses. So what jobs do I need to do that? You know?

SPEAKER_03 25:32

Yeah, for sure. I feel like the nice thing that's inspiring is that there is money in art, and there are a lot of people who respect that, but it's a good reminder that we've talked about before on the podcast, which is just like as much as you should live in your own passion and stay in your own lane, you also should define your own version of success. So, like whatever rich or happy is for you, like that's great. And you get to be in charge of that and then lead your work so you're not like overexpanding yourself.

SPEAKER_04 26:06

Yeah, I think that's really important. That's a really good point. To my definition of success is so different than some of my other artist friends, and that's amazing. You know, we're all motivated by different things, and I just want to be able to make the stuff I want to make and do all these fun activities that I love to do, and you know, if I could just maintain that, that's like really the goal for me. So um, yeah, and that wouldn't work for other people, and that's fine, but I think that is important to define like what are you doing? Because it can feel really lost in space when you're just making this stuff, and you know, if I'm doing it across all these platforms, then like am I ever really doing my dream mural if I'm spending time doing this over here? But like for me that works. Um, but yeah, it's interesting to kind of define your own version of success for sure.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

I want to go back for a second because when you gave that example of when someone's uh reached out to you and said, Can you paint the portrait of something? I think a lot of times people do have a set artistic style, um, but someone may reach out with a project that doesn't align with their style, but they need to take it because they don't have any other jobs going on right now. How do you deal with, or how did you deal with that situation, or how do you deal with others that pop up where maybe you don't feel like it aligns with your style, but you do still need to take uh the job for work?

SPEAKER_04 27:38

First, see if they're down for me to do something more along with my style. You know, like put it out there and just be like, hey, that's not really something that I do or feel comfortable doing, but knowing your brand, you know, do a little bit of research and be like, hey, what if we did something like this? And that's that's usually how I would steer it. I mean, I definitely say no to a lot of stuff that's not along the lines of what I want to do. I've also back to like my own version of success, if I had to have a side gig job, I don't think that that's a bad like I'd rather work at the back at the bakery and do the stuff make the art I want to make when it works. So I'm kind of in that camp of like I'm not really sure what the point for me would be to make art that doesn't feel like the stuff I want to make just for the paycheck. So but I'm sure there's been plenty of stuff that I've spun and and done like a little bit different than I normally would, you know. If they want a really specific thing, like I've definitely I can't think of too much off the top of my head, but is there like a character that you have to create or something like that that you're like I never imagined I was gonna draw this and he I don't know with him, but yeah, there's definitely been those, and like I can't I know that there's probab there's been so many, I'm sure. And like using colors that I'm like this is way too saturated. Like, I don't can we add more white to this? This is throwing me off, you know. Um but finding making sure that you find at least like there's something in it that feels like you is huge. Because then what how is anyone gonna ever know to hit you up to do a certain project if they can't tack down at all like what your art looks like? And I know it's a little bit different in the mural, like if we're really just talking about murals, like there's plenty of people who are amazingly successful at doing like what the client wants, and that's really cool. But I think in if you are doing art across a lot of platforms, if you just doing what the client wants, then you're kind of just a design agency, which is great too. Right, but if you want to maintain that individual artist recognizable style, then you're gonna have to say no to a lot more jobs than someone who is a little more on the like design agency, like let's just work with the client, which sometimes I think about and I'm like, that would be so fun, and to not be designing everything, you know, like it'd be fun to make something that's just completely not me at all. So I think that's a great avenue, too. Just personally, that hasn't been the path I've taken.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

That's more my path, and so I'm so intrigued by someone who has a style. My follow-up question, especially about like the collaboration and pricing and everything. I know a little bit about art licensing, but when you have like a very specific individual style, is there an additive charge for like giving over that part of your like persona and brain? Because it's more than just like your art, it's like literally like you, right?

SPEAKER_04 31:09

Yeah, definitely. Great question. Uh, I do I think that is specifically why I have to be so selective in the projects that I work with. Um and I do so I'll I'll have a flat fee usually for like the custom illustration, and then I'll have another line that's licensing. So for me personally, I'll I try to keep it just like a year license if I'm doing something for somebody because that's enough for them to make the product, and maybe there's a there's a line in there that says you can sell through all the stuff you make, but if you do another run outside of the licensing period, then you gotta at least tell talk to me so that I know like all my little characters I can kind of keep track of where they are because it could get it could get out of hand and I could lose that sense of control over it.

SPEAKER_03 32:06

What about like have you ever had a collaboration where they wanted to have like a non-compete? Because I don't know, like if you had like two brands that you were working with that maybe are similar.

SPEAKER_04 32:17

There's yeah, there's definitely a lot of non-compete stuff in the world that I work in, and I love that personally, because as like a part of this community, the last thing I would want to do is do a snowboard graphic for two competing brands, and like I would never like ride for two companies, I would never do that, so I kind of approach it the same way, and personally, you know, sometimes there's non-compete in the contract itself, but I still would even if there wasn't, I wouldn't want to have my stuff on multiple brands within the space, specifically of like snowboarding and skating, because you just lose the excitement behind it too. And I mean, it's a fine line too of keeping it exclusive and like cool to have my art on something. So I think that's part of why I also do a lot of gallery work and I have times where I'm not doing really any brand collaborations, I'm just like in my studio painting for group shows or a solo show here and there because I understand the importance of like keeping it interesting and not flooding any sort of market either. Yeah, it's a super interesting and like doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to be like this is what I do, this is my style, and I only do that if you're trying, you know, if you want to paint a bunch. I see tons of my friends painting all sorts of murals, and I tend to maybe get only the specific ones.

SPEAKER_03 34:03

Yeah, but it it's important for people to hear that because I I work all the time. Like I have some people who ghost paint with me, like to help and assist, but like I know that like when they're doing their work, all they want to do is their style. And I think I applaud that, like it's so amazing. And I know that there's a lot of people listening to this who want to stick to their style, and it's just inspiring to see someone who's made a career of it and is staying true to themselves and their passion. Like, there's there's always gonna be those two sides of the artist, so it's important for people to hear that to get inspired for sure.

SPEAKER_04 34:38

Yeah, and I think it's super cool what you do too, you know. Like if you're enjoying it and you're finding like a reason to be doing it, then by all means, any any job can you can find so fulfilling, you can just put your heart and soul into working for someone else, and that's amazing, you know, it's like finding those reasons to get out of bed in the morning and do the do the work because we're all you know, we all gotta find something.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

Um, okay, so what is one thing that or a couple t tips that you would give artists that were looking to create a sustainable career with being the artist, the type of artist that you are, and want to stay true to their artistic identity and really create that brand for themselves?

SPEAKER_04 35:29

Sharing art, the art that you want to be making, I think is so important. And just putting the stuff out that if you were like, all right, I got my dream job, this is the type of thing I'd want to be doing, I think it's a challenge because you might be like, oh, but then I just learned this other thing or I got inspired to do this. But maybe do a lot of drawing on your own and then share the stuff that you really would want to be making a career out of, because people are gonna hire you if they like it, and maybe you put out something that you're like, oh wait, I don't even know where I got that idea. Like, that doesn't really feel like me. And if you're sharing that type of stuff, it might catch on, and then next thing you know, 10 years down the road, you're like, What who am I? Like, what am I even doing? So I think, yeah, draw a ton, come up with your style, like find the communities and the reasons that you make this stuff. Um, I like to go out in nature. If I if I can't come up with something, go out in nature, connect again to the stuff that really matters, and just remind yourself that it's a long game, you know, it's a really long game. And if you're making the things you want to make, then that can be successful. Like you it's not always just about making the money doing it, but yeah, I think it's just like sharing the stuff that you really want to be putting out in the world, and I know that it's getting harder to do because people aren't seeing it and the algorithm is just crazy. So it's a tricky. I think these days, like not relying too much on social media, like go to your local gallery, you know. I think those are really important spaces for artists, and I think they're gonna continue to be, you know, like they ebb and flow with how successful they are or not, but there's show openings. I mean, I'm in a small city, there's art show openings all the time at different local small galleries or coffee shop, like meet the people, see what your local community's painting, what are they drawing? Is there like a at the art store here? There's a weirdo art night on Friday night, like go draw with some friends, you know? Just getting getting out there, yeah, getting out there and connecting with people. And if you can like be sitting next to someone drawing, and then they ask you, oh cool, what are you drawing? And you can explain like what it is and what it means to you, then that's that's something that should trigger being like, Oh, this this feels like me. You know, if you can talk about your art, I think is really important. And if you can't, if you're just like, well, I don't know, I just drew it, like maybe that's not something that you could like really hang your hat on, or like yeah, so community is huge.

SPEAKER_03 38:37

Yeah, that's inspiring me, giving me lots of ideas. Nice.

SPEAKER_01 38:41

Okay, well, our last segment before we wrap up is our golden moment, and that's just a moment in this past week that has brought you joy, or had a moment where you gave yourself a pat on the back. Has there been a moment this past week or two um that's been golden?

SPEAKER_04 38:58

I actually just yesterday finished a mural, and it was a just like private residential outdoor mural on this woman's like retaining wall. And it was the sweetest thing I've ever done. Literally just finished yesterday. We were like, it's a it's a friend's mom, and I had never met her, and to see the joy that I my painting was bringing her, and she could see the wall from her bedroom window in the morning. I wasn't even done with it yet. In the morning, I come back and she's like, and I just gotta tell you, the the orange bird smiled at me in the morning when I woke up. Like, she was just like so touched by it, and was just like, Do you know how much joy you're bringing me? She's been in that house for like 50 years, and that wall was just white the whole time. Oh, that is the coolest thing. It was the sweetest thing. I was just like, and I was kind of caught up in it. I was using spray for the first time in a while because I've been, for whatever reason, getting a lot of indoor murals lately. And so this was on like a brick wall turned concrete, like pretty thick gaps between things, and I was like, I'm just gonna spray this. And it I think it'd been a while since I've gotten to spray a wall, and usually I dream scenario fill the colors with spray, and then use a zebra brush for the line work. These these cracks were pretty hefty, and I was like, I'm just gonna go all spray, and I was kind of in my head a little bit, my hand was so sore because I hadn't done it in a while. And I was using like some older paint cans that I had, and that is not recommended. Uh it like so much harder. So I was kind of in my head a little bit, and then she comes out and she's just like, Oh my gosh, she's just so happy. And I was like, Oh, yeah, the she doesn't care that I'm like, this has to be perfect. She's just like getting the vibe of the colors and the it was just flow, it was just flowers and birds, is all she wanted. She didn't care how or what, but yeah, so it was just really special. Just have those reminders and getting to do a residential mural is really cool because it's so personal to them, and it's so like you get so much one-on-one of just like what it means to them, which is yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

The best it's so nice to be fed back into like through that experience.

SPEAKER_04 41:42

To what?

SPEAKER_03 41:42

Sorry, to get like fed back into through that experience, like because it's not always a reciprocal experience, especially sometimes you're just up in a lift getting yelled at by people in the street, they liked it better, gray.

SPEAKER_04 41:58

Well, you missed the spot. You're like, what are you painting? Yeah, I don't know, man. Are you painting that? I get that. Yeah, and you're like, no.

SPEAKER_03 42:08

Like, am I? Who is this your dream?

SPEAKER_04 42:10

Or but the murals are just the best, like having like no barrier to entry when people are just able to see it and communicate to you whether they like it or not. It's just such an interesting experience as an artist to be putting yourself out there on such a big scale and and letting people say what they want. It's pretty cool. That's so awesome.

SPEAKER_03 42:36

Thanks for sharing that.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

Of course. Hannah, thank you so much for being here today. This conversation was such a good reminder that brand collabs don't happen because an artist becomes everything for everyone, but they happen when the work is strong, consistent, and really rooted in who you are. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_03 42:58

I really do feel like people are going to walk away from this feeling so secure in finding their own style. Um, and just think more intentionally about where their work could live.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

So before we wrap up, where can everyone find you and shop your work and follow along with what you're creating?

SPEAKER_04 43:15

Well, thanks for having me. That was fun to talk about and reflect on things is always important. It's easy to just get lost in my studio and forget why we're why we're here doing it. Um, you can follow me on Instagram at Hannah EddieArt, and then I have sometimes merch and paintings on Hannah EddieArt.com. And I work with some galleries, ABV gallery, gallery ergo. I think there's yeah, stuff available. Yeah, follow along on Instagram mostly is where I'll post stuff.

SPEAKER_01 43:56

Okay, awesome. Well, we'll make sure everything is linked, and as always, tag us at zebra painting and what you're creating. We love seeing what this community is up to.

SPEAKER_03 44:06

And we'll be back soon with more brush and banter. Until then, keep creating, keep collaborating, the messy middle, and don't cry over skill fight.

SPEAKER_02 44:17

Thank you for listening to the Brush and Banter Podcast, brought to you by Zebra. We're so grateful you're a part of the creative community. Gearing up for your next project, head to enjoyZebra.com to grab your new favorite brushes, designed for comfort, precision, and serious creative flow. Be sure to follow Zebra Painting on Instagram for painting tips, artist features, and more. If you enjoyed our banter, subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts, and don't forget to leave a five star rating and review. Now, go make something beautiful. We'll be here when you need a little banter.