Artist of the Week – Meredith Wolting - Social Media Marketing for Creatives

Meredith Wolting is a visual artist, performer and designer based in Toronto. She performs, paints, and teaches throughout the city, designing sets, props, and costumes for theatre companies, as well as logos, posters, and paintings by commission. Her art contains a little touch of magic and Disney!

What draws you to creating your art?

I am drawn by images and feelings that have become important memories, especially ones from my childhood. A particular song, a scene from a movie, the texture of a fabric, a moment paddling on a lake… these are all memories that inspire me to create.

In 3 words or less, how do people describe your art?

Colourful, dramatic, fantasy

What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?

One goal I have is to learn more about large-scale puppet building for theatre. I would love to create a giant man-eating plant for Little Shop of Horrors!

Do you spend time promoting your art online? If you do what has been most helpful for you?

Yes, promoting my art online is an important part of how I find jobs! Instagram has been extremely helpful, especially using Instagram Stories to show quick snippets of what I’m working on. I like to engage my followers through creating polls and contests for them to participate in. Being active on social media keeps me on people’s radars, so when they are looking for an artist, they think of me right away!

What’s the most difficult part of promoting yourself online?

The most difficult part for me is posting work that I’m not completely satisfied with. It’s hard to put something out there for everyone to view when I see the flaws or I can’t stop thinking about what I could have done better in different circumstances. Especially in the theatre industry, I am learning to be proud of the work that I accomplish with the time and resources I have. If I only showed art that was perfectly complete, my website would be blank.

What advice would you give to other artists who are starting out?

Let go of perfectionism. Be proud of your flaws – they are what make you special and your art interesting! Show your work to everyone and celebrate the work of other artists. We are all on a different creative journey and we all have a different timeline.