Rising Stars: Meet Samantha Panek of Bloomfield Hills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Panek

Hi Samantha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always been artistic. From a young age you could find me drawing or coloring away. Taking as many art classes that I could through high school and began studying art in college. There was over a decade that I didn’t do very much artistically, but when I started dating my boyfriend Mike, now husband, I took it up again.

Mike told me at the beginning of our relationship how he wanted me to draw a portrait of his home. He pestered me for years. In 2020 when the world was quarantined and we couldn’t go out to shop, I decided a drawing of our home would be the perfect anniversary gift. The drawing was shared on social media and almost immediately friends and acquaintances were asking me to illustrate their homes. I was shocked, but went along with the requests and was commissioned to draw some homes.

We moved in the fall of 2020 and I picked up the original drawing and decided to “upgrade” it with some color and shading. The requests for more drawings came in for holiday gifts. I began to wonder if this were something that I could really do.

Each drawing became more and more intricate and detailed. Going from a very simple lined drawing to shading and eventually color. Eventually, real estate agents contacted me to commission closing gifts of homes they had recently sold. There are a couple local agents that I work with frequently.

Birth flowers was a new addition for the holiday ‘23 season. Each month has a flower that represents it and friends requested flowers to be painted. Three varieties of paintings were done in less than a month’s time, one was a gift for my own mother. By Mother’s Day of this year, 12 floral illustrations had been completed.

Over 50 homes have been commissioned in just over 4 years. Shipping to seven states and two Canadian provinces, so far. Fifteen floral portraits, with more waiting to be done. I’ve had multiple repeat customers and friends who have referred me to other friends and family to have drawings done. With every home that I draw and every flower that I paint, my heart goes into it.

I don’t limit myself to anything and love to learn new techniques and experiment with different mediums. There are many ideas and projects I have on the horizon. The feeling of holding a pen or pencil in my hand and creating these illustrations, that are filled with stories and memories, that make me incredibly happy. But, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my husband pestering me all those years to draw his first home. He’s the one to thank for the success that I have achieved.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would love to say that this has been a smooth road. This journey began during a global pandemic with 3 kids, 3 and under. During a good chunk of that time, I was suffering from a deep depression. I wondered if this were really something I could make happen knowing very little about how to start and run a business. At times, I was the only one who believed I could be successful and make a dream come true.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I illustrate home and floral portraits. My homes are hand drawn with a variety of pens, markers and colored pencils, while my florals are 99% water colored.

I’m known for putting my soul into each piece and making sure that each one looks right to me, before I hand it off to my client. My specialty is in the detail and precision that each house and flower has to offer. While I do have local competition, my work varies so much from what they do. Every artist has their own style that they are known for.

I’m so proud of how far I have come in four years. I never would have thought I would be where I am now, especially since most of my commissions are from word of mouth or referrals.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I personally don’t have a mentor. What I do have is quite a few friends and family I will bounce ideas off of, but this journey has been mostly independent. There are many community groups that I’ve joined that help with networking and growing my business.

Pricing:

• Starting at $100 for a 5×7 house portrait
• Single flower starts at $50, but lessens the more flowers you add
• 10 flowers would be $125
• 8×10 house portrait is around $200

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panekartistry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themapleblonde?_rdr