Check Out Alli McPhail’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alli McPhail.  

Hi Alli, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been very drawn to art and creative projects. As long as I can remember, I would get excited to draw, paint, take photos, or make things in art class. When I was about seven years old, my mom showed me how to use watercolor paints, and that was my first exposure to painting. I loved looking at something surrounding me and then try to recreate it through painting, especially nature, and the landscapes. I started bringing my painting supplies on our family road trips to western Canada and the upper peninsula of Michigan and would try to reproduce the picturesque scenes that lay before my eyes. 

Years later, I earned a degree in architecture at the University of Michigan. Although I enjoyed thinking creatively about the built environment, I felt the need to get back to my childhood hobby of painting to provide myself an outlet and create artwork for my walls as I was just starting out with a career, not exactly making a lot of money yet. I purchased a basic set of acrylic paints, a couple of canvases and just started experimenting. I pulled up some photos I had taken from various trips and tried using the acrylics to create the landscapes from my photos. And it immediately became satisfying to see the scenes come to life. It has now been about ten years since first trying acrylic paints, and I have not looked back since. Each time I start a new painting, I challenge myself to try different techniques and push the limits to create a better painting than the last. It is a lot of trial and error, but I love the outlet it provides from the grind of daily life and enjoy producing a scene that resonates with people. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have taken on painting as more of a creative outlet thus far, so my artwork continues to be supplementary to my career in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Although this takes the pressure off because it allows it to be more of a hobby and side hustle, it can get frustrating to not have a lot of time to create as often as I would like, and means that painting is often squeezed into small windows of spare time on nights or weekends. Ideally, I would love to be able to incorporate more artwork into my week as I evolve in my career. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a painter who focuses on nature-inspired landscapes and waterscapes. My medium is typically acrylic paints, but also have experience with charcoal and colored pencil drawings, watercolors, and photography. I have started dabbling in some plein air painting recently and have a lot of respect for people who weather the elements – good or bad – to pursue their passion of creating art. 

What I am most proud of is a painting I did for my sister for her apartment – it was a large waterscape of a summer scene of a shoreline in northern Michigan near where I grew up. It turned out surprisingly well, and was not too long after I started using acrylic paints. I posted a few photos of it on my social media because I was proud of it, and a friend who runs a successful art website that sells prints asked me to submit some samples to their site. My work got picked up, and have been selling prints on their site ever since. From that point forward, I felt inspired to keep creating. That one painting gave me the push to keep trying and just enough confidence to feel like, “Yeah – you can do this!” 

I think what sets me apart from others is that I aim to create artwork that is both personal and affordable. I enjoy taking a commission and letting someone provide input into what they are looking for, whether it is a favorite vacation spot, their childhood beach they no longer get to visit often, or a postcard view from a vacation they took and want to relive. Artwork should be approachable for everyone, and if you can combine nostalgia and a reasonable price tag, that means a lot to me. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I feel like it takes just one small win to gain momentum in what you are creating. Producing creative goods can feel like a huge investment while you are just getting going. So, any way you can promote yourself in an affordable (or free) way is important while you are getting started. Social media is always a great approach – making sure you are taking clear photos of your work and posting with a creative aesthetic to your account to ensure people are seeing your style. I also think you need to embrace uncertainty and risk-taking to get your name out there. It is a numbers game of putting yourself in front of people to see what sticks. Be bold, don’t be discouraged if someone says no, and embrace feedback to continue pushing your own boundaries. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amcpaints.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amcpaintings
• Other: www.artfullywalls.com/artists/alli-mcphail-235576