Life & Work with Tia Sunshine Dye

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tia Sunshine Dye.  

Hi Tia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thank you. I am a watercolor artist and the recent founder of Art on Brand. After many exciting years of moving my family around the country every few years following my husband’s career, I recently settled in and focused on the visual arts in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I immediately began walking the line between creator and business owner.
Art on Brand by Tia Sunshine Art is the result of many aspects of life. When I was young, my mom was self-employed out of necessity, but I always saw it as an ideal. That desire to be self-employed fostered a curiosity for branding and using social media to communicate. Even with its flaws, I have always appreciated social media as a tool for creating community. With a BFA in Theatre Design & Technology, I designed sets and lighting for the stage taking inspiration from the theatrical text. The goal is to support and showcase the message of the production. With Art on Brand, I am using this experience to partner with businesses and vacation rentals. I meet with them in person and discuss their branding, using archetypes and colors, and then I create or curate artwork inspired by their business and reflecting their brand. While it all seems like a natural progression now, I only started painting as a visual artist 4 years ago. 

Our family moved to Ann Arbor, MI 4 years ago. Prior to that, we temporarily homeschooled our two children for about 3 years. During that time, we impressed upon our kids the importance of creating a life you love filled with lifelong learning and possibilities. I found myself participating in homeschool art and resurrecting a longing to create artwork. Realizing I was preaching to create the life one desires but not doing so myself, I dedicated my time to learning watercolor. From there I joined local art organizations and started treating my work as a business right away. 

The art world has been changing, and I have decided to take ownership of the processes I have observed. This is really how Art on Brand began.

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?
Expectations are the biggest challenges. 

There is the expectation of who can be an artist. If I had realized I could be an artist, I would have likely gotten my BFA in visual arts rather than theatre. Then there is the disappointment when I finally became an artist in grieving the years I could have been creating. 

There are the expectations we put on our lives as mothers and wives. It isn’t easy to manage a house and pour yourself into your family. It is a joy but a challenge. Making a point to set aside time for myself was a bigger decision than I realized at the time. 

We have the expectation of the ‘starving artist’, who creates out of passion and joy. There is an unspoken rule that if you allow yourself to be part of the financial market you are somehow selling out. Also, we buy into the idea that creatives are unorganized and unreliable. 

Artists are also expected to stay within a recognizable niche. Whether it is color or subject matter, you can’t be known for dabbling here and there. Let’s be honest, that is where many artists find joy. 

I am challenging these expectations. I am the artist. I am a mother. I run a business and I partner with other businesses. My niche is creating art that is inspired by individuals, businesses, and the world around me. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My Art on Brand process is simple, unique, and custom to those who I partner with. It starts with and relies on networking and the idea that good people doing great things in our community can still make important financial decisions. 

In my networking, I search for businesses and vacation rental owners who will benefit from original artwork in their space. I visit the location and we discuss the personality of the business, the space, and opportunities for sales of artwork and related products. From there I create color swatches and small studies of potential artworks. If the situation calls for it, I will reach out to other artists and curate work different than my own. After another meeting to get approval for artwork for the space, I start painting. 

Artwork is then hung in the space, at no cost, available for purchase for up to 6 months. The business owner and I work together to promote both businesses and the artwork. Additionally, commissions are available for the business when the artwork is sold or, alternatively, they have the choice to purchase the artwork at a discount or pass the discount on to their client. Other products such as cards and prints may also be available. Sometimes events or promotions are appropriate. 

Above all, the idea is a mutual and financially beneficial relationship. I am most proud of not only taking ownership of processes that exist but in doing so in a way that changes how we see artists and how business is done. The business and vacation owners I have worked with are doing wonderful things in our community, and I am honored to be part of it. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Relationships make me happy. Whether that is home and family, friends, or community, relationships are how we frame our world and our future. Relationships are not always easy, but ultimately the relationships we invest in that define us. I choose to invest my time and energy in creating as much joy in our community as possible. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tiasunshine.art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tia.sunshine.studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tia.s.dye/
• Other: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/tia-sunshine