In the heart of a challenging year, Siobhan Murray found her creative spark igniting once more, transforming a period of uncertainty into a journey of artistic rediscovery. As the world slowed down, so too did the relentless pace of her theater career in London’s West End, pushing her to revisit a passion that had long been sidelined. With encouragement from her friend Shelby, Siobhan launched Art by Shiv, breathing new life into her love for painting. Through this interview, we explore her inspiring journey—how she turned a personal passion into a blossoming business, navigated the complexities of creativity and entrepreneurship, and found resilience in the face of adversity. Join us as we delve into Siobhan's story, where art becomes a beacon of hope and self-expression.
1. What inspired you to return to painting and start Art by Shiv during the pandemic?
At the start of 2020, I was working in a theatre in London's West End, and freelancing for a theatre agent. The pandemic affected that industry (like many others) massively. My freelance work came to an abrupt end and I was placed on furlough. I think if there was anything positive to take from that time - as bleak as it was - it was that a lot of people started tapping back into old hobbies that they may have neglected before. I suppose that's exactly what happened to me. Art has always been something I've dipped in and out of. I studied art at GCSE at school but I never took it any further than that academically. I've always loved it though. If I'm ever feeling stressed or overwhelmed, art brings a sense of calm. It's like therapy to me. So, naturally, it was the perfect pastime when we were all stuck inside our houses and needed something to keep us sane. It was actually one of my best mates, Shelby (living with me at the time), who said 'You should start selling these'. Thanks, Shelbs!
2. How did your father’s influence shape your passion for art?
My dad loved art. Growing up, I remember he painted a lot - often with oil paints. When I went to visit him I'd always be drawing, wanting to be as good as him. He would often critique my drawings (bear in mind I was only 7 years old - ha) but I found it incredibly motivating. He has always been proud of my achievements in life, but I know he particularly loved it when I picked up my paintbrushes again. Sadly my dad passed away last year, but I know he'd be so proud of what I'm doing now.
3. Can you describe the journey from selling commissions to building your own website and brand?
It has been a real journey! Finding a sense of style was difficult for me. As a people-pleaser, I spent too much time at the beginning being a 'yes' person and taking on commissions that I shouldn't have... to the point where it began to feel less enjoyable. I was so lucky that so many people asked me to draw/paint something for them, and I'm grateful that it taught me a lot of lessons along the way. Restarting my business after having a lot of time to reflect on the mistakes I made before has been so refreshing and exciting. Building my brand and website has been a real eye-opener, and I'm learning so much every single day.
4. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when transitioning from part-time to full-time work on your art business?
I paused the art stuff in late 2020 when I went back into full-time work because it was such a drastic change to my lifestyle. I took a new job post-pandemic, which was an exciting fresh start - but I think going from furlough to working 9-5 in an office was a real shock to my system. At the time, because I was only taking commissions, things just weren't fit for purpose. I didn't have a website and I didn't have any systems or processes in place that meant my business could keep ticking along on the side.
5. How did being made redundant from your full-time job impact your motivation and approach to your creative work?
I was made redundant from my Head of CX role earlier this year, which although was devastating at the time, I'm now extremely grateful it happened. It has given me the time to build my website properly and to have some real time to set everything up in a way where my business can run itself (mostly, anyway). I do want to get back into full-time work right now, so creating something that I'll be able to keep up in my spare time has been my main focus. One big change has been switching to digital art, which I knew would allow me more flexibility to take art 'on the go' with me, and give me the flexibility I needed. Setting myself up with the right tools has been a real game-changer.
6. What financial challenges did you encounter in setting up your art business, and how did you address them?
Financially speaking, rebranding and launching my art business has not been without risk. I've tried to be as savvy as possible with my savings after being made redundant (bearing in mind that I'm also currently saving for a wedding in 2025 - eek). I've been funding everything on my own, so I'm being sensible and focusing on organic growth until I'm ready to put some money towards paid advertising. I've already been taking on some commissions which I'm excited to share soon - from experience, I know that these things usually trigger additional orders and bring in new customers, so I'm taking it one step at a time and not putting too much pressure on myself.
7. How do you manage your time between your creative work and other responsibilities?
I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to organising things, and as I mentioned earlier, I've been focusing on setting up processes that will help my business to run itself. I'm working with an art drop-shipping service to look after the fulfilment of my orders (previously I did all of the printing, packing and posting myself) so this will help to free up a lot of my time to focus on the creative side of things and prevent burnout. I keep a solid checklist of administrative things that I need to do, and my Google calendar is my saviour!
8. What strategies have you found effective in maintaining momentum for your art business?
Keeping people updated with my progress has helped. I want to share my journey each step of the way with my followers and I've found that sharing my achievements and struggles helps to keep me on track. Engaging people in the conversation is really motivating for me.
9. How has your mental health been affected by the ups and downs of running your own art business?
Honestly, my emotions have been all over the place! Some weeks I feel fantastic about it all and I'm really motivated to keep going, and other weeks I've struggled. My partner Adam has been a HUGE support to me throughout the process so far. He has a very creative mindset and we're always bouncing ideas off of each other. I think if it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't have launched my website because I would have been too worried about not 'being ready'. Are we ever ready for these things?! He is my cheerleader, and I don't know what I'd do without him.
10. What role does digital art play in your creative process, and how did you learn it?
Digital art plays a huge part in my creative process. One great thing about working digital is that it's so much more accessible. I'm not spending a tonne on art supplies, and I can take my iPad with me when I'm travelling which makes it easier to manage my time effectively outside of my other commitments. I use Procreate, which has been a huge learning curve for me. I watched so many tutorials when I first started, but honestly, the rest just came from practising and experimenting. Once I've created a piece I'll then use Photoshop to neaten things up and make adjustments so that the colours really 'pop' when it's printed.
11. How do you handle the pressure of managing both your creative and business aspects?
I think giving myself the flexibility to adjust my own schedule really helps. Some days I feel more creative than others, so I like not to be 'too' rigid with my daily routine (unless it's urgent of course). Having a solid to-do list and making sure I prioritise helps me find the right balance overall.
12. What advice would you give to other women who want to turn their creative passions into a business?
Do your research, and remember that it's not a race! I think it's very easy to compare yourself to other small businesses and wish you were in the same place as them, but you have to remind yourself that those people once started at the beginning too. Go at your own pace, and set yourself small achievable goals to propel you forward. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
13. Can you share any memorable moments or successes from your journey with Art by Shiv?
I remember getting my first test prints sent through and welling up because of how happy I was with the product. There had been so much work to get me to that stage, and I was just so excited at the quality of the print.
14. How do you stay inspired and keep your creativity flowing amidst challenges?
I love getting outside and spending time in nature, particularly with my Jackapoo pup, Ziggy. As a little family of three, Adam, Ziggy & I love to go camping. It's a great way to switch off, recharge, and get off social media. When you spend a lot of time on social media promoting your work, it's nice to just take a break from it.
15. What future goals do you have for Art by Shiv, and how do you plan to achieve them?
There are so many! One big thing I'd love to do is to sell my prints at a market. To achieve this I know I need to add some more products to my collection, and I have a plan for some new pieces I'd like to create over the next few months. I'm not sure when I'll be ready for this, but I'm looking forward to the challenge!
IG: @artbyshiv.uk
