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Don’t we all just love a good ol’ chat about turning a passion into a business? We are the biggest fan girls of Lemon Lines by Lib, so we sat down and got to know how she worked out her price structure (after her biggest fuck-up!), who she looks up to and chat about her latest exhibition.

Mikki: Thank you so much for joining me today. I wanted to chat about Lemon Lines - obviously - and the fact that we’re having it at M.A.H. too. Can we chat a little about the upcoming solo exhibition, I think it’s your first exhibition..

Lib: Yeh!

Mikki: ..that you’re having at M.A.H. on the 21st of September.

Lib: Yeh, so it’s my very first solo exhibition, which I’m obviously really excited about. I’m super stoked to be having it at your salon as well. The theme I’ve chosen is plants in pants and the inspiration behind it is pretty simple, I just sort of combined things I know of and my style is to make things a little bit strange, a little bit quirky. So I just really want everyone to come along, have some fun, have a laugh at what I’ve been doing. Have a drink. It will be mad.

Mikki: It’ll be so fun - and we’ve done some t-shirts as well, so they will be on sale.

Lib: Yeh, our little collaboration which 100% of the profits from the t-shirts are going to a charity - the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Womens Alliance. All of the information is online on the website.

Mikki: You worked as a nurse full time and you also worked on Lemon Lines, I’ve noticed that working full time or part time is quite common among creatives who are starting to monetise their work. What are your thoughts on this and in your opinion, what are the biggest challenges for creatives who are wanting to ditch the 9 to 5 to work on their business?

Lib: I love working full time and having the creative outlet of Lemon Lines.

I THINK IT PROVIDES BALANCE, SO LIKE NURSING GIVES ME THE STRUCTURE AND THEN I CAN COME HOME AND JUST BE CREATIVE, IT’S LIKE A REALLY NICE OUTLET.

As for artists trying to give up their other job and become full time with their art I think it’s amazing, but it takes a lot of time and a lot of effort and also a lot of your own money. So, you know, it’s really important that you do have the financial backing first to really build that up so you’ve got a little safety net.

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Mikki: So there is obviously a huge amount of passion behind your work which would make it really, really hard for you to price your pieces. There are obviously so many elements to consider beyond the simple cost of materials - there is your time, your creative ideas, the years it took you to practice and grow in your industry and obviously other elements as well. Do you have any advice for other creatives who are struggling to put a price tag on their work?

Lib: Yes, so I find I still struggle a little bit with this and my artistic self-love. I think you just sort of have to get over it and realise that you are amazing and what you are doing is individual to you, and it’s really special.

WHAT I DID THAT HELPED ME PUT A PRICE ON MY WORK WAS LOOK AT WHAT OTHER ARTISTS WERE DOING IN A SIMILAR SORT OF STYLE AND GO FROM THERE, AND I OBVIOUSLY HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOW MANY HOURS IT’S TAKEN ME TO DO ONE PIECE, THE MATERIAL, ALL OF THAT AS WELL.

Mikki: So don’t undervalue yourself, I guess.

Lib: No. It takes a lot of confidence to put yourself out there and then put a price tag on it. I think it just comes with time and getting used to it.

Mikki: We often put pressure on ourselves to always make the right decision and to never make mistakes. Can you share some of your biggest or one of your biggest business fuck-ups to date?

Lib: I’m obviously very new at this, and I was approached by this guy to design a logo. I went into it, and I had just got back from overseas, I went to the meeting not really thinking much about it and I priced it way too low - like, wayyy too low. I didn't know at the time, like he was a bit shocked, like, ‘wow, really?’ and I was like ‘ok.. yeh, that’s fine with me’. I told a few friends and they were like ‘Libby, this is ridiculous’ and anyway, from that my friend was like ‘ok, if you’re ever get in a tight situation, get them to like ask you’, let them set the figure first, rather than you just blurt out what you think. So, I’ve definitely learnt from that.

Mikki: We learn from these things!

Lib: Exactly!

Mikki: I’m a massive fan of online tools and apps, they make my life a lot easier. Can you share some of your favourites?

Lib: I don’t really have many, I’m still trying to figure it out myself. So, for example, it took me months and months to even put any of my work up online to sell because I just had no idea how to do it. I guess the main tool that I use is my online platform, my online shop, which is through Big Cartel, and I just find that it’s super easy to use. I feel like if I can do it, then literally anyone can because I am literally so bad with technology. So that, and then also I guess Instagram is great to just meet other creatives and find other people on there to ask for advice.

Mikki: How do you feel empowered, and do you have any advice or can you recommend any social media accounts to follow that are supportive spaces for other women who want to turn their art into a business but don’t really know where to start?

Lib: I guess the main thing about my art that makes me feel empowered, is that I draw and embroider a lot of naked people and I don’t sexualise it. That’s like the main thing for me. Also, just on my Instagram as well I have a very small percentage of men who follow me so I feel that those men are there just for the art not there for me as a woman, if that makes sense. As for other social media accounts, I think Jasmine Dowling is incredible. She is an amazing business woman, her blog, like I read that whenever she releases something new. I think she has a really great insight and a lot of experience as well. Then probably… I listen to the collaboration of Jericho Road Clothing, it’s really cool, they’re two Brisbane sisters who have just recently quit their 9 to 5 jobs and you know made their labels time. So they really inspire me, I just love them, they’re beautiful people, I really recommend following them too.

Mikki: Maybe like, local girls doing something different as well as creatives. I think if we can come together and support one-another…

Lib: Absolutely.