Art & Life with Danica Hom

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danica Hom.

Danica, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My late grandfather taught me how to draw at a young age. When I wanted to scribble stick figures like the rest of my peers, he pushed me to expand and elaborate on my artwork, being the excellence-striven artist that he was. His love for art passed down to me, and soon I was inhaling every “How to draw” book I could get my hands on. In the early days, I was inspired by Manga (Japanese comics) and would try and draw my favorite characters.

When my grandfather passed away, I continued to take art classes all throughout high school and expanded to experimenting with different mediums, ranging from acrylic, charcoal and pastels. I strove to be even half of the artist that he was. It wasn’t until 2015 that I dabbled into hand lettering, also known as modern calligraphy. I noticed that style of writing was rapidly growing more popular and I wanted to learn.

My first real venture into selling my artwork was when a friend and I decided to sell custom hand-lettered notebooks for a fundraiser. I was terrible at it, but the notebooks were so popular that I decided to keep hand lettering even after the fundraiser was over. I opened up an Etsy store and started selling custom notebooks, cards and prints.

About a year later, I was contacted by a girl who I knew through a friend of a friend and she became my first wedding client. Many referrals later, I started getting a lot more wedding projects and decided to shut down my Etsy so I could focus on weddings.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Currently, my small business is focused on hand lettering and graphic design. The majority of my clientele are people who are getting married. I get to do welcome signs, seating charts, table numbers, escort cards, save the dates, invitations, menus, and anything you can think of that a person would want for their wedding day.

It’s been really fun working with different brides because they will have so many different ideas of what they want.

I’ve gotten to hand letter on so many different materials– cloth, mirrors, acrylic, wood, you name it. It challenges me in a good way and I get to learn things I wouldn’t have otherwise learned before (such as what types of markers are best for writing on mirrors, or how to stain wood).

Through my art, I hope to bring joy to others. I love that feeling when a client expresses to me that what I have created is their vision come to life. Sure, doing custom work can be challenging at times, but it’s the collaborative result of the finished piece that is so fulfilling and satisfying.

Drawing will still be my first love, but it’s become more of a personal outlet for me. I often find I get attached to my drawings, even if I hate what I’ve created (what I call the artist’s plight). Hand lettering is easier for me to part with and is also an easier medium for me to do custom work for others. I never thought I would be doing hand lettering for wedding signs and invitations, but it’s been so much fun and I’m so grateful for all of the weddings I’ve gotten to be a part of in this small yet special way.

What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Push yourself to reach out. As in introvert, those words make me cringe, but social media honestly makes things a lot easier. Sending a sincere email or a DM (direct message) letting someone know what you like about their artwork can lead to some meaningful conversations and connections.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danicanicoledesigns/

Image Credit:
Aga Jones Photography, http://www.agajonesphotography.com

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