Laura Duffy is the illustrator and owner of the art business LauraDuffyArt which focuses on selling colourful print designs as well as custom portrait commissions. Having only just started her business in March 2020, Laura has received endless orders and a staggering 7K followers online.

‘Drawing and crafting has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. About two years ago, I wanted to put effort into improving my skill level so I decided to start posting my doodles and drawings on Instagram as a way to encourage me to practice more often. Over time, my following on Instagram started to grow and I began getting requests to do custom drawings. The fact that strangers were willing to pay me to draw for them was absolutely gobsmacking to me, I was delighted as I could spend a few hours doing something that I loved and get paid for it. I was working full time in an ad agency at the time which gave me incredible marketing experience and I loved my colleagues. However, I had a 2-hour commute to the office most days and began to find the stressful nature of the job didn't suit what I wanted long term. I soon began to dream of a faraway possibility that I could one day quit my job and become a full-time self-employed artist. I officially went full-time self-employed in March 2020. It is a unique time to set-up a business although I am hugely grateful to have a business model that is online-based and can be managed from home’

Laura’s prints have gone down quite a treat both in Ireland and around the globe, I had to ask her the process behind making designs with such a high demand.

‘I am primarily a digital artist so I spend my days coming up with funky designs that I myself would love to receive as a gift. I love the gifting experience as everyone does, but I especially love the idea that something I make could be used to make somebody smile. All the designs I create are made with the intention of being gifted, with this in mind I try to make sure they are uplifting and have a clear message that will relate in some way to whoever might receive them. A very kind customer once described them as "prints that literally scream at you to love yourself and live a colourful life" and I think that is what I have strived for every time since when coming up with new designs’

Laura also commends the importance of a good support network when self-employed.

‘Working for yourself is by its nature a very lonely job, and as a by the book introvert, I find it very easy to nestle myself in my office for days on end without spending quality time with anyone’ says Laura. ‘My family has been incredible, and I am so grateful that I still live at home so that I can be around them. My mam has rowed in many a night to give me hand with packing orders and my brother is also very artistic, so he has been great to bounce ideas off. My dad is a very entrepreneurial spirit, so he has been so interested and supportive. Also, my friends and my boyfriend have been great at reminding me to slow down, and to join a zoom call every so often which has helped so much to keep the stress at bay. Long story short, I don't think I would be anywhere near as successful if I didn't have the people in my life supporting me the way they do’

I asked the entrepreneur what advice she would give to those who may want to start their own company but is too afraid.

‘I am very new to the game, so I am certain that I have much yet to learn, however, the biggest lesson I've learned is to always focus on building your audience’ says Laura. ‘Appreciate the people that do already follow you and try to add value to their day. Working on growing an audience that is interested in the topics I explore through my designs has had a direct effect on my ability to sell consistently so far, so I would highly recommend putting your energy into that first and foremost’.

There is no stopping this young lady as she has many future plans lined up.

‘I hope to continue expanding my shop product range as there are so many things I would love to try my hand at designing. I love the idea of designing some wearable products, so I am currently looking into the most sustainable options in that direction. For me, a big benefit to becoming self-employed was to have the freedom to work from anywhere. I hope that sometime in the future when it is safe again, I can travel with my job and explore different ways of living, this, in turn, I can imagine would give me a lot more inspiration to create more funky art’

Lastly, I asked Laura is there a life motto she would like to share with the readers to which she replied;

‘For me the main thing I remind myself of is that overthinking is a waste of time that could otherwise be spent laughing. I may not often live by this, but it is something I try to come back to time and time again’

 Check out Laura’s beautiful prints on her website - https://www.lauraduffyart.com/