People have many reasons for why they do the jobs that they do. Certainly, some may have more options than others. Yet, time and again studies, personal accounts and memoirs attest to the fact that people who devote themselves to doing what they love—even when it involves great sacrifice—experience the greatest satisfaction from what they do and while they are doing it. And often, they eventually achieve high levels of success.

In this episode, Gail talks with multi-media artist Dawn Sweitzer, of Dawn Sweitzer Studio in High Point, North Carolina. Dawn started her arts career in the mid-90s with a product design firm called Notre Monde. She currently designs for a number of top brands, including Banana Republic, Art House Furniture, Crate and Barrel, Anthropologie, and others. Her work includes painting, textiles and other forms of decorative art.

Dawn said one of her key attributes in working for major brands is that she is good at understanding and maintaining the aesthetic of the company. She also works with interior designers and their clients, both residential and commercial.

Gail and Dawn talked a lot about the creative process and how one keeps going year after year. Dawn said she is discovering and experimenting with new techniques all the time. That helps to keep her creative process fresh. Having her studio space, which has separate areas for different types of arts, helps to inspire her. She is surrounded by creative projects and possibilities.

Dawn acknowledged that she did not always have such a high level of confidence in her work. She was concerned about how others might judge it. In time, though, she learned to let go of that doubt and to be content with what she can produce. “If it brings me joy, then that’s enough,” she said. That has given her the confidence to try new things. “When you feel solid in what you’re doing and you share that with a fearlessness, I think that’s contagious.”

Gail asked Dawn what advice she had for listeners who perhaps are experiencing some doubt about their work. She said,

• 
  
• Believe in yourself. Trust your instincts.
  
• Put yourself out there. Work really hard on your vision.
  
• Start somewhere. Do something.
  

As a final thought, Dawn added, “Stay true to your vision, because your time will come.”

For more of Dawn’s story, listen to the entire podcast.

If you’re listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s11e4-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Dawn and her work, go to her website at www.dawnsweitzerstudio.com.

Gail mentioned the book The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday. You can find out more about it at theobstacleistheway.com.

Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.

Hello Dawn, welcome to Creative Genius podcast. We are so excited to have you on today. Hi Gail, thanks for having me. Well, it’s a pleasure having you and I understand this is you are a virgin on podcast, which is awesome. I think it is great to have somebody who’s brand new to it, but you’re such a natural. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun today. We had the pleasure of visiting your studio at High Point in North Carolina at the most recent market.

And we really appreciated your generous hospitality and seeing your space and your whole process. How did you find your path to becoming a multimedia creative? Cause I think that’s kind of what you are. You know, I, as far back as I can remember, I was always a creative person or appreciated the creative process. And, after I had traveled a while and I came back to the States, I’d lived out of the country for about

five years I came back to the states and that’s when I. You know was trying to figure out what what it was that I wanted to do and I started a company. Called no tremont which was an accessory company started out with trays mirrors accessories and then morphed into furniture and while I was doing.

you know, starting that company to supplement my income, I would paint murals and facilitate my income with, with, know, painting murals and stuff. So I, I started back in, you know, the early nineties, mid nineties when I, when I started, and that was with it, it all sort of started with no Tremont, my accessory company.

Well, and you were so kind to show us your process for thinking about how you develop your ideas. And we’re going to get into that in a second. But I’m just really curious why High Point High Point is not a place that one would think would be an artist area destination. Well, that’s a funny story. So, you know, I’d always come to High Point with my accessory company, No Tremont, you know, twice a year. They have the High Point furniture market.

And then I was, I met someone, another artist, and he became my partner and he was living here at the time. And so I decided that I would move here. And that’s what brought me here was that relationship. I found this beautiful studio space, which was an old warehouse, an old mattress factory.

about 18 ,000 square feet. so I found this great space and I just, mean, it sort of blew the doors open for creativity and me to explore different, you know, categories and things. And I just, yeah, so I started, you know, when I came to High Point, that’s when I really started to explore different avenues outside of my company, Notre Monde. What brands do you design for?

So I designed for several different brands. I designed for Banana Republic. I designed for R House Furniture. I do a lot of art for Creighton Barrel, Anthropologie. I’ve also designed in the past for companies like Mitchell Gold, which is no longer existing, but that was…

in the past, but also on a global level. I worked with Harrods in London and higher end brands there. yeah, so I’ve worked with quite a few different brands. Yeah. And it’s so fun to see some of the projects. We had that chance to wander around and see some of the things you’re working on. was really exciting. Did they find you or did you find them? Well, it was kind of both, you know, I’ve been in this industry for so long that

you know, when you’re when you’re working in an industry like this, it’s really, you know, one of the important things is about creating relationships with people. And, you know, in this industry, you know, there can be a lot of movement with buyers and, you know, designers and creators and CEOs and things like that. And I, I’ve always, you know, and I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve always had wonderful relationships with people. And so, you know, we

we sort of knew each other in the industry. yeah, so they would seek me out for my aesthetic and integrity in the industry. And I also, one thing that I think that I’m good at is understanding the aesthetic of each company, is they’re all different, right? And maintaining that aesthetic. think there’s a mutual respect.

you know, working with buyers and collaborating with other creatives when you’re working with larger brands. you work with interior designers directly on their projects? do. I do. love working with them. Yeah, me too. You know, I love collaborating. love, you know, and I also work with their clients as well, you know, and they’re, know, through them, you know, it really is a collaboration when we’re doing

you know, when I’m doing commissions and stuff, because I love the fact that not only the designer, but the client who’s living with the artwork or the textile or the mural, you know, they, they help collaborate and create, you know, they’re part of that creative process, which I think is wonderful. So it’s not only that, you know, we, I help them understand it. So when, you know, they’re living with the art or, you know, that

bespoke piece, you know, they have, they’re part of that story. What type of work is most appealing to you?

Gosh, you know, see, the truth is, is that I’m discovering different techniques all the time. You know, I don’t just work in one medium. You know, I, one thing that I find fascinating is, you know, being a painter and an artist and a creative, but also seeing how that translates throughout, you know, different categories. You know, whether it is, you know, rugs or tabletop or

you bedding, you know, or a wall mural or, you know, because really when you look at what you’re surrounded by, it’s designed, it’s touched by whether it’s a glass or, you know, a table, a chair, whatever. So, I like to work in different mediums and I like to discover how, you know, it usually starts with a painting or a moon board to get.

I get, you know, a vibe and an idea down. And I usually start with I start with a muse. He’s always this woman who, you know, well, is my muse and inspires me. And I sort of live vicariously through her. Like, what would she wear? Where would she travel? What does her house look like? What does she eat?

You know, what is she, what music does she listen to? You know, so that’s, that’s where it starts when I, when I start creating and then I see how, how it translates throughout, know, whatever it is I’m designing. you might say she’s your alter ego while you’re working. Yeah, probably. I love that. Yeah.

I can be from South Africa, I can be from Indonesia, I could be all over the world. Because what really inspires me ultimately is the beautiful cultures on a global level. That really is something that I value. Do you ever get stuck in your process? Do you find that you might start on a project and all of a sudden you don’t know where you want to go with it? All the time.

Okay, all the time. Yeah, and part of it, you know, I think that’s part of the process of a creative. I think you have to get stuck in order to sort of appreciate what it is that you’re trying to do, or what you’re trying to move through. Because I feel like every time I get stuck, it might not be the most pleasant feeling when you’re in it. But as you move through it, you know,

you’re in and if you’re open to moving through it you’re constantly learning like i feel like i have to i have to have it i have to move i have to rethink sometimes i have to just step away and let me for a minute and then i’ll revisit it but there are there many times where i have an idea in my head and it’s not translating the way it did in my head you know on canvas or or fabric or whatever and i have to rethink it and

inevitably what happens is, you know, something comes up that makes it more interesting. You know, whether it’s it’s the dying process or, you know, the way the colors melted together, which was unexpected, or the way the paint hit the glass, and it reacted with, you know, solvents or something, you know, so there’s. So I when I used to get frustrated with being stuck,

Now I sort of embrace it, you know, because it really helps me move through it. And I learn something and I get stronger and there’s more information. yeah, I definitely, I think all creatives get stuck. Well, it’s interesting because you never really think about it with an artist. You just think it just flows right out of them and it’s an easy thing to do. I guess that’s a good time to go on vacation, isn’t it? Yeah. I was just at the beach.

And I’ll tell you what, full disclosure, I was feeling a little sort of creatively depleted. Like have tons of ideas, but I was like getting stuck. And so I ended up going away for like four days with some dear friends. we just, I took long walks on the beach and just sort of spent some time alone and allowed my head to clear.

And it really helps, you know, and therein lies within that simple walk, like, you know, you’re surrounded by inspiration. You know, your senses are open, you’re, you relax, you, you don’t try to fight, you know, making something happen. It’s sort of, you allow it to happen organically, which, which for me is, is a part of the process that I embrace.

because I have a lot of different projects going on at the same time. And so when I pop back and forth to different projects, it helps me sort of step away from one so I can get a little more clarity when I revisit it. But completely stepping outside of the studio from time to time is really helpful. Well, it sounds like it’s very much like life. We all need a break every once in a while. We can’t keep going.

as the old saying goes, balls for the wall, you can’t do that. It’s just really impossible to continue to push yourself that hard. You have to have that space to think and also to let your right brain settle. Yeah, absolutely. How often do you communicate directly with a patron and how often do you work just with a designer to develop your art? So most of the time it’s with a designer. And then what we do, just

What the designer will do once we get to a certain point is we all sit down together and collaborate. The designer sort of facilitates the initial concept or the piece that the client responds to of mine. And then what we’ll do is we’ll sit down and figure out what they love about the piece or for me, when I do their commission. Because a lot of times it could be custom sizes, custom colors or finishes.

And so yeah, so it’s more, starts with a designer and then I with the patron or client. Yeah, then I work with them as well. We all work as a team, so to speak. Well, I’m sure it’s a fun process from your side. Yeah. It’s very much about getting down to that personality of that person and making

some connection with the art that you’re creating so that it really reflects that person. Wouldn’t that be true? I do. And I think it’s absolutely true because we only know what we know, right? So when people come into my studio, I love to have clients come into my studio and see the process because I’m so excited about the process. And I love to share that with them and they think differently.

Right? They look, they sort of turn it inside out the way I do. They don’t just see it for what it is. And I think that’s interesting to them. it’s one of my favorite things when I can share, you know, the different layers and levels, because a lot of people on the outside of creativity thinks, like you said earlier, that it just happens, right? We just are in here creating. And that’s not the case. mean,

literally there will be times where I’m dying fabric and I’m waiting for things to absorb and stuff and I’ll walk over to another area of my studio and grab some handmade paper and start, you know, dipping it in the dye and manipulating the paper with inks and the actual dye and see the way it responds to what type of paper it is, what brushes I use, how long I keep it in the solution. And so that’s always, you know,

learn, you know, it’s always evolving into different things. So like when you guys were here, and I could share this whole process, because it’s hard to wrap your head around, the layers of it. When you come in, you peel it back, and it all makes sense. Like it may start with a painting, but then you see how that translates to paper to fabric to

You know, and that’s what I, that’s what I love about having people in my studio who appreciate that process, especially clients when they’re, you know, they want to surround themselves with beauty, but they’re not quite sure, you know, how to get to that place unless they, you know, say, I want that painting or I want that vase, or I want that, you know, table decor, whatever. But when you see it, then you can start saying, let me add some of this finish to this. And I love that color on that, you know,

painting. yeah, it’s. Well, I think one of the things that’s very exciting about what you’re doing and when you bring somebody to your studio, essentially that becomes part of the story behind the artwork, because people will go to their home and say, that’s really interesting. Tell me about this art or this artist. And then if they can share that experience of getting to know you and your process, I think that is part of the.

Just the excitement for people is to be able to share that. Yeah, I agree. I mean, when I purchase something, whether my bracelet, for instance, you know, it’s a dear friend of mine who makes most of my jewelry. You know, he made this piece as well and all handmade beads and things. This is also a peretti, but, know, and so what I love is I love to tell the story of this wonderful human being who, you know, started with nothing.

And then fast forward six months to a year, he was designing accessories for Donna Karan and Rick Owens and traveling to Paris, working with other designers. And so for me, these are special pieces that I wear every day. it’s important for me to appreciate the makers and the creators of everything that I purchase as well. That’s a great story.

I’m sure you can’t really say that there’s any number one project that was your favorite, but maybe one or two that you enjoyed working on quite a bit. Could you share about that? Well, a couple projects. One of the projects that comes to mind was a project that I did for Katara Hotel in Dubai. So I was commissioned to do 50 pieces for all of these suites.

in this hotel. we did large scale. did a large scale. They were approximately 15 feet by five feet. And I worked with this wonderful company that a gentleman who used to work for Sotheby’s started this company in London. And, you know, I worked with their team of people to complete this project and it was just an absolute pleasure. You know, and I love, you know, I’m fortunate enough to be able to have relationships where I can work.

with these hospitality projects and these global teams of people. And so that was wonderful. I loved everything about that project. And then another project that I worked on, this was about, and I still work with them, but it was about a 10 year project, was a company, a Belgian company called Ethnicraft. And that was, I started,

Earlier I said, you know, I had the company No Tremont. And then when I, I met the owners of Ethnicraft, we decided to develop a whole line of products and it was quite different from what they were doing. And so what it did was it gave me the opportunity to just really focus on the creative side and all the logistics and everything that I was used to doing with my other company. You know, I’ve worn 50 hats, you know, it was everything from.

you know, packing boxes to silk screening the actual product and paintings and doing all that to just really, you know, focusing on, on creative content, building collections and working with, with, know, their development teams. And so that that’s been a pleasure as well. I mean, they’re a wonderful company and I’ve, I’ve, I’ve learned a lot throughout, you know, the years working with them. that.

You know, and all the bespoke projects, have to say, you know, they’re kind of like your children. So I feel like I have like thousands of children out there, even if it’s a cushion or a painting. You know, I take it so personally. It’s something that I really, you know, every single piece that I create, you know, is important to me. You know, and I want to make sure that, that I’m, you know, doing it properly and, and

It’s something that is, you know, someone else finds beautiful and, and, know, they appreciate it as much as I do. It’s a couple of projects. It’s so fun. And all of the things that you’re doing are so different. And that’s what I loved about seeing your studio and seeing your process, seeing the different areas that you worked in. And I can just imagine that you

you shift your energy from space to space, depending on what you’re working on too. my gosh, constantly. am literally, you know, I don’t count myself. should count my steps during the day because they’d be, you know, the tens of thousands because I am literally moving. Well, you’ve been to my studio. So the way I have it set up intentionally is I compartmentalize, you know, I, there’s a dye kitchen.

where I do the weaving and dying. I have a weaver, don’t weave myself, but I design everything and then I dye everything myself and pull all the threads and do all that. But then I have another area where I do smaller samples, whether it’s aged mirror or working on wallpaper patterns, things like that. And then I have my larger studio in the back where I do all the painting. So what’s great, and then I have…

another segment of my studio where I put the finished pieces and start to sort of pull collections together from all of those sort of separate studio spaces. And so, yeah, I’m constantly bouncing around from space to space because again, when I do get stuck or I do feel that I’m at a point where I can stop for a moment and then revisit, I still am being creative. It’s just in a different.

you know, different genre or different area of the studio. And so for me, I have this energy that I just, you know, it’s, it’s, I feel like it’s 24 seven. I’m constantly thinking and, and I look at things in a different way, even, you know, on a rainy day, like today, you know, the clouds are so beautiful. You know, I was, you know, took my dogs outside and I was like, wow, that’s beautiful. I’m doing this whole series of,

paintings that are vistas that are very textural. They’re not really, some could say they’re abstract, but they’re very serene, very simple, but it’s more about the texture and the materials that I use within the paintings. So I find myself now really looking at cloud patterns and colors and things in nature. So yeah, it’s.

It’s, want to come hang out with you at your studio for a month and I want to play with you. You should really, if you’re not doing it yet, maybe, maybe you can do some workshops and classes for that. Yeah. So we, we plan. So one of the things, that I’d like to do and I

is because I do so many different mediums, everything from silk screening to painting, dyeing, you know, all these different things, you know, I would love to, on a more regular basis. I’ve had a couple workshops here and there, but I’d love to do that on a regular basis here because I feel like this space lends itself to that. And it also, you know, I feel like everyone that comes in this space, including myself.

is so inspired because there’s, know, I feel like I could be having a bad day or whatever. And I walk in that door and everything just melts away. And I’m surrounded by everything I love. And, and I just jump in there and just really start messing around and playing around and see where, it evolves from there. And so when people come into the studio, they see that it’s not, you know,

I sort of bring it to earth, right? Like, and share what it is. And it’s really just putting yourself out there and just doing, doing what you love. I mean, for me, I don’t care if you make safety pin lampshades, as long as you’re doing something that you love. To me, that’s just as valid and important as a creative, you know, as creating a sculpture for a museum, you know, or having a painting hang in the mess.

You know, some people would beg to differ, I really feel because I’m not, you know, I don’t have a art degree. I’m self -taught. For me, you know, not only the joy that it brings me and the freedom to be able to create, you know, it’s a really grounding, special place to be when you have a space, regardless of the size that has things that inspire you in it.

you know, then you just, you know, you create and you start making things. mean, psychologically, that gives so much back because you’re putting yourself out there, even if it’s just you in that room, and then you are strong enough to venture out and share it with other people and get feedback. And then it just sort of creates the snowball effect, you know, where, you know, how many times, I mean, I know I have with

with friends and family and stuff where I’m like, my gosh, I had no idea you were a writer or that you sang or that you were a painter or that you, because we all have these massive insecurities, especially around creative things because you’re constantly judged. You know, I think that’s just part of our society. But when you feel solid in what you’re doing and you share that with a fearlessness, you know, I think it’s contagious, you know.

I love that. And that imposter syndrome, it affects so many different people. And it sounds like you’ve had a little bit of it because you weren’t a trained artist, but you are a naturally gifted person that has an eye that can bring that to the table. And to me, that’s not an imposter, that’s a creator. And so you are a creator. So I love it and I love hearing that.

Maybe you still had a little struggle with that. And I guess all creatives have to have a little struggle internally. think, think you do. I think that’s just part of being a human being, you know? And I think when I got past that I had to be something for somebody else, this was years ago, but I struggled with that for a while, that I wasn’t good enough, that it wasn’t, you know, I’m not Picasso. I’m not, you know, some, but what for me, it’s enough.

If it brings me joy and I feel good about what I’m doing, that’s enough. And if people around me want to share that or be a part of it, what a beautiful thing that is. And so when I stopped doing what I do for other people and just, you know, went into myself and did it for myself, that’s when the good stuff came. That’s when it really started to evolve, you know, because it’s, funny when you try to rep.

know, one thing that I am fascinated by and love to do as a creative is I love to meld the concept of art and commerce. You know, there are some artists that think that, my gosh, it’s like sacrilegious. How dare you sell your artwork as a reproduction or put artwork on a rug or a bed sheet? For me, it’s all art, you know? you know, I’m not in a position to buy a hundred thousand dollar original painting.

You know, but I do love this beautiful textile that was created by artisans that I can appreciate, right? So, so I feel like if you just come from a place of authenticity, I think that’s, and you allow yourself to make the mistakes and fail and succeed and fail. And for me, that’s where most of my successes come from are my failures, because you’re just constantly putting yourself out there.

So it’s a pleasure for me to fail. You know, it’s not a bad word. If you’re failing, you’re doing something right. was just going to say one of my favorite books is The Obstacle is the Way. And it really is exactly that. If you hit the obstacle, that is the direction you need to be going. Yeah, it’s true. And it’s true. I think, you know, part of struggling through that and allowing yourself grace

to just be with something, if you’re invested in it on some level, something good comes out of it, right? And it doesn’t have to be accepted or acknowledged by anyone else. mean, as long as you feel that you’ve put everything that you possibly could into whatever ever that notion is or idea, I feel that that’s enough.

And I think that’s one of the reasons like when I work with my clients, whether it’s like a big box client like Banana Republic or, or, you know, whether it’s, it’s a, you know, a client where I’m doing a commission for their home. I put as much energy into the big box client as I do into the, like into the, the patron that I’m designing something for their home.

For me, it’s about, again, having integrity and doing the best I can do for that particular opportunity. What do you love most about what you do?

I would say I love the freedom that it gives me and I love, I love being able to explore and evolve and learn. I feel like I’m constantly learning literally on a daily basis. You know, I think that’s such a beautiful thing. You know, I, even when I’m stuck, I’m learning, you know, even when I’m soaring, you know, I’m embracing that, you know, cause

You know, what goes up comes down, you know, so just hang on and ride that wave. And I love being able to experience all those emotions and in an environment that I create, you know, it’s under my terms. And I think that’s one of the things that I love most. And I love being surrounded by beautiful things. So. And you create them and get to keep.

making them. That’s the best part. Then you can be in love with the next thing that you create. It is funny because when I’m creating, like I’m so into that particular thing, right? And then when it’s finished and it’s created and off it goes, it goes to its home. And then I’m ready to, you know, raise my, create my next child. You know, create that next.

You know, because you really look at it like that, like it’s really personal. You know, some people are like, it’s, you know, it’s, you know, let it go. It’s just this, it’s just that. But for me, it’s really personal. Like when I’m mixing, you know, it could be mixing colors. I could be laying texture. might look like texture, but it’s very, very, you know, when I’m things down, like it’s, it’s very intentional.

You know, it’s awful. It may look like something that’s simple. know, I know I always hear sometimes with people who go to galleries or music. my, my daughter could do that. I could do that. You know, well, are you doing it? Like, so do it. That would be wonderful. You know, but what happens is those, those modern pieces, the pieces that sort of engage people and make people think, you know, those are just as complicated.

as the, you know, the realistic things that people can relate to immediately. You know, it’s for an artist to stand there and, you know.

create an abstract painting each drop of paint on that canvas means something to that artist. And so I have a enormous appreciation for all different types of art whether it’s something that’s my aesthetic or not so. So my thing is being able to create freely in a space that I’ve. You know that I created.

And that’s the best part of this. And to be able to make a living out of doing what I do. It’s just, it’s a dream come true. That sounds so fabulous. And like I said, I would love to play in your paint shop. Yay. Well, what are three takeaways you’d like to share with us today? I know we’ve talked a lot about creative process. We’ve talked about

the work that you’ve done, but just maybe three things that you think would be worthy of mentioning again.

Well, would say like three create or three takeaways is, you know, in a creative process. think, you know, you know, believe in yourself, trust your instincts. You know, it’s, it’s a lot easier said than done. But once you get in there and you get a little dirty and messy and stuff, you know, it’s kind of a metaphor for life, right? We all have to get a little messy.

Right. then something beautiful comes out of it. So I think trust your instincts, you know, put yourself out there, work really hard at your vision or idea and start somewhere, do something. It doesn’t matter, right? It doesn’t matter what it is. If you sit down with a little notepad and a pencil and you start doodling, you know, or write your vision down.

or play a few keys on your piano or whatever it is. Like that’s the takeaway that I would do. Stay true to your vision because your time will

I love that. Well, Donna, it’s been a pleasure having you on the Creative Genius podcast, and we look forward to sharing this with our listeners. And I keep creating. Thank you, Gail. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really appreciate it. And I appreciate you and Pearl Collective. And I can’t wait to have you guys back at the studio. We’ll be there. Good. I’ll have the roast. And I have to say, you do the most beautiful spread of food I have ever seen.

thank you will find fun fact before we leave so what on that note i’m creating i’ve created an event venue i bought some property next to my studio in this beautiful nineteen twenty seven building there’s several buildings on the property and so i’m creating. Because i love.

to, you I want to create an environment for people to walk into that’s beautiful with the food, with the music, where they’re surrounded, you know, all their senses are open. And so that’s another offshoot of my brand, of my creative brand, you know, Don Switzer Studio. It’s called HQ and the Gallery. And so thank you for that. I appreciate that. But that’s something that we’re doing. That’s our vision for the near future.

We will be in touch about that because we do events all over High Point Market, every single market. we’ll be in touch about that. I love that. That’d be wonderful. Awesome.

Are you doing what you love? And if not, what’s holding you back? Hopefully Don’s story inspired you to incorporate more of what you love into your work, even if you’re not good at it right away. Join us again for the next episode where Gale talks with Denae Branson, founder of Elite Design Assistance.