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Teach Art at Home: Interview with Meri Cherry

The Business of Creative Blogging: Time Management

Have you ever wondered what goes into running a creative business?  This series is all about building and cultivating your own creative business from finding inspiration to e-commerce platforms to the nuts and bolts of operating a website. 

This month I interviewed Meri Cherry who writes about art, crafts & family on her blog Meri Cherry. Meri began her career as an elementary school teacher but switched to teaching art through private lessons and home-group instruction. She has created an engaging art & craft community for preschoolers and runs a successful art teaching business in the Los Angeles area.

Deep Space Sparkle interview with Meri Cherry

Patty: First off, let’s talk about your name. It is just so perfect for an artist.  I know your name has inspired your logo. Has it inspired you in other areas?
Meri: I always joke that when I married my husband I got a new name and a new identity.  When I became Meri Cherry, I not only partnered with the love of my life, but in ways I fully stepped into who I am.  My life became art all the time, which I had wanted it to be for years, but felt trapped in an old job.  Once I started blogging as Meri Cherry I felt like I could really share my creativity and live a more art filled life and be a bit more outside the box.

Patty: Tell me a little about your beginnings with art and when/why you created your blog?
Meri: I loved art as a kid and it was very much encouraged.  When I think of my childhood, I immediately think of the sense of pride I got from creating and making things.  My mom was very supportive of the arts.  She took me to all kinds of classes and had her own painting class at our house every Tuesday.  It was taught by a fairly well-known writer and painter, Norman Garbo and every Tuesday he would come to our house, along with about 15 other moms and they’d set up their easels in our den and paint for several hours.  I always thought it was so interesting that this was something you could do.  I would sit at the top of the stairs and watch them.

The Beginnings of Blog Life

I started Private Lessons Logistics

Patty: I love how your childhood art experiences has shaped your life. Now you teach art at your own home plus travel to other homes to teach lessons. I know many of my readers would love to know more. Can you detail some of the challenges and benefits someone might face when embarking on this type of business?
Meri: Teaching private art classes throughout Los Angeles has turned into a great source of income, in addition to being something I truly enjoy.  Each class lasts an hour and has 6-8 students. Now that I’ve been doing private classes over a year, I have a pretty good system down, but it didn’t start easy.  I used to lug around tons of supplies and worry a lot about the projects and if I was prepared enough.  Like with any new experience there was a learning curve.  Now I am down to one tub of neatly packed supplies and my camera.  I know how to time classes and how many parts a project needs to have for each age group.  That was probably the biggest challenge.  My art classes are for kids 3 and up.  The three year olds for example need to move around every 20 minutes or so, which means I’d have to be prepared with three different processes for each class.  That definitely took a minute to perfect but now, with a year of this type of specific experience under my belt, it’s been pretty smooth sailing.  I would definitely recommend teaching art classes privately if this is something you are skilled in.  I have tons of ideas for process based projects on my blog and I’m working on a few ebooks to share more information.

Collage Process Art by Meri Cherry

Patty: I love your photographs on your blog. They look as though they are from the same camera filter. Your branding is fresh, clean but with an air of whimsy. Was your styling  intentional or did you just let it all happen?
Meri: Wow.  Thank you so much.  That actually means a lot to me.  My style just kind of happened but photography is my passion and I hope to get better and better at it.  I just try to stay true to myself.  I have always seen a lot of beauty in art and the process of art and craft and I hope my photographs reflect that vision.

The Life of a Blogger

Patty: What has been the most challenging aspects of running a blog?

Meri: Running a blog can be a full time job even if it’s not your full time job and you actually have another full time job.  I spend hours on my blog.  HOURS.  As soon as my kids go down I am practically running to my computer.  That’s mostly because I love it, but it’s also because there are so many aspects of running a blog that you take seriously.  Finding time to do everything and spend the amount of time I want to to make it grow and share great content, has been the biggest challenge.

Patty: Have you experienced any major changes that caused you to re-think your content or the way you blog?
Meri: I started taking my blog to the next level about two years ago, when I realized I could monetize it and people were actually reading it and enjoying my content.  That was a real aha kind of high for me and I jumped in both feet.  Before I would blog about anything that I wanted and I didn’t really think about my readers.  My instructions were pretty vague and I didn’t take into account that people are coming to me for real advise.  I also became a full time art teacher so my knowledge about teaching art was growing daily.  I felt like I had a lot more to offer people that I really wanted to share.  Also, I had two little girls that I started to expose to all these new art experiences.  Some worked really well, and some were busts.  I love the idea of sharing what works and what doesn’t with other moms so they can bring more art into their family life.  My perspective has shifted a lot since I first started.

Birthday Art by Meri Cherry

Patty: Does blogging contributes to the success of your classes or the other way around?
Meri: My art classes work hand-in-hand with my blog.  The classes give me the content I want to share on my blog as well as an opportunity to work with kids, which I love.  I teach 4 private classes a week, including one art play group for toddlers and 3 classes a week for ages 3-6.  My blog has been great because it’s like an online resume.  If someone is interested in my classes I refer them to my blog to check out the kind of work we do.  It also works the other way as well.  I’ve had some people read my blog and turns out they are local to Los Angeles, so they’ve been able to join in.

Patty: Do you advertise or do sponsored posts to support your blogging efforts?
Meri: Making a living from blogging, or attempting to, requires a lot of creativity and openness to working on different revenue streams.  It’s really challenging to just do one thing as a blogger and make a financial impact.  I have advertisers on my blog and work with Amazon Affiliates.  I also have been blessed to work with some really great companies who sponsor some of the posts I write.  It’s exciting because I was doing this for years making no money at all.  I work so hard on my blog now, it feels really good to be getting paid for it.  I mean, of course we should all be getting paid for our hard work right?  I read comments sometimes online about people feeling resentful that bloggers are setting up affiliate links and making money off their suggestions.  It strikes me as really odd.  Most bloggers put hours and hours into their blogs, coming up with original content and doing the hard work that goes into that content.  It just seems to me like if you like what someone is doing, you’d want to support them so you can see more of it.  I couldn’t continue at the pace I am working now if I wasn’t getting paid for it.  My husband would kill me! He has spent too many nights looking at my back facing the computer.

Art Secrets from Meri Cherry. Interview on Deep Space Sparkle

From Meri Cherry: 10 Art Secrets Every Mom Should Know

Patty: You are part of a dynamic group of other art moms called Rockin’ Art Moms. Why did you create the group?
Meri: The Rockin’ Art Moms are a group of women art and craft bloggers for kids that I belong too.  It’s often called a tribe, a group with likeminded interests that supports each other.  We have a facebook group and page that you can follow here.  We support each other, collaborate, vent, and cheer each other on.  Being part of The Rocki’n Art Moms or RAMS, has been a life changing experience for me.  I can’t recommend a tribe enough.  For so long I was going around speaking a language no one really understood or cared to understand and now I am part of a group of about 15 women that LOVE to speak the same language.  It’s helped me grow my blog tremendously.  I never would be where I am today without the RAMS.  I am very grateful to them.

Patty: What advice can you give others who are considering starting a blog or might be new to blogging?
Meri: Go for it! Don’t think about it too much.  Just start writing what you love.  It doesn’t have to be fancy or perfect.  Just put one foot in front of the other and do it.  There are tons of conferences you can attend that really help, like Alt Summit and great resources online.  Just go for it!  We’re all just trying to find our way and you never know what wonderful things can happen when you follow your heart.

Patty: What are your favorite blogs to read? Do you like to listen to podcasts?  What about books? Any favorites to share?
Meri: Some of my favorite blogs are Art Bar Blog and BabbleDabbleDo.  They do fantastic, often process-based work, which is my favorite for kids. For books my all time favorite is The Artful Parent.  This was my bible when I first started my art play groups for toddlers.  For kids I like The Book With No Pictures, Love You Forever and Beautiful Oops a lot. I’m not really up on the podcast scene.  To be honest I am a huge Howard Stern fan.  So if I get any time alone in the car, it’s Howard all the way.

Thanks so much for this interview Patty.  I loved reflecting on all these great questions.

Thank you, Meri!

Be sure to visit Meri’s blog for a look at her process-based art projects. She will be publishing her first ebook soon.

I’d love to hear if you have started your own business teaching art outside the school environment. Share ONE thing you wish you would have known before embarking on this adventure. 

Or, if you are considering teaching art privately, share what your concerns might be.

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  • Gisele

    I was an elementary teacher for 10 years and had always wanted to do something with my passion for art. Three years ago I opened up my own art enrichment program for kids called Spark Creativity. I basically travel to schools, community centers and homes to teach art lessons to kids ages 2 and older. It’s amazing! I wish I would have known how important a blog was from the start. I find myself too overwhelmed to add that aspect consistently to my business.

  • Megan @ The Art Pantry

    Thanks, Patty, for sharing this! Meri’s blog is so inspiring. I used to teach art out of my home and was never able to simultaneously put as much time into blogging as she does. It is really incredible.

    • Patty Palmer

      I know! I don’t know how she does it either but like Meri said, the blog fuels her business. One thing that has kept me sane was to not feel the pressure to post more than once (maybe twice) a week. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to stay sane! LOVE your site BTW. Can’t wait to poke around more.

  • Ami @ HANDMAKERY

    What a fabulous interview with one of our all-time favorite art bloggers- Meri Cherry! She radiates the best energy in all that she creates with children! Meri is absolutely an inspiration! She lives a life immersed in art and creating with children! We love receiving her fabulous posts weekly and connecting with @Mericherryla via Instagram! Loved reading this post and seeing all the beautiful photographs, learned so much about the behind the scenes and where here blog started! Meri amazes daily! You can’t help to fall in love with her lifestyle and passion for spreading creativity!

    • Patty Palmer

      I agree, Ami. And just checked out your beautiful website. Amazing! LOVE LOVE LOVE your photographs. Yum!

  • Heather

    Thanks so much for this great interview! I run a kiddies art, craft and sensory play group here in Australia and just love what I do. Im yet to figure out blogging so thanks for your tips. I love Merri Cherry!
    My Facebook is http://www.facebook.com/lilcraftersmarrickville

  • Ana

    What an amazing interview! I feel so lucky to know Miss Meri personally and my kids have been a part of her toddler art classes. for a couple years now. She is such an inspiration!

    • Patty Palmer

      Thanks, Ana. I can’t even imagine teaching toddlers…I thought Kinders were young. So much fun. Wish you all were around when my kiddos were tiny. Love your blog too, Ana!

  • Marina

    Love this interview! I’ve been following Deep Space Sparkle and Meri Cheri for awhile now. I’m a former elementary art teacher who started teaching private lessons last year. I feel like I have finally found my niche and a family of bloggers to go along with it.. Meri you had me at Howard Stern! Lol

  • gina

    This is just a fantastic interview: fantastic. Meri, you have such an amazing way of expressing yourself, staying yourself and yet, sharing it! It comes through in all of the project that you do! It’s fantastic to discover this blog and I’m thrilled with this interview!

  • Mary

    I Love Meri’s aesthetic and enthusiasm! I’ve been following her for quite some time and even participated in an art challenge she initiated. I was the lucky recipient of some of her wonderful mini alien army creations.

  • Rhonda H

    I tried to find Meri on the Rockin’ Art Moms facebook group, but couldn’t locate it. Any suggestions? Thanks!

  • Michele Decantillon

    Oh happy day! I love this post! I teach art privately in my mini-art studio, have an art club at my kids school. I absolutely love it! I too have not been able to add the blog factor into my wonderfully busy life. I do use Facebook and word of mouth as my primary advertising…It is working nicely for me. Thanks for the great content and the hard work you put into your blogs!

  • Renée Sala

    I own and operate a kids art studio in Victoria, BC, Canada called ‘Crafty School of Art’ and have recently teamed up with my partner who’s a musician and music teacher to co-brand our home-based businesses into ‘Crafty & The Woodshed’. We strive to live a creative lifestyle and love doing it at home!

    I’ve been wanting to start a blog with all of the crafty tips and tricks I’ve learned and refined over the years, but feel daunted by the time it might take on top of the 30 kids I have coming to the studio every week and the large-scale art projects I undertake with schools in my city. Any tips on how to ‘just begin’? I feel like I’ve got mountains of ideas and info to share and incorporating a weekly post into my routine is what I want to do but need a kick in the pants to start!! I’d love any advice 🙂

    PS…Deep Space Sparkle is one of the only blogs I follow on the regular and I really appreciate all of the awesome tips and projects you’re so willing to share! Thanks so much 🙂

    • Patty Palmer

      Hi Renée,
      Just checked out your website and it’s lovely. You are ¾ of the way to starting a blog. Your website most likely has a blog feature so it would just be a matter of taking a few pictures of your classes in action. It would offer your customers a chance to see what it’s like in the classes, what the kids are creating and a chance to connect.
      Start small. 1 or 2 posts a month? Make them short–no huge overwhelming tutorials–just snippets into your life. As you beo=come more comfortable and familiar, you can increase your posts.
      I’ll be checking back!
      Thanks for your comment.

  • Donna Freeman

    First of all I want to say I LOVE Deep SpaceSparkle and I thoroughly enjoyed this interview with Meri Cherry. I too have my own business teaching the love of art to children. Why do I say the love of art? It’s because I do not have a degree in teaching, only the experience for close to 20 years of being a Para professional in the classroom beginning with PreK, Daycare, Special Ed 1-5 and ending up with Kindergarten in 2008. I didn’t know what I was doing I just knew that I have loved art since grade school. I have dabbled in many things. I have thought about getting a website but it frightens me because I get a lot of my projects from online. but some I come up with on my own. If you’d like to visit me on Facebook, (I currently took down my profile picture to put up a new one) feel free to browse through. Thank you for all that you do,

    Donna

  • Amber

    I enjoyed reading this interview with Meri. She is so talented and a great inspiration and friend. Like Meri, I teach private art classes from my home (Wee Warhols). We have transformed the garage into our studio space and use the private courtyard to do a lot of action art. I am new to the blogging world. I have tons of photos and subject matter, but taking the time to blog is difficult at times when running a separate business and raising children. I love my job and consider myself extremely lucky to do what I do along with my boys. When I started out it was because art activities with my boys is what kept them focused and from hitting each other. Little did I know it would be one of the best decisions I would ever make and send me on a career path doing something I love, and bringing that creative outlet back into my own life. I would also encourage others to do the same.

  • Debbie Denyer

    Great interview! I’m a big fan of Meri Cherry. I set-up a business a couple of years ago, providing art workshops and arty parties for kids. I love process art and action art, so there was lots of painting with fly swats, racing trains and cars through paint, splat painting fireworks etc. Customers wanted me to find a way to box up the fun and send it to them to do at home. So I launched Squidgydoodle https://squidgydoodle.co.uk sending craft boxes and party boxes direct to customers. It’s exciting to be able to encourage children’s creativity and imaginations.

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