Meet Linda Doucette | Mixed media Textile Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Linda Doucette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Linda, why did you pursue a creative career?
I started drawing before I was two and I have always loved making art. A non artistic career option never occurred to me! My parents were both art teachers and expected me to follow their path. I had me own ideas and instead pursued a degree in Textile Design. It was a great career for many years but when the industry transitioned oversees I became quite disillusioned. I had kept my personal art practice going on the side. I was working as a Designer in NYC and after 9/11 I decided to turn my art side hustle into a real business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I decided to become a full time artist, it was a life altering decision. I had been living a commuter’s life from a tiny bungalow in NJ. I didn’t have a business plan, just a burning desire. I quit my job, sold my house in NJ and bought a run down farmette in PA. I wanted to raise my own plants for natural dyeing and also some fiber producing animals. I had a barn but had to install fencing, a lot of hard physical work. I was overjoyed and also a bit nervous when my first three alpacas came to their new home. I had never raised livestock so it was a steep learning curve! There were many lean years of hard work before my fiber art business Shades of Nature became profitable. It was challenging to keep things going but I learned so much, especially how resilient I was. I would not trade the experience for anything.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a very rural part of Pennsylvania. I would take them on a scenic drive through the country to the town of Lewisburg where there is antiquing and Artists and Artisans Co-operative Art Gallery where I have work. If they were interested in hiking there is Rickett’s Glen State Park with renowned trails to multiple waterfalls. A longer drive would take us down to Doylestown in Bucks County where we could tour Fonthill Castle and the Mercer Museum.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My creativity coach Miriam Schulman recently wrote a book called Artpreneur. She has been instrumental in getting me to think bigger about my work and my business.

Website: www.lindadoucetteartist.com

Instagram: @lindadoucetteartist

Facebook: /lindadoucetteartist

Image Credits
Paul Grecian