An Interview with Tracy Beagan
MilspoFAN: Tell us a little about yourself, your journey as a military spouse, and where you are today.
Tracy: I was born and raised in NJ. I ended up going to college at Syracuse University where I played D1 field hockey and was accepted into the Visual and Performing Arts program. I discovered Surface Pattern Design as a major while I was there, and knew that was what I was meant to do. When I graduated in 2010 I was hired as a bedding assistant designer for a company in NYC. After a year I was promoted to designer. We were a licensee company to many different brands. While there I helped design bedding ensembles for various brands like Laura Ashley, Tommy Bahama, Nautica and Nicole Miller. I met my now husband at a friend’s wedding while I was working in New York. He knew the groom from the Naval Academy, and I played field hockey with the bride at Syracuse. We were both from NY/NJ area. We hit it off right away and the rest is history!
I never imagined myself as a military spouse. I had always dreamt of working as a designer in NYC and I achieved that goal! We were a long-distance couple for a while, but once we were engaged, I moved out to CA to live with him. I moved a few months before we were married. It was incredibly difficult to leave my career in NYC. But I knew deep down, this was my person so I took the leap of faith. It was not easy initially. I very much missed working, but after 4 years in San Diego, CA, and many random jobs, I was able to find my way back to what I always loved…..surface pattern design. I started creating designs again, took online classes to learn how to have a self-employed business/career in surface pattern design. I wanted to have a job that I could take with me anywhere we moved and as our family grew.
Our 10-year wedding anniversary is in October! Since getting married we have lived in CA, NC, the UK, a short time in NJ while we transitioned back from overseas, and now we are back in CA. We have had three beautiful daughters ages 5, 3, and 1. My husband has been in since he commissioned in 2009, and I have been in since we got married in 2013.
MilspoFAN: How did you become a textile designer?
Tracy: I have always had an interest in art. I grew up drawing and painting and continued as I got older. Previously it was more of a hobby, but I started getting a bit more serious about it in high school. I knew I wanted to do something art related in college. I initially applied to schools thinking I would do interior design. Luckily, freshman year in college is all about foundation classes and you did not have to confirm your major until Sophomore year. My college was having a day where you could go from room to room and learn about all the majors. I quickly learned that interior design was not exactly what I thought it was and that I was not sure that major was for me anymore. I then stumbled upon Surface Pattern Design. It was everything I enjoyed doing. Drawing, painting, learning about color and creating patterns to create a collection etc. Surface Pattern Design is all about creating patterns that can then be applied to any kind of surface. Textiles, wallpaper, dinnerware, apparel, stationary etc. Basically, anything that has a pattern on it, that pattern was designed by somebody like me! I went to bedding design after graduating and learned all the ins and outs about textile design and the industry. My big goal is to someday have a fabric collection of my own patterns!
MilspoFAN: What is it like working with an art agent? How do you pick one? How do you know you need one?
Tracy: I am currently doing a trial run with an agent. About a year or so ago, I signed up to do a portfolio review with her. She liked my work so much that she offered me to start out doing a trial run with her to see if we would be a good fit and if my work would sell. It is a bit more affordable as you have to pay an agent fee when you sign as a full-time artist. So far it has been going great and I am so glad I decided to reach out to her. Having an agent has been something I have wanted for a while. Marketing is not exactly my thing ha! I am not a business person and with my current lifestyle (a husband who is gone a lot, plus 3 young kids) I do not exactly have all the time in the world to reach out to companies and art directors to see if they would like to license or buy my artwork. As with anything, there are pros and cons to using an agent. Pros are that they have the contacts with art directors already, they go to trade shows and have a better sense of the business/contract side of things. Cons are that they do take a cut of the pay when art is purchased, but you have to choose if that is worth it for you or not. For me, and my current lifestyle, it is definitely worth it.
Picking an agent can be tricky. Before your reach out to any agent you really need to make sure your art would sit and work well with their other current artists. You do not want to stick out like a sore thumb, but you also do not want to compete with one of the other artists. So, it can’t be too similar to the others as well. You then apply! Every agent has their own application/decision process. I reached out to a few and some I never heard back from.
Knowing you need an agent is a personal choice. It really depends on how your life is and then weighing the pros and cons. As I mentioned before, for me having an agent has helped get my artwork in front of art directors and businesses. Agents know what they are doing when it comes to contracts, they have many more contacts than I would and can be more known. I used to do all the pitching and reached out to art directors consistently, but I am also not the only one doing this. They get hundreds of emails a day. Some you hear back from, some will never get back to you and some might take months or years even to get back to you. SO, for me, someone who has only so much time in the day with 3 littles, it was worth looking into an agent. And it has paid off. She has sold more of my work in the past year or so than I have ever done on my own.
MilspoFAN: How has your role as a military spouse impacted your work as a designer- creatively, logistically, or otherwise?
Tracy: My role as a military spouse has impacted my career in many ways. When I left my job in NYC, I was lost. Most places where I can get a job doing what I have experience in, are in cities where there are no USMC bases. I finally realized, that being able to do something that I can take anywhere and can still be at home taking care of my children is what I need to do. It has not been easy, so many challenges, especially when my husband is deployed and I become the full-time main care-taker of everything. And I am still working on it! I have a lot of goals and dreams that I would love to achieve, but right now I am where I need to be. I still get to create art and make some money from it, but a majority of my efforts and focus are on my children. One of the biggest pros of being an artist in the military is that is has moved us around a lot. While that has its own challenges in it of itself, it has taken me to places I never thought I would live. I have found inspiration in all the places we have lived and I really think the change of environment can be good for the soul and often times, inspiring. It has opened my eyes to new opportunities and has influenced and inspired my design work.
MilspoFAN: What’s next for you?
Tracy: Great question! Once all my kids are in school I really hope to get a bit more time in building my business. I have been dreaming and working on creating a coloring book. I would design and create all the pages, get it produced and then plan to sell it. I would love to also explore making products. I think my designs lend themselves to more stationary products, so think notebooks, pencils, washi tape etc. It is still a few years away, but I am preparing myself and learning on how to create and sell products so I am prepared and ready when that time comes.
MilspoFAN: What is the most practical piece of advice that you would give to other artists?
Tracy: Don’t stop! This industry can be so tough, like many industries, to break into. Success does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of work, a lot of hours and drive to make it. It can be done though! There were so many times I wanted to stop because it just was not happening quick enough for me. BUT, I then stepped back and took the time to actual develop a lot of work and find my style. I am happy to say I am finally there and it is starting to pay off. I know the time will come when maybe this can be a full-on thriving business, but I am not rushing to get there. My time will come, and I am enjoying the ride. Keep moving forward, keep creating and dreaming and never stop!!
Find Tracy online at:
Web: https://www.tracylucydesigns.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracylucy_designs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracylucydesigns
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tracylucy_designs/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-beagen-551b941b/