Inside the Studio: An Exclusive Interview with Sarah Andreas of WiseWood LLC
Creative Process
Who or what inspires your designs and creations?
My art is inspired by transformation and the quiet abundance that unfolds when we allow life to reshape us. I am drawn to the balance of strength and softness, of chaos and calm, and to the way those contrasts mirror our inner growth. Much of my inspiration comes from nature and from women who are in seasons of change. Their courage to begin again reminds me that abundance is not something we chase, but something we cultivate by staying open to possibility. Each painting becomes a reflection of that journey, a reminder that beauty often rises from within the very moments that feel uncertain.
Do you have a favorite piece you like to make?
I am most drawn to the pieces that hold both light and shadow. They feel alive with emotion and depth. My Strength in Stillness series is especially meaningful to me because it captures the essence of calm within transformation. These works carry an energy of peaceful abundance, inviting viewers to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with their own sense of becoming. Each piece feels like a conversation between surrender and strength, and I love knowing it can hold space for someone else’s story.
How do you stay motivated and inspired when faced with creative blocks?
When creative blocks arise, I do not push through them. I pause. I have learned that true abundance flows when I allow stillness to do its work. Sometimes that means going for a walk in nature or sitting quietly with my thoughts until clarity returns. Gratitude is my reset button. When I focus on what is already here, inspiration begins to move again.
I also find that working on several paintings at once keeps my creativity open and alive. At any given time, I have anywhere from two to six pieces in progress. Each one holds a different energy and emotion, so when I feel stuck on one, I simply move to another. This flow between canvases mirrors life itself: when I release control and follow what feels ready, the work unfolds naturally. By the time I return to the first painting, I can see it with fresh eyes and renewed inspiration.
Business Aspects
Any tips for time management and organization?
For me, time management is really about protecting creative flow. I use time blocking, which means when it is my day to paint, it is my only focus. I do not task switch because I have learned that constantly shifting attention drains creativity. On painting days, I turn off my phone, silence email alerts, and give myself permission to be fully present with the work. That focused energy allows me to create from a place of stillness and abundance rather than urgency.
As for organization, my studio is what I like to call organized chaos. There are brushes, canvases, and color palettes everywhere, yet I always know where everything is. It is not a perfectly tidy space, but it feels alive and creative. I sometimes imagine how wonderful it would be to have someone help keep things neat, but the truth is, a little mess keeps the space honest and human. It is a reflection of the creative process itself — layered, evolving, and full of possibility.
What challenges did you face when starting your handmade business?
My biggest challenge was not what most people expect. It was not about marketing or logistics. It was about identity. I had earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership and had spent years coaching others in growth and transformation. I thought my path would always center on words, workshops, and helping others through conversation. But in 2020, when I began painting, something shifted. Art started selling almost immediately, and it left me questioning what that meant. I was no longer doing what I thought I was “supposed” to be doing, and that was unsettling.
With the help of my coaching partner, Rose Gill, I began to unpack that tension. What we discovered was that I paint what I would coach. My art became another language for transformation. Instead of guiding people with words, I was now guiding them visually. Many people do not need someone to tell them what to do; they need a way to see and feel what they are becoming. My paintings are created to serve that purpose; as daily reminders of peace, abundance, and the life each of us is capable of creating. In many ways, the greatest challenge became my greatest clarity.
Customer Experience
How does customer feedback influence your work?
Customer feedback is always kind and encouraging, but it rarely shapes the direction of my art. Most people respond by saying how beautiful or peaceful a piece feels, which is wonderful to hear, but it does not help me grow as an artist. I have learned that true growth comes from curiosity, not comfort.
Instead of relying on surface-level feedback, I seek out insight from artists who are further along in their journey. I study their techniques, their use of color and texture, and the emotion their work evokes. It helps me better understand where my art fits within the larger creative landscape and how I can continue evolving. My goal is not to paint what people expect, but to paint what feels true — work that holds meaning and invites reflection.
Personal Insights
How do you balance your personal life with running your business?
Balance for me comes from clarity about what matters most. I teach full time as a professor, I create and sell art, and I run a homemade ice cream and dessert trailer in the summer. From the outside, that might sound like a lot, but everything I do connects to what I value — creativity, community, and joy. Each part of my life supports the others. Teaching keeps me curious and connected, painting keeps me grounded, and the Sweet Canteen lets me bring simple happiness to people in a different way.
I do not watch television, and I listen to audiobooks while I paint or work, which helps me keep learning and inspired. I also set clear priorities and focus on what aligns with my goals in each season. I have found that balance is not about doing less, it is about doing what I love and letting it fit together in a way that feels natural. Even when life feels full, it feels right, because every piece of it has meaning.
How do you keep up with trends and changes in the handmade industry?
This is something I am continuing to learn. I do not chase trends or change the heart of my work to fit what is popular, but I do pay attention to shifts in color, style, and design. I want my art to feel timeless yet connected to the world around it. Lately, I have been exploring how small adjustments in palette or subject matter can create a fresh energy without changing the deeper message of transformation and abundance that runs through everything I create.
For me, staying current is not about following what everyone else is doing. It is about listening to the art world, to collectors, and to my own creative intuition and finding where those voices meet. I believe art should evolve naturally, the same way we do, one thoughtful change at a time.
Selling to Boutiques and Buyers
How do you prepare your product line or pitch for a boutique or store?
When preparing my product line for boutiques and stores, I focus on creating curated collections that tell a cohesive story. Each group of cards or prints is designed to feel intentional and meaningful, so retailers can easily connect the emotional message with the visual style. For IndieMe, I am offering themed sets that reflect my larger art series, such as a Tiger Collection representing courage and strength, and a Peaceful Presence Collection that includes two women in yoga poses. I also have sets of four identical cards that work beautifully as ready-to-gift items.
Behind the scenes, I spend time refining every detail, from packaging and photography to pricing and presentation. I want each piece to communicate quality and care, while staying true to the message of transformation and abundance that defines my art. My goal is to make it easy for shop owners to not only carry the work but to understand the heart behind it — that these cards and prints are meant to hold space for reflection, celebration, and personal growth.
Personal
Tell us about yourself!
I am an artist, teacher, and storyteller who creates transformational art that invites reflection, peace, and abundance. My path to painting was unexpected. After earning a PhD in Organizational Leadership and spending years coaching others in growth and transformation, I began painting in 2020 as a personal practice. What started as exploration quickly became a calling. Through mixed media and oil, I found a visual language for the same themes I once coached with words — courage, stillness, surrender, and the beauty that can emerge from chaos.
Today, my work centers on helping women reconnect with themselves through art that mirrors their own becoming. I teach full time as a professor, create and sell art, and operate a small-batch ice cream and dessert trailer in the summer. Every part of my life is rooted in creativity and connection. Whether through teaching, painting, or serving a scoop of homemade ice cream, I want people to feel seen, encouraged, and reminded that transformation and abundance are already within them.
Favorite TV show?
I actually do not watch television, so I do not have a favorite show. Instead, I have two books that I return to every year around October: Be Your Future Self Now and 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Benjamin Hardy and his coauthor. I revisit them because I believe personal growth is a lifelong practice. Each time I listen, I hear something new that challenges me to think bigger and refine how I move through both my art and my life. There are principles in those books that I am still learning to master, and I like having a yearly reminder to focus on growth, intention, and the future I am creating.
