Today we’d like to introduce you to Talya Black.
Talya, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My business is Tally Marks Ink. I make and sell art of basically all types. I have handmade sketchbooks & watercolor books. I make ceramic gnome figurines, ceramic pendants, and trees. I paint gnomes with gouache and I get them copied into cards, prints, and stickers.
On top of that, I am now looking to make some recycled paint chip earrings and pendants and some textured paintings. I learn about new mediums and ways to do art and I fall in love and want to share those markings with other people.
I’d say I always had an interest in art. I would draw all the time growing up. Whether that was fairies anime or animals of all kinds. I got an associate’s in Illustration from Salt Lake Community College which got me started in some art but at the time I didn’t see a career in it. I felt like “networking” in 2010 wasn’t for me.
Some time passed and I still made art for myself and I worked as a graphic designer for a short time. I decided to come back to school in 2015 and studied art education. I graduated in Art Education at Utah State University from the Caine College of Arts. My desire to teach started during my student teaching semester in 2018. I loved being sarcastic and helping students find success and explore new mediums. I also found more passion and interest in my own artwork.
During my student teaching semester was also the semester that I met my husband. He dated me during this crazy time of discovery and learning. I tell you this because my husband is my biggest motivator in starting this business and continually following my dreams. My husband has been and still is my biggest supporter and pushes me to keep going! He encouraged me to start making a logo and create a business name… which I swear took over a year to do. He helped me get ideas for displays and things from there. We got into the Cache Valley Gardeners Market with one 6’ table. By the end of the season, I had filled that table to its brim!
After graduating, I worked many jobs in the arts. I simultaneously worked a minimum of two jobs, sometimes 3 and then 4 with the business starting.
Since 2019, I have remained the art group teacher at Avalon Hills. I love being an advocate for arts, and mental health, finding a healing venue to loosen up, and feeling successful in the arts. Avalon has introduced me to ceramics and my passion for tangible hands-on art along with 2D art. I had never worked a kiln or knew how to process clay aside from my experience over the years and my class at Utah State University.
During my time at Avalon Hills I got pregnant with my first child Alice. She is now 2 ½ years old (3 in Feb). It was hard at first to balance work and taking care of a newborn. I started another job (square one printing) to make up for bills and got Alice into daycare. It seemed crazy at the time but it worked out. It allowed me to see all the many product options I could do with my art and get me some discounts to get going. Aside from my husband encouraging me to sell artwork, my real fire starter behind making Tally Marks Ink started. Happened after painting some Valentine’s gnomes with my clients at Avalon. I loved how they turned out and wanted to make more, one for every season.
I worked for Avalon Hills and Square One Printing for a while then I added working at Imagine This! Yes that’s right, 3 part-time jobs with a 1 year old! AND looking to start selling my artwork at the Local Gardeners Market… so really 4 jobs… no big deal right I wasn’t busy. Understatement.
The reason for working a third job is that Avalon Hills discontinued its ceramic program and I invested in all of it! I then felt like an official ceramicist. Imagine This offered to work with me and host my kiln and they hired me as the ceramic teacher and mainly taught the adult handbuilding class.
This started a new product of the cutest ceramic gnomes. I couldn’t stop myself. It got me excited to sell artwork!! I made this big switch to working as a ceramicist in Jan and then that same year in May I started selling artwork at the Local Gardeners Market. Again all with the help of my husband saying why not now!! I made every excuse in the book; that I don’t have enough inventory, people aren’t interested in this or my prices aren’t right. It all worked out. I continued working and balancing my new job (Tally Marks Ink).
The following year, I expanded into three 6’ tables in a 10 x 10’ space. My Etsy shop still had only sales from close friends. We shall see if it changes. I not only did the Cache Valley Gardeners Market, we did Summerfest, Novemberfest, and the Winter Gift Market. I also most importantly added another tiny human to this world. My little man Henry is now a year old and just the sweetest little guy.
This coming year I hope to do even more!! I’m looking to try Vintage Market Days (which is huge here in Cache Valley), the county fairs, and maybe reach out to other cities. It’s just a matter of time before we start to travel!! We don’t plan on adding my children to the mix just yet. We need more space for these kiddos to grow before we start adding more children.
It doesn’t end there tho! This year, I’ve decided to open my own art & music studio! It’s an exciting new chapter to our family and finding the new name and logo… can’t take a year. Haha, I’m so excited to share my artwork with others. Gnomies make everyone smile. Check me out on Instagram, FB & Etsy.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d say it’s been as smooth as I could ask for considering the kiddos.
My biggest struggle was making time to be an artist to help my mental health and also have a balance with being mom.
We’ve been impressed with Tally Marks Ink, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Right now, this is just one “mom” show. I do have support and love from my family. What sets me apart from most mom artists is they have one type of art they do. I dabble in lots of mediums. From painting with acrylic, gouache, texture, and ceramics, to making jewelry and handmade books. I’m not a mom of one art I’m a mom of many!
I’m most proud of my books and the idea I had of using canvas boards to make the covers, it makes it fun and customizable for people and me. I can individualize it or make them general covers! I want my readers to understand that I am working hard to build my business and allow my family to be a part of it as much as I can!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I think sometimes I feel like I can do everything but when I hard focus on one thing other things get out of focus. For example my house!
If I focus on my business while at home my house slowly gets more and more messy. It’s been fun learning how to teach my kiddos to help and be a part of this journey but I’d say I’ve learned it’s okay for the house to be a mess sometimes! We aren’t meant to be perfect, if the kiddos are happy then I’m doing great!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tally_marks_ink
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talyabooks
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TallyMarksInk
Image Credits
Hannah Johnson
