We recently had the chance to connect with Cherished Rain Art and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cherished Rain, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
So, we are two people (Max & Whitney), living in different cities (Miami & St. Pete) in Florida and even through we live in two different places, we have the same morning practices. We start our mornings pretty calm. Feed the animals, water and coffee ourselves, spruce the kitchen up, and then we sit down to journal and pull our daily tarot cards. We really love that we have built the same morning practices. It really helps us tune into eachother for the day. Whitney got me into the journaling and a daily tarot card pull when I started working with her at Cherished Rain Art and it really gets the day going in the best way.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We are Cherished Rain Art, a live event and wedding painting company. We are run by myself, Max, and our founder Whitney Paige. We have been friends for almost 20 years. We have been working together in live events and art for most of, if not, all of our years together. Whitney is beyond words when it comes to her skill level in painting, please check her personal page out @whitneypaigeart on Instagram, and take a look at this woman’s contemporary oil paintings! It is just jaw dropping.
Whitney started Cherished Rain Art while living in Georgia. When she moved back to Miami she asked if I wanted to work with her and paint together again. The obvious answer was a loud and fast “YES!” Work is always a breeze when we are together. Two peas in a pod.
Cherished Rain is a special business to us both. It is a way for us to bring magic to live events. Something that leaves people filled with joy and happiness. It is a small gift but it is powerful. Guests love the whole experience and they post about it, share it with their friends, and frame it in their homes. We couldn’t feel better about the work we do. And we love being able to hire other artists in the community and give them opportunities. It is incredibly rewarding.
We are currently working with some fun new brands, museums, and getting ready for the holidays! It is that time of year for us where season calls and we answer.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Whitney is the driving force in my life for being taught about art. I had been painting before we met but never saw it as a job. I was a firm believer that “starving artist” was not a bill paying career. I was lucky enough to get a call from her one day asking if I would in fact like to become a paid working artist. The answer was an easy yes. We worked together at a paint and sip and had the pleasure of being mentored by the owner, Eric, in all things art and business. It was the happiest time I have ever had at any job. Eric was a force and we loved him for everything he gave us. So between these two marvelous people, I got to learn so much about work in the art world and live event painting. No stage is too big for my brush now!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I have done EVERY job you could have ever imagined before being told art is a sustainable career. I suffered through all these odd jobs, and they led me to becoming a successful business owner and artist. The journey really is the best part. Those paths come with suffering sometimes. I am not afraid of the hard parts.
Whitney and I are such a great team. We run our business with the idea that we will not stop growing. There is trial and error, growing pains, and lots of laughter. The struggle is very real some days but it is there that we are able to grow and get better. We have been through so much together and it is nice to not have to suffer the bad parts alone. I have my work wife here every step of the way!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Since we were young, Whitney and I have wanted a farm. Yeah, we are those gals. We want some land, our partners, and some animals. We are pretty bent on this too. There is nothing that says, “you made it” like some land in the middle of nowhere, your best friends (and your partners), and some cows.
Both our partners are into this project too. We are waiting for our homesteading dreams to be a reality soon. The project is to combine all our talents and run a venue space for live events, that also has room for our art projects, and maybe even some live music. We have been plotting this out for the better part of a decade, and now that we have Cherished Rain Art as the start of the project, we can slowly move forward with our big life endeavor.
Again, being able to work with your best friend and have life goals/dreams that coincide together is such a wonderful blessing. We are so very committed to this project regardless of how long it takes to build.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I work at 100% all day, every day. It’s just who I am. I don’t know how to do things halfway. And no, I don’t need a cookie, a gold star, or a pat on the back for doing the work. That’s not what drives me. Whitney and I are both wired the same way . We show up, we give it our all, and we get things done. Whether it’s a small task or a massive project, we pour ourselves into it because that’s the standard we hold for ourselves. We don’t wait for motivation or applause; we just keep pushing, creating, solving, and delivering, day in and day out.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cherishedrainart.com/
- Instagram: @cherishedrainart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CherishedRainArt/
