Career Area: Founder

  • Carol Black-Lemon

    Carol Black-Lemon

    Interview

    Transcript

    Carol Black-Lemon 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  00:00 

    Hello, my name is Sarah Jane Thomas, and today we are talking with Carol Black-Lemon, a professional creative working from and within South Carolina. So, as we get started, can you tell us your current career and where you’re from? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  00:12 

    Sure. I’m originally from New Jersey, born in Newark, raised in Brooklyn, and my husband and I retired recently and moved to Florence, South Carolina. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  00:24 

    Wonderful. Before we go into details of your profession, we have a brief section of the interview called “One Career, Sixty Seconds” where you describe your job in sixty seconds or less, similar to an elevator pitch. And we can start whenever you’re ready. 

    Carol Black-Lemon  00:38 

    Okay. So I consider myself a solopreneur, and that I do pretty much everything on my own. I’ve always been that type of person where I multitask. But four years ago, almost four years ago, I retired, and from my job as a marketing administrator for a law firm. I was there for twenty years, and I built a lot of experiences working on web design and marketing.  

    So now I do that for myself, and my business is Black-Lemon Art, aka Carol Black-Lemon Art, and I am a multidisciplinary artist, where my mainstay is creating artwork and storytelling through my art, and that’s my passion. Always been, always will be, and now I represent a new generation of artists who are at a certain age point, and for me, I’m still becoming, and it’s me letting younger folks know that even when you get a certain age, it doesn’t end. It’s where your passion lies. Just keep going with it, and that’s what life is all about. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  02:08 

    I love the term solopreneur. I think that’s so fun and exciting. That was perfect. So, what would you consider your official job title? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  02:20 

    Creator. I’m a creator. I just feel very, very blessed to be creating whatever, whatever comes to mind. But painter, for sure, storyteller through my art. I love doing web design. They make it pretty easy today, so I don’t have to get into coding. But I can fiddle around with that as well. And what was the question?  

    Sarah Jane Thomas  02:55 

    I was just wondering what you would consider your professional job title, but creator just sums it all up. So, as a creative creator, is there anything in South Carolina that you feel you bring into your work, as opposed to people who may not live in South Carolina? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  03:17 

    Something that I bring into my work…I would say communicating with other like-minded or other folks that that want to tap into their creativity. I’m all about that. It’s like folks that I know work on nine-to-five jobs and under fluorescent lighting and the watchful eye; they don’t have freedom. They may be in a creative job, which is wonderful, but for a lot of people, they have their jobs that don’t really give them an opportunity to be creative. You have to follow the pattern and the hierarchy and so forth. But tapping into your creativity allows you to find your voice, allows you to be your authentic self. So, I like to help people to do that, and I founded a group called Creative Connection here in Florence, and it was a call out to anyone who wants to tap into that and talk about their creative process. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  04:33 

    That’s beautiful. Do you think that there was a defining moment in your life that really had an impact on your creative journey? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  04:43 

    A defining moment in my life on my creative journey….it’s a good question. Defining moment….I think I had many defining moments, and which was just letting me know that I can control my creative voice, so I had to find time for that. When I had a nine-to-five and raising a family, it wasn’t just about me. It was about what I have to give to my job, what I have to give to my family. But at some point, I’m like, well, what about me? Who am I? And I tapped into that little girl that was just curious about everything, and so that little girl still lives in me, and I keep reminding myself who she was. And now, I was proud of her, and she would be proud of me that I’m still doing that. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  05:45 

    You mentioned your own initiative, your own little startup. Do you think that there was a particular project that you worked on that allowed you to express that creativity in a way that hadn’t really been something that you’ve done before? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  06:03 

    I think that might be. There was a point where I was designing my own website, and I went with the DIY. I’m like, okay, I’m that type of person. I’m gonna figure it out, and I really enjoyed it. I had fun with it, and my website was great. And then I thought, “I can do this for other people,” so I looked at some other folks’ websites, some friends, or just people that I knew, and I’m like, “Would you like me to improve your website?” And I did like three of them for free. I’m like, “let me do this so that I can put it on my portfolio,” and that led to a client. So, I said after six months, I’m like, “okay, I’ll help you to navigate it.” Ultimately, and this is going back maybe twenty years now, but that led to fifteen website clients, and for me, that’s why I say I’m a solopreneur. I didn’t have anyone helping me, and by the way, I was doing a nine-to-five job. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  07:16 

    So, you mentioned this nine-to-five job. So, before you stepped away from that and became a creative strictly in your professional life, did you have any fears about that? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  07:34 

    Yeah, absolutely. I had to learn about just the business setup and taxes, all the accountability what goes with being a legitimate business and calling yourself a business. So, I had to learn all that, and I was always afraid if I was doing that correctly. My fears of starting up is just learning how to prioritize and not getting ahead of myself, and because then I became responsible for other people, and then I learned that people were counting on me. I’ll never forget a call on Easter Sunday because there was something that they wanted on their website, and I was like, “Wait a minute, it’s Easter. I didn’t sign up for that.” But that was when I understood that the criteria that I had to set forth and letting folks know this is a business, and you have to go by these terms and so that was a real learning experience for me to set those guidelines. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  09:00 

    Was there anything in particular that helped you move beyond these fears? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  09:07 

    Anything in particular that helped me move beyond these fears….what got me moving beyond the fears was this understanding the complexity of ownership and accountability, and that if I were to call myself the boss lady, that I needed to step up and take better notes and just be better at what I was doing, what I was being called to do. So it was that I need to step up. That was like pivoting to the next level of being a professional. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  09:59 

    Do you have any advice for young adults or students who have an interest in becoming a creative professional and maybe starting up their own business, as you have? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  10:08 

    Yeah, I would say tap into what’s already out there. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. The information is at our fingertips now. I mean between Google and ChatGPT and Claude, it’s all there. Like, what do I do? They can even build your own website. You know, push the button. There’s your website already. But I’m a hands-on kind of person, and I always want to make sure that if I do use AI to help me, which why not, it’s there. Make sure that it’s at least 80% you and maybe 20% AI, if that makes sense. Yeah, it’s a great tool and it really helps to get things done. But don’t let AI do more of your work than you, and then talking to seasoned professionals and talking to your peers, especially those that are transparent, that are willing to share.  

    There are some folks that they’re not maybe willing to tell you what they use. I’m like, well, those aren’t your people. If I find something that’s working for me, I’m going to tell my friends, “look, don’t waste your time there. This is a better tool.” But talking to seasoned professionals who are doing it, who will give you the real lowdown in terms of what you need? Make good use of your resources. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  11:50 

    So, you mentioned utilizing AI and utilizing the internet and just like all the information that’s out there now. Do you think that there are any particular skills, either within that or apart from that, that one should practice before trying the same things? 

    Carol Black-Lemon  12:12 

    Right, before trying the same things for sure, and that is having just being more hands-on with your own work in your own occupation, meaning taking notes. Every thought that comes into your mind, some of them are good, and some you need to trash. So, prioritizing your vision for yourself, like what do you need to do right now? And that’s doing your homework. So, and if you’re a student, that’s like the greatest place to be tapping into all the resources available to you. Because at a certain point, those resources and those mentors may go away.For me, it’s organization for sure.  

    Just you know, and there’s a lot of folks [who have it]. I don’t like the term ADHD. A lot of people are like, “I have ADHD.” It’s like if you got a lot going on in your head, there’s a lot of attention deficit because you’re managing so many different things that you are that you have to be accountable for. You’re a student, but you may have a part-time job, and you may have other responsibilities. So, time management is really key. And for someone like me, who’s a multitasker, which I’ve had to tone down. I’m at a certain age right now, and I can’t remember everything, but my mind is still going and going. I wake up with thoughts and ideas, and I don’t want to lose track of it. So having a wonderful calendar, I have this great, beautiful calendar that I use that may even have two years versus an annual calendar and files that I can reference. Organization is definitely key. 

    Sarah Jane Thomas  14:16 

    Well, I want to thank you so much for just sharing your story and your experience and your advice and I really–listening to you talk is it just fills me with happiness for some reason. You have such a way of expressing yourself in a way that’s very genuine, and I really loved it. 

    Carol Black-Lemon  14:36 

    Thank you. I appreciate that. 

  • Aldrena Hicks

    Aldrena Hicks

    Interview

    Transcript 

    00:00 Victoria Bartolotto

    Hello everyone. My name is Victoria, and today we are talking with Aldrena Hicks. She’s a professional creative working from and within South Carolina.

    As we get started, can you tell us your current career and where you’re from?

    00:13 Aldrena Hicks

    Yes. So, my name is Aldrena Hicks, as she said. I am a maker, artist, creative director, and founder of Only Lovely Creative. So, I’ve spent the last 20 years working across higher education, nonprofits and cultural organizations, leading design work that blends strategy, storytelling, brand, and design thinking.

    My work ranges from large-scale public projects like the Briggs v. Elliott case. That’s a case that led to the big paved the way for the Brown v. Board of Education. Then to editorial work, like the stitch cover I did for Louisville Magazine, honoring Breanna Taylor.

    At the core of it, I’m always making, and it’s through Only Lovely. I do design weddings and experiences that feel personal and lasting. It’s things that people actually want to keep.

    So one of the things that is near and dear to my heart is also making sure I care deeply. I care deeply about who gets to be in these rooms. So, making sure the next generation of creatives, especially those that look like me, see a path forward and know that this space is a viable career.

    01:32 Victoria Bartolotto

    Wow, that’s awesome. That’s amazing work.

    Before we go into the nitty gritty details, we have a brief section of our interview called “One Career, Sixty Seconds,” where you kind of describe your job in an elevator pitch style.

    01:47 Aldrena Hicks

    Oh, that’s what I just did.

    01:49 Victoria Bartolotto

    Oh! Oh! It’s okay. If that was your script, that’s totally fine. We can continue, but that was great. I didn’t know if you had anything else.

    02:00 Aldrena Hicks

    No.

    02:01 Victoria Bartolotto

    No, okay. That’s perfect. Thank you so much. So as a graphic designer, as a maker, is there anything about South Carolina or your region in particular that brings some uniqueness to your work?

    Does it have any kind of influence on you?

    02:18 Aldrena Hicks

    Yeah, that’s a great question. So of course, I grew up in South Carolina, Somerville, Charleston area. Everybody knows Charleston, right?

    I come from a long line of makers. So, my grandfather was a brick mason. He’s actually paved some of the walkways with brick work in some of the plantations when they’ve needed somebody to redesign some or fix it up. Then also some of the walkways in the downtown Charleston area, I remember going. My dad would take us to visit him while he was laying bricks on those special pave ways and stuff. So that was nice. My grandmother was a seamstress, very well-known and well respected. Then of course, a family of musicians. All of that I bring into the things that I do.

    I’ve always been around creatives growing up. So just having that flair. What I try to do is then incorporate that identity into little nuggets here and there in the work that I do. But that’s why I’m hyper focused on when I’m doing stories, especially when I’m working with brides or organizations. I want to hear the story because that’s important, incorporating that into whatever we’re going to create for them.

    03:43 Victoria Bartolotto

    Definitely. I feel it really depends on who the person is in order to continue the project.

    03:48 Aldrena Hicks

    Yeah.

    03:50 Victoria Bartolotto

    Was there a defining moment in your life that had an impact on your creative journey, whether in education or just personal life? Was there anything that kind of marked that?

    04:00 Aldrena Hicks

    Oh, there’s so many. Which one do I choose?

    04:06 Victoria Bartolotto

    Any one! Any one!

    04:08 Aldrena Hicks

    I will probably say my experience with my graduate work. I am a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I majored in graphic design. That was my concentration, of course, the MFA in graphic design. When I started there, I applied sight unseen.

    I was already in some other graduate programs. I bounced around a little bit, but nothing felt personal. Nothing felt like this is what I want to do. There was nothing wrong with those other programs, but I didn’t want to lean into the corporate world like that. I’ve already felt I was losing a sense of self because, as you know, when you’re designing and you’re doing work, it is about who you’re designing for. So, you kind of lose that, and I didn’t want that to happen.

    When I got to VCFA, I immediately fell in love because the school focuses on the work, the creative, who you are, and then that comes through. That typically doesn’t happen in this case, in cases of grad school work.

    So, the probably the pivotal moment is when, I was in a two-year track. Probably after my year and a half review, they’re like, “Aldrena, listen, girl, we love you, but we don’t see you. We don’t see, you’re giving us all the polish and that’s cute, but we’re here to discover the messy and you know, who are you?”

    After that little talk, I had my little cry and all that stuff. I realized, “Okay. This is the time where I need to shine and show and dig deep into who I am, my roots, my culture, and be proud of that.”

    From that came my thesis work, which has paved the way for other things that I’ve done since then. I will say that was probably the most transformative experience. I’m very proud to be a part of that legacy.

    06:08 Victoria Bartolotto

    That’s amazing. So, speaking of your thesis project, was that something particular that you produced that maybe showcased your creativity in a way that it never had before? What about it was different compared to previous work?

    06:28 Aldrena Hicks

    Yeah. So, I took the approach. I did weave in some research because that’s part of the requirements. I took the approach of creating a storytelling experience, because I told you storytelling is part of my thing. What I did was I explored how the media portrays black women and how we’ve influenced the media and culture. I wove certain pieces of history and then turned it back on to how it affected me personally, how it did as a creative.

    I studied and talked about hair, respectability, politics, and then skin, colorism and all that stuff. I then found ways to remember how those things affected me growing up and how I now advocate for, especially young black women and my daughter, to be proud of who they are.

    So yeah, the approach was different because I did a personal narrative, but I wove in some history and some research in that. It has won a few awards. I’ve written a children, a self-published children’s book out of that. So yeah.

    07:56 Victoria Bartolotto

    That’s really awesome. Especially just seeing that I’m a writer too. A lot of the times that I’m working on projects, it’s like seeing something grow from a tiny little seed into this huge thing. You have to step back and be like, “Wow. I did that. You know?”

    08:14 Aldrena Hicks

    Yeah.

    08:16 Victoria Bartolotto

    So before entering your field, maybe in your education process, did you have any fears about becoming a creative professional? If there were some fears, what inspired you to keep going beyond them?

    08:30 Aldrena Hicks

    I knew I wanted to do creative work. Like I said, grew up with musicians, makers and all that stuff. I never knew graphic design was an actual thing. I’ve been doing that, just didn’t know that’s what it was.

    So, I was at my undergrad, working at Columbia College, SC, not Chicago. When I discovered graphic design, I was like, “People make money doing this?” They’re like, “yeah.”

    So, I don’t think I was ever afraid of being a creative in this space. It was more of finding the right place to let that talent grow. Of course, through trial and error and all the careers and stuff, I quickly found out that advertising work is not my scene. I met some wonderful people and did a lot of things. But again, going back to the why behind things, the history behind things. So, then I veered into the nonprofit world. Now what’s scary now is that I’m doing this full time. So, it’s more like, “who’s going to get these invitations? Who wants to have brand work done?”

    09:53 Victoria Bartolotto

    Oh, wow. Do you have any advice for young adults or students who may have an interest in pursuing becoming a graphic designer? Are there any particular skills that you think someone should practice or at least have before entering the industry?

    10:08 Aldrena Hicks

    Yeah. One of the things I want to say is that, and I know people have different networks and all of that, all of that is great.

    I read a book along, I think I might have mentioned in my pre-interview, one of the books I recommend is reading is Talent is Not Enough, because a lot of people think talent will get you all the places, but it really is the soft skills, building these connections and learning how to relate with folks. It will show up in your work. So, make as many connections as you can.

    I know it’s hard because a lot of times you feel like people aren’t going to respond to you. But there are a lot of us out here who really love and want to reach back and help. I mentor. I’m still in touch with many of the students that I taught during my time as a professor.

    Do not discount your people skills. I know it’s hard when folks like love the internet, love being on Chat and all that stuff. That’s great. Still learning how to write with and without AI. Learning how to write, learning how to speak, learning how to read the room, that will get you further than just having a talent because you can be the most talented person in the

    world. If you don’t know how to relate to folks, you don’t know how to talk with them, get with them on a personal level or at least be professional about things; you won’t last long.

    11:45 Victoria Bartolotto

    Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. This has been an amazing interview. Have a great day.

    11:51 Aldrena Hicks

    Thank you so much. You too.

    11:53 Victoria Bartolotto

    Bye.

    11:53 Aldrena Hicks

    Bye.

  • Carol Black-Lemon

    Carol Black-Lemon

    “Avoid comparing yourself to others—learn from them instead.” 

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: Undergrad/Associate 

    Years of Experience: 25 Years

    About

    Carol Black-Lemon is a multidisciplinary visual artist who creates expressive, story-driven work that explores heritage, identity, and human connection. She fosters creativity and community through the art and outreach of others, taking pride in her own creative freedom. Carol balances her own artistic exploration by serving her community through collaboration, exhibitions, and creating spaces for the nurturing and sharing of creativity.  

    Carol prides herself on embracing challenges and committing to her art. From an early age, she had been drawn to art as an outlet to express herself and make sense of the world around her. Carol says she “didn’t wait for a seat at the table” and made her own, choosing instead to create, exhibit, and engage in art her own terms. At sixty-nine years old, Carol views her life as a powerful continuation and wants to set an example by living life creatively. 

  • Steph Sneed

    Steph Sneed

    “If you get bored, they’ll get bored.” 

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: High School; Conservatory 

    Years of Experience: 5 Years

    About

    Steph Sneed is the founder and director of an arts education program serving children, teens, and adults across Darlington and neighboring counties in South Carolina’s PeeDee and Grand Strand region. Her path to this work began not in a classroom but in a living room, where she babysat a family of girls and did art with them every day. When they moved away, the realization came quickly: she didn’t want to stop. That impulse became a vocation. 

    Steph designs all of her own programming and works exclusively in small groups of six, a deliberate choice that allows for the kind of depth and individual attention that traditional art education settings rarely offer. Alongside her after-school classes, she creates specialized programming for teens in foster care and brings a particular dedication to neurodivergent artists, meeting each student where they are. 

    Before founding her program, Steph trained as a ballet dancer and performed professionally. Letting herself step away from the discipline she had devoted her life to, and permitting herself to draw in her room, to follow an emerging interest, was one of the hardest and most important decisions she ever made. “If I didn’t do that,” she reflects, “I would have held myself back from discovering an even bigger passion.” 

    Her advice to fellow educators and creatives is simple and hard-earned: stay engaged, stay present, and never phone it in. The students will always know the difference. 

  • Aldrena Hicks

    Aldrena Hicks

    “Build your connections and your network. No one works in isolation especially creatives.” 

    Quick Facts

    Education Level: Graduate School

    Years of Experience: 20+ Years

    About

    Aldrena Hicks is an artist and designer whose work spans cultural storytelling, visual design, and event stationery. As the founder of Only Lovely Creative, she creates meaningful visual experiences that connect people to their stories, whether through design projects, cultural initiatives, or personalized celebrations. 

    Her journey into the field was shaped by a lifelong connection to creativity. Growing up within a family of artists such as makers, musicians, and fiber artists, creating was always a part of her world. She shares that, “An art class in high school first sparked my interest, and I went on to study Studio Art at Columbia College SC. During my second year, I took my first graphic design course and realized that design was the lane where my love of art, storytelling, and problem-solving all came together.” 

    Aldrena prioritizes time and research on the story behind her current projects, whether it is an organization, cultural initiative, or a couple planning a wedding. This allows her to understand the depth of the client’s story and helps her unique creative process. She explains that “Understanding the people and context helps guide the creative direction. I also still build paper prototypes and explore ideas by hand before moving fully into digital design. That mix of research, storytelling, and hands-on experimentation shapes the way I approach every project.” 

    Storytelling and cultural identity are central to her work. As a South Carolina creative, she explores how design can help people celebrate who they are and the moments that matter in their lives. Her graduate thesis, “Little Brown Girl,” focused on identity and representation in design and later evolved into her self-published book, “You Are a Queen,” which speaks to young Black girls and the young girl within about identity, worth, and self-definition. 

    Aldrena emphasizes the importance of collaboration, connection, and understanding the business side of creative work. She encourages emerging creatives to build strong networks, seek feedback, and recognize that sustainable creative practice requires both artistic and professional awareness.  

  • Angela Thomas Smith

    Angela Thomas Smith

    “Stay true to your authentic voice, and don’t be afraid to share your story even if it feels imperfect or unfinished.” 

    Quick Facts

    Education Level: Graduate School

    Years of Experience: 6-7 Years

    About

    Angela Thomas Smith, CEO and founder of Queen of Collaborations, works across writing, publishing, storytelling, and podcasting to create platforms that empower individuals and amplify underrepresented voices. Her work focuses on connecting people, sharing untold stories, and building spaces where creativity becomes a tool for transformation and community impact. 

    Her journey into this field was shaped by personal experience and resilience. She shares, “Life experience is what truly led me to this work. After overcoming personal challenges and setbacks, I realized I needed a new beginning…that personal transformation inspired me to help others do the same and set me on the path to empowering, uplifting, and connecting people through my platform.” 

    The uniqueness of her work comes from how she blends authorship, advocacy, event production, and community-building. She explains, “I blend authorship, advocacy, event production, and community-building to create spaces where overlooked voices are celebrated and empowered. I don’t just publish books or host events; I intentionally connect people…My process is deeply collaborative, spiritually guided, and centered on leaving a legacy of hope and transformation for generations to come.” 

    Angela emphasizes authenticity and growth in the creative journey. She encourages emerging creatives to stay grounded in their voice, embrace continuous learning, and surround themselves with supportive communities. She highlights the importance of resetting when needed and recognizing that each individual perspective holds value. She also believes strongly in the role of creativity in human expression and development, stating that the arts are essential across all stages of life and that creativity is a fundamental part of who we are.