2019 Gumbo final - Book - Page 40
Madison Buratt
Senior develops a hobby into business
Textiles, apparel and merchandising senior Madison
Buratt started painting as a way to relax, but with a bit
of luck and the help of Instagram, she’s managed to
grow her hobby into a business.
Most recently, Buratt’s work was part of the traveling pop-up
Pancakes and Booze Art Show in New Orleans on Sept. 15. Her
work will also be on display in a Halloween show called "Saturday
Spooks" on Oct. 27 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Arts Council
of Greater Baton Rouge has included her work in their Firehouse
Gallery in Downtown Baton Rouge. Outside of the Arts Council,
Instagram and Etsy have helped her get connected with the art
community and grow her business.
Buratt began selling her art on Etsy when a complete stranger
saw some of her work in the background of an Instagram post and
asked to buy one of the pieces. The confidence she got from that
first sale led to her posting more of her paintings on her Etsy store,
which all sold out.
“I was very fortunate — it was
all kind of just spur of the
moment,” Buratt said. “Like, I
never took an art class.”
Buratt’s abstract paintings are
inspired by whatever she’s
feeling at the time. She said she
will sometimes listen to music,
but mostly paints as a way to
work out her own feelings and
emotions.
Wang and Vivienne Westwood as her favorite brands and designers.
Since her art has taken off so well, Buratt plans to continue painting and
pursue art over fashion once she graduates from the University in May 2019.
“I’ve been really lucky with my art, to the point where I can pay my own rent,
so I’m hoping it stays,” Buratt said. “I have three art shows coming up and
possibly a gallery. I’m hoping I can keep up my social media and market
myself through that.”
“I find I’m a nervous person, like
I don’t know how to relax, so if
I have a lot of energy I’ll just sit
down and paint,” Buratt said. “I
figure out how I feel by looking
at what I painted. This is never
typically pre-sketched — I just paint and hope for the best.”
This is the first year Buratt has started showing her art in shows
and galleries, but she has already had her work shown in three
shows since February. Buratt first submitted some of her work
to the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to start showing her
paintings beyond her Etsy store. Her work was first on display at
Cane Land Distilling Company for six months.
Story // Michelle Gauchet
Design // Dakota Baños
“I don’t take myself this seriously so I kind of just laugh and go with
it,” Buratt said. “I feel like if I had tried I wouldn’t have gotten it.”
In addition to her painting, Buratt is the president of the Fashion
Association at LSU. Buratt has been interested in fashion since
she was a kid and would draw along with the challenges on
Project Runway. Before she started the textiles, apparel and
merchandising program at the University, she had little sewing
experience.
Buratt has a carefully curated personal style, as evidenced by her
Instagram account. Her red, black and white color palette finds its
way into her artwork as well as in the projects she designs for her
school work. She credits Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Alexander
Pictured are several of Madison Buratt's designs.
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