above: Sam Ball brings her signature style to global and local brands: painting perfume bottles at LoveShackFancy, bags at Penny Linn and a mural at lil sweet teat in New York City.
Not many 24-year-olds can say they run their own business, set their own schedule and get to work for a handful of global luxury brands with offices in New York, Nantucket and the Hamptons. Meet Sam Ball, a Darien resident taking our world by storm, one paintbrush at a time. We sat down with the artist to discuss her process, what motivates her and what she thinks of those trending $2.99 Trader Joe’s grocery bags.
WHEN DID YOU START PAINTING?
I’ve been an artist at heart since I was little—I was always doodling and painting on things. I didn’t go to art school because I don’t love conventional art classes, but I always loved to draw and paint. Through trial and error I was able to teach myself and develop my brand, and now I just do my own thing.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
I can paint on anything, but my favorite surfaces to paint on are leather and canvas. Most of my painting is freehand, but sometimes I sketch first with a pencil if word or letter placement needs to be specific.
I’ve learned how to make my painted products durable by making mistakes and then redoing something until I find what works. If I’m ever painting a new item for someone, I do a few samples first and I feel like I learn with each new job.
WHAT DID YOU STUDY AT SCHOOL, AND DID YOUR EDUCATION INFLUENCE HOW YOU RUN YOUR COMPANY?
After graduating from Darien High School, I went to the University of Alabama and studied marketing in their business school. The marketing degree has been helpful because it taught me basics, such as how to format an appropriate email and be an effective communicator. On a more advanced level, I learned how to approach brands, get their attention and develop a relationship with them. Sometimes just by commenting on a post I’ll receive a response from a potential client that allows me to introduce myself and start a conversation. I’ve also really learned to lean in to my personal connections and I use Linked In a lot.
Another advantage of having a marketing degree is my ability to successfully look at a brand’s logo, understand their vibe and emulate this into a pitch. I wouldn’t say I have a specific artistic style, but I keep up with general trends and this is helpful when trying to approach potential employers with an idea I’ve based off of their artwork and logos.
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU PAINT, AND WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS?
I usually paint on bags and pouches, water bottles and sneakers—I started off painting Vans sneakers for all my high school friends when we were accepted to college. I also customize luggage tags, passport covers, perfume and champagne bottles, hats and reusable bags. I’ve even done a couple of murals for Magnolia clothing boutique in Darien Commons and two for Lil Sweet Treat in New York. Individual clients often ask me to personalize gifts for graduations, couples’ trips, weddings and more.
The main brands I work with are LoveShackFancy, Stoney Clover Lane, Roller Rabbit, alice + olivia, lil sweet treat and Penny Linn Designs, the Rowayton needlepoint store. I’ve also done projects for R+Co, Batik Chicago, TRVL Design, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Altesse Studio and Soul Cycle.
For Stoney Clover Lane, I’ve painted on site in their Manhattan store. I love in-person events because I get to meet fun people and see everyone’s reactions! For Roller Rabbit’s pop-ups in Boston, New York and Nantucket, I pre-painted their popular monkey and heart patterns on travel cups and customized them for each location. Right now, the L.L. Bean boat totes are trending, as well as those Trader Joe’s reusable grocery bags—everyone wants me to paint on those, but they are often hard to find!
WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING PROJECT YOU’VE WORKED ON?
The collage-style mural for the candy store lil sweet treat in the West Village was probably the toughest given the large scale. I didn’t really classify myself as a muralist at first and I had never painted on brick, but the owner trusted me. The mural has become kind of an icon in the West Village, and I see people post pics of it all the time on Instagram, which is fun. I also did all the artwork inside the store and since all the candy is imported, I tried to capture the idea of travel and bringing things to New York City.
WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE TRYING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS?
One of my favorite things to do is to buy a sample of the item I want to make for a company, paint it and send it to them. Not only are you practicing your art, you’re delivering them a finished product, which can be persuasive. Also, use social media to your advantage to get your name out there!
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THIS GIRL ON FIRE?
I have some exciting things coming up this summer, including some fun collabs on site in Nantucket and the Hamptons with LoveShackFancy, Roller Rabbit and Stoney Clover Lane. I’m also working on the interiors for a private New York City gym. In the future, I look forward to expanding my clientele and having new opportunities to paint on things I haven’t painted on before.
HOW CAN PEOPLE REACH OUT TO YOU ABOUT PROJECTS?
I love to do custom work when my time permits. They can contact me via my website artbysamball.com or DM me on Instagram @artbysamball.