Success Story: Alison Sigethy, 2006 ETS graduate

The moment you step into Alison Sigethy’s studio, a rush of serenity sweeps over you. Soft bubbling water greets the ear and soothing shades of blues and greys attract the eye, accented by organic art forms that appear to be alive and thriving in the peaceful environment. Today, Alison confidently tells you that she is an artist and businesswoman who “creates environmentally themed sculptures out of salvaged materials,” but this wasn’t always the case. Alison discovered Empowered Women International (EWI) in 2006 through a friend who had graduated from the Entrepreneur Training for Success (ETS) program. Alison was introduced to EWI during a time of transition in her life. She had just completed 20 successful years in the corporate world and was looking for a change. She always considered herself a creative person, but never defined herself as a true artist. When she learned of the ETS program, she instantly felt called to follow her passion of creating art.

When Alison entered ETS, she thought of her talent as a hobby, and when she left, she did so as an artist and businesswoman. During her training, the most valuable lesson she learned was to value herself as the talented artist and businesswoman she actually is. In the first several weeks, she struggled to define herself, as well as the nature of her business. She distinctly remembers EWI’s president and founder, Marga Fripp, interjecting during her elevator pitch, and organized all that she wanted to say in one simple phrase: “You create environmental art.” It was suddenly so clear to her. The words had been inside her for so long, yet had remained impossible to articulate. Alison had finally reached the point where she was able to define herself as an artist and the form her artistic expression took. Today Alison is a successful artist who makes a living solely from her art. She exhibits throughout the DC metro area and has her studio in the Torpedo Factory right in the heart of Old Town, Alexandria. One of the greatest lessons that Alison took away from her training was the mentality that, “I am running my own business, and I am a business owner, not just an artist.” This business-first mindset has been a driving force behind her success. Alison now proudly states that she is not a struggling artist, but a successful businesswoman-who creates the art that she loves. She has found a true balance between creative expression and running a successful business. Advice she would give to other entrepreneurs and students of the ETS program is that you have to realize that it takes a great deal of hard work to run a business and

be successful. Alison continued that, “You will have to realize early in the process that you can not create art everyday, but that paperwork, marketing and paying bills will have to take precedence to see your business succeed, all with the goal that once you become profitable you can hire others to do this for you!” She went on to say that serious artists as businesspeople can not wait for inspiration to hit them, or blame creative block for inactivity. To be successful you must push through this, and the inspiration will come.

In addition to her art, Alison is an avid kayaker, and holds the world record for women’s long distance harpoon. Her goals for the coming years are to expand her business, continue kayaking and traveling. Kayaking has allowed her to travel the globe, and this is often illuminated in her art work. Nature informs and inspires her, and she stated that she is continually drawn to water and the small details that the everyday observer misses, like fungus, lichens and bacteria. Her work captures the minuscule and transforms them into sculptures that seem to take on a life of their own. Alison is grateful to EWI and attributes the training she received during the ETS program to be the impetus that started her on the journey to success as an artist and businesswoman. Alison will be acting as a mentor to the Spring 2012 ETS class students, sharing her business know how and inspiring other struggling artists to become successful entrepreneurs like herself. Alison’s work can be found in her studio located in room 307 at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria and on her website:

http://alisonsigethy.com/home.html. Alison’s work will be exhibited in Artomatic in Crystal City from May18-June 24th in the Transwestern Presidential Building and at the Hillyer Retrospective Art Space from June 1-29th.