We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Cox and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, how do you think about risk?
I’m definitely a big risk taker. While I wouldn’t describe myself as reckless, I am not afraid to put myself out there and fail.

When I was a very young adult, someone said to me, “There is someone out there who is less intelligent than you, and in possession of fewer resources, who is already doing what you want to do.” That resonated with me and, together with the internet, gave me the perspective that everything is learnable. This changed my view of challenging myself. Rather than feeling like I am taking a risk, I have more a sense of curiosity about what will happen if I put my name in the hat. An attitude of “why not” and “let’s just see what happens” enables me to click “submit” for opportunities that, if accepted, will force me to level up in order to see them through.

Another helpful concept is one I gained from the art world. To be an artist, you must constantly submit your work for various opportunities, and this inevitably leads to rejection. To help reframe these rejections as accomplishments, there is a concept of trying to gain 100 rejections in a year. It’s harder than it sounds – I’ve tried to play and ended up being accepted to things I assumed were a sure rejection! Each time we put ourselves out there and believe in our work and abilities, it’s an accomplishment – whether we are rewarded with opportunity or discover we need to look elsewhere.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an award-winning and internationally exhibiting hand embroidery artist, I focus mostly on portraiture. Recreating a face with a needle and thread is an interesting challenge. My work is mostly done on dissolving fabric, which frees my work from the hoop and allows for unusual mounting – like fly swatters, artist’s canvas, and plastic.

A friend introduced me to hand embroidery with the words, “It’s like painting but with a needle and thread – you’ll love it!” A year later, I entered a piece into a juried state-wide art exhibition in Texas and was accepted. From there, my hand embroidery has been published, featured, awarded, and exhibited across the world. It’s been an unexpected experience!

As much as I love hand embroidery, it is hard on my hands and requires a lot of concentration. To unwind, I picked up knitting.

Knitting quickly became a lifestyle for me. With a lot medical issues to deal with, I need a lot of rest and downtime. Knitting is the perfect cozy companion. It’s challenging enough to stay interesting, but can be mindless enough to keep me busy on days I have a lot of symptoms. It even comes with a sister hobby: yarn collecting.

One day, I saw an ad on Instagram looking for hand knitters to knit garments for luxury and couture fashion brands. I applied with photos of my own knitting projects and was hired! I had never thought about “professional” knitting before, but this experience had me considering the possibilities. The natural next step was to develop my own knitwear designs.

I learned as I went, studying pattern grading, garment construction, and unraveling the mysteries of gauge swatches. I sent out pitches and cold emailed yarn companies and won contracts. Now, I write knitting patterns freelance and for several premiere yarn companies, designing garments and accessories specifically for their yarn.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and there is no end of interesting and fun things to do. I could tailor an itinerary to just about any interest and group of people depending on the time of year they visit.

The classics that are always worth a visit include the Tennessee Aquarium, Hunter Art Museum, and Rock City – during the day unless it’s Christmastime, in which case nighttime is better and you’ll want to see the lights.

I like to take little walking tours, so I would do North Shore and pop in the shops, grab a coffee at Stone Cup or an ice cream at Clumpie’s, then cross Walnut Street bridge to walk the Arts District, down to the aquarium, and back across the bridge. At this point, we’re all hungry and I’m suggesting Fiamma Pizza.

Main Street is also a fun spot for a wander. Lots of cute shops and places to eat – Velo Coffee, Blue Fox Cheese, Feed, and Niedlov’s. Around the corner, the Choo Choo is worth a visit as well as the Hot Chocolatier across the street. Warehouse Row is nearby for shopping, or the Creative Discovery Museum is a good choice if the party includes kids. There’s also the theater if you want to chill and catch a movie, or amp things up next door with a rock climb at High Point.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Periscope CHA is an artist entrepreneur program put on by Arts Build in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The program has been active in Nashville for ten years, and I have had the pleasure of joining the first class in Chattanooga. This program is structured in stages, beginning with an intensive with classes and networking, then a mentorship with local professionals, and ending with a formal pitch competition.

In 2023, I began my own business as a knitwear designer and pattern writer. This was a largely opportunistic venture, with me just snagging opportunities as they came along. Despite my lack of planning, things were going well and I realized I had something real and worth growing. When I learned about the Periscope program, it seemed like the perfect fit so I applied and was so excited to be accepted.

My main hope for Periscope was to become more intentional with my business by clarifying what I was doing and coming up with a plan. Through the program, I was able to identify a more lucrative business structure and adjusted course. Periscope offered me a lot of tools and connections, both in the form of collaborative conversations and in networking opportunities. The relationships I’ve gained through Periscope have offered me a lot of insight and encouragement.

I had momentum when I started Periscope CHA, but now I have direction and sustainability as well. I highly recommend this program to other artist-entrepreneurs in the Chattanooga area!

Website: www.courtneycoxart.com

Instagram: @courtneycoxart @courtneymcoxdesigns

Facebook: facebook.com/courtneycoxart facebook.com/courtneymcoxdesigns

Other: TikTok: @courtneymcoxdesigns

Image Credits
Artist photo taken by Dynamo Studios

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