Meet Becca Hovey | Printmaker

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

Hi Becca, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started blockprinting in 2017 as a hobby and was instantly in love with the medium. My collection of art supplies grew and grew as I worked seasonal jobs around the world and I gradually started selling my wares here and there along the way. In 2020 my partner and I moved to Texas and I was able to focus a lot more on my art practice as a business. All that to say; my personal journey to start my own business was more of a slow burn that ignited to what it is today. I love where I’m at and excited to keep growing my business.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The inspiration behind my blockprint designs comes from my experiences in the natural world. I have been lucky enough to live in and visit all sorts of places around the world, from the deserts of southern California to the forests of Alaska and all the way to Antarctica. These places and my experiences living and working there all come up in my work.

Recently I have been offering more blockprinting workshops to the public and I have been finding it very fun and rewarding. I love witnessing folks pulling their first prints and seeing what they were able to come up after some slightly arduous carving. I find it to be such a joy to share the magic of blockprinting with others.

Deciding to pursue my art practice as a career has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. I often find myself in conversations with folks who, like me, wonder why we never had financial literacy courses in high school. The finance side (taxes!) of managing an art-practice-turned-business is the most challenging and most imposter-syndrome-inducing aspect to what I do. Fortunately the internet exists and plenty of artists are out there sharing their same experiences. It has taught me that anything I feel or struggle with does not exist in a vacuum; there is always a community of people who have the same experience.

One of the most exciting things about developing my designs into what I feel reflects my personality and style is seeing others connect with it. It makes me excited and motivated to keep sharing what speaks to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The thing is, I still have so much to learn about Houston!

I moved to Galveston in August 2020 having only visited Texas once before. I have grown to love living in Galveston since then. My favorite haunts in town include Redlight Coffee Roasters, Devil and the Deep Brewery, Brews Brothers for burgers, The Original for tex-mex, and Daquiri Time Out for drinks, especially where there is an outdoor movie series. There is always something going on in Galveston so when I have visitors I always check the calendar. I love hopping on the ferry to Bolivar Peninsula and driving to the nature reserves. Spring is the best time of year because that’s when the wildflowers are exploding and the Galveston area is full of colorful birds migrating to their breeding grounds across the country. High Island is such a treat during spring migration and I encourage everyone to try some birdwatching at this time of year, we are so spoiled in this region!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course the answer is; too many to count! One person in Houston who I have grown to appreciate so much in this past year is Erin Ramirez. She is the wizard of event organization and I owe a lot of my growth in my business to her markets, Plant Market Sunday. She is incredibly supportive of small businesses and artists of all sorts on top of being a full-time, highly skilled hairdresser AND mom to little ones. She rocks, Plant Market Sunday rocks, and I am very grateful.

Website: becjoyprints.com

Instagram: @becjoyprints

Facebook: @becjoyprints