Senior Lucy Mercer participated in downtown Mobile’s LoDa Art Walk to sell designs she learned how to make during her art instruction at Spring Hill College.

The pin-up girl art of the 1950s inspired several of Mercer’s designs. “I recently did a print called ‘Batty for You,’ which I am really proud of. It’s a really cute pin-up girlie bat. Another one is ‘Hot Ghouls in Your Area.’ It’s one of my favorite prints, and it also seems to be everybody else’s favorite. I’ve sold probably over 30 of them so far,” Mercer said. Mercer sold t-shirts, pins, stickers and tote bags in addition to her prints. Ten percent of all Medusa designs created by Mercer go to the Lifelines Counseling Services in Mobile.

She also accepted drawing commissions. “I do lots of tattoo commissions,” Mercer said.

Art enthusiasts purchased Mercer’s merchandise that was displayed on a table lit up with a neon sign at the entrance of Serda’s Coffee Company.

She explained that she enjoys setting up at different venues in Midtown Mobile. “I do a ton of markets. I am always over at the Florida Street Vintage art market. It’s one of my favorites,” Mercer said.

Visual arts instructors at Spring Hill taught Mercer how to design for profit. After taking one art class, she knew she wanted to take more.

“Going into my freshman year, I took 2D Design and loved it. After that, I started taking a ton of art courses like Drawing, Drawing II, and then Printmaking, which is really where I got my business started,” Mercer said.

An art professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts helped guide Lucy Mercer’s success. Professor Wanda Sullivan taught all of Mercer’s art classes.

Sullivan has helped students recognize how to value their work. “When they ask me how to price their works, I tell them to factor in the materials, the time it takes to make the works, and more importantly, the experience and time it has taken to learn how to make the works,” Sullivan said.

Mercer is not the only student at SHC whose creativity has paid off. Senior Peri Carr is another student that sells hand-made art at LoDa Art Walk, as well as the markets at Florida Street Vinatge.

To see Mercer’s art portfolio, visit Lucyandthehearts. 

Spring Hill College provides students with a variety of courses in visual, performing and media arts. For more information, contact Father Stephen Campbell at 251-380-3861, or visit Department of Visual and Performing Arts.