Alumni Then & Now: Breanna Christie
Breanna Christie is a 2014 graduate of Centenary College. She still calls Shreveport home with her husband, Michael, and their dog. Breanna is the owner of Hey Bre! Creative studio that allows her to create all kinds of art and creative projects. You can follow Breanna on Instagram at @heybrecreativestudio.
Centenary Days
I started out as a psychology major and then learned I had to take statistics so I quickly changed my major to studio art. I also really wanted to minor in art history, but I couldn’t. Although, I still say I unofficially minored in English (I took all the minor courses but never declared it.) I was also involved in Centenary’s GSA (WOO OUTREACH!)
Life in 2021
I currently still reside in Shreveport with my husband and dog. I work for Barksdale Federal Credit Union as their Digital Marketing Specialist so I spend quite a lot of time on social media. My hobbies haven’t changed since I was in middle school: I love shopping, crafting and creating. Anything artistic is my jam.
What was your favorite off campus hang out spot?
My friends and I loved going to Pie Works until that left and then we would have frequent lunches and dinners at Strawn’s. We also loved skipping class and going to Wendy’s and the beauty supply store up the street (sorry to all the professors in all the classes I skipped!).
Who was your favorite professor?
I truly loved all of my professors and never had a bad one, so it’s hard to say who my favorite is. I will say something that has stuck with me is hearing Bruce Allen say, “Get to work!” in all my art classes. He is retired now, but that is something I still tell myself every day to motivate me.
How did Centenary’s unique community prepare you for life after college?
Being an introvert (still am), interacting with people I’ve never met was scary, but Centenary encouraged interaction. Because it was and is a small community, I basically interacted with everyone. People you wouldn’t think you would talk to, you did. So I had a chance to collaborate with groups of diverse people and talk about different subjects and things like that. So in a way Centenary got me out of my shell and made think out of the box, and for that I’m grateful.
What was your favorite campus activity, event, or club?
I LOVED Centenary Activities Board. Every event they put on for the us was so fun. I still have a caricature of myself that is framed from one of the events they put on.
What’s one thing Centenary students should do before they graduate?
As mentioned before I am an introvert so I didn’t really do much partying or anything, but one thing Centenary students should do before they graduate is go see a play at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. The students put on such amazing shows and they work so hard. I still tell people how amazing Spring Awakening was. All the plays from my time at Centenary, 2010 - 2014, were amazing.
What inspired “Hey Bre! Creative Studio”?
What inspired my business was the fact that I can’t just stick to one area of art. I wanted to do it all, crafting, drawing, painting and I wanted to have a non-specific business name. The actual name comes from when people call me to do different tasks, they always start with, “Hey Bre…” Thus Hey Bre! Creative Studio was born in October 2020.
What has it been like building your Instagram community?
I have had many Instagram accounts and when I started this one I was just getting back into lettering and I wanted this account to be very positive, uplifting, and encouraging. So I started lettering positive messaging because 2020 had just been a doozy and we all needed something positive in our lives. Seeing the account grow so fast in a year has been crazy, I never expected it to take off like it did. I’ve built up a big community of creators and people who just want to spread positivity and I’m thankful for that.
Tell us more about your work with Pink Light Studio.
How did the partnership get started? I received an email from Pink Light asking if I was looking for representation for art licensing, at the time I had no idea what that was. Long story short, a few zoom calls and contracts later, I signed with Pink Light Studio in May and I haven’t stopped drawing since.
What other projects are you currently working on?
I have worked on some fun things! Two things I have signed an NDA for so I can’t mention those, but I have designed greeting cards for American Greetings and worked with OwlCrate Jr. on a lanyard for their October Box. Currently, I’m working with Crayola on some coloring sheets and Joann’s for two fabric collections. It’s been so fun working with all these companies and I hope people will be able to spot my designs in stores soon!
What advice would you give to current art/design students at Centenary?
My advice is to absorb all information out of your art/design classes, and take that knowledge and your passion and run with it! Never be afraid to take chances and ditch your comfort zone! And as Bruce says, “Get to work!”