Abby S. Bolton
Founder, Artist and Transformation Consultant, Abby Bolton Arts
abbyboltonarts.com

Following a successful 20-year-career in communications, corporate change management and talent consulting for large organizations, Abby S. Bolton made a transformative decision in the fall of 2023 to follow her inner guidance — founding Abby Bolton Arts as a way to pursue her lifelong passion for art as a full-time artist.

“Once I began selling my work, I did a number of commissioned projects, mostly for women, that in addition to being beautiful, reflecting their taste and beautifying their space, their paintings were serving as empowering daily reminders for how they wanted to be and feel in their current season of life, similar to a fine art vision board,” says Bolton, an East End resident and single mother of two.

She formalized this offering as a “Custom Inspired Journey Painting,” working with individual women to understand their personal vision and craft pieces to reflect their aspirations, while encouraging ongoing focus and action in their desired direction.

In April, she traded her home studio for a spacious rental at 412 Studios in Etna, which serves as her working studio, gallery and event space. It’s also the venue of her Inspired Flow workshops, where public and private groups share connections, learn basic fluid acrylic techniques, and create one-of-a-kind paintings that reflect and reinforce what they want more of in their lives.

Armed with a Human-Centered Design Practitioner certification from the LUMA Institute, plus years of helping companies and leaders transform their culture and foster thriving teams, she offers customized teambuilding and engagement sessions that blend the Inspired Flow format with other components to address specific team needs and goals. Participants often use their organization’s brand colors to create a painting that represents each of their unique contributions.

A Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 and “Women of Achievement” honoree, as well as a Leadership Pittsburgh LDI graduate and former City Theatre Company board member, Bolton also hosts ongoing public workshops, and has partnered with groups such as Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc., the Brave Women Project and Pittsburgh Professionals Women for tailored sessions and events.

In addition, she is ramping up the frequency of her public and private workshops, as well as exploring ways to make them accessible virtually.

“My paintings and prints can ship nationally and internationally, but people are finding so much power and value in the workshops – a freedom, empowerment, and joy found through a rare mix of authentic connection, substantive reflection and plain old fun – that I’m exploring how to make them accessibly virtually so I can scale them beyond our region,” she says.

For 15 years, Pittsburgh Magazine has spotlighted exceptional businesswomen within our pages and at quarterly networking events. Join us for a vibrant conversation with our four inspiring honorees and a keynote speaker at our Women & Business Awards.

Our next in-person event:

When: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: The Art Room
Ticket Price: $40, with $20 benefitting The Children’s Institute

Get tickets here.