DreamChaser Nancey Price
Name: Nancey Price
Age: 28
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Job Title/Company: Office Manager, Business Innovation Group (Georgia Southern University)
Education Background: B.A. in Women’s & Gender Studies; MPA in Nonprofit Management
Interviewed April 2021
In-depth Questions (8-10 min read)
1. Tell us a little about who you are.
I’m a storyteller—that’s the core of who I am. I’ve known it for as long as I can remember, but it’s only in the last five years that I’ve truly come to understand how storytelling shows up in different areas of my life.
I grew up in Girard, Georgia, surrounded by a family that deeply valued togetherness and oral traditions. Listening to my parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents share stories of yesteryear inspired my love for both writing and performance.
In addition to being a writer and performer, I’m a visual artist. Collage art became my way of expressing myself when words fell short. It’s through this medium that I’ve connected with people from all walks of life, sharing my work with audiences around the world.
2. What sparked your interest in starting your business?
I did not anticipate starting a business. Originally, I was just making collage art and sharing it on social media so other people could see the dope things I was doing with collage. It was a fun pastime for me, but I didn't think of starting an art business until one of my friends convinced me to start an Etsy page. From that Etsy page, I was discovered by the folks at O, the Oprah Magazine and my career slowly snowballed from there. I’ve had art on display in museums and galleries, I’ve put on my own art show, and I’ve sold pieces and been commissioned to create original works of art.
3. Tell us about your full-time job and any side hustles.
By day, I’m the Office Manager at the Business Innovation Group (BIG) at Georgia Southern University. BIG serves as the outreach arm of the Parker College of Business and focuses on entrepreneurship, small business support, and economic development in our region.
I handle the day-to-day administrative, financial, and facility operations of the department. It’s work that keeps me grounded and connected to a broader ecosystem of innovation and creativity.
“I admire things like perseverance, individualism, and balance, and I do the best I can to incorporate those things into my practice as both a creative and a human being overall.”
4. Who or what most influences you?
That is a hard question to answer because there are so many people in my life who influenced me. I feel like I am more influenced by characteristics that many people in my life represent. I admire things like perseverance, individualism, and balance, and I do the best I can to incorporate those things into my practice as both a creative and a human being overall.
5. What was your first job?
My first official job was as a Minority Mentor and Mercer University. My responsibility was to serve as a mentor and tutor to incoming minority freshmen at Mercer, which is a predominantly White institution. So in addition to just providing tutoring services, I’d also try to foster relationships with my mentees by checking in on them weekly and plan group bonding activities for them as a way to make them feel a sense of community while in college. I served in this role for two years while an undergrad at Mercer.
6. Can you share one of your proudest achievements?
Putting on my first solo art show is hands-down one of my proudest accomplishments. I partnered with the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro, GA, and they gave me full creative freedom to curate an immersive experience that blended my love for visual art, world-building, and storytelling. It was my first time being the center of attention in such a public way—and the community showed up for me in an incredible way.
7. What were your initial goals, and how have they evolved?
I always envisioned myself being someone who told stories with words. When I got into collage art, I quickly realized that I have a variety of ways to tell stories, both visually as well as with the written and spoken word. Although art, for me, was not a planned venture, it’s been really dope to see how it has allowed me to grow and readjust my understanding of what being a storyteller is all about. My art tells visual stories and draws people in a way that introduces them to all the other ways I express my creative self, both in writing and in performance.
“Something my best friend always tells me is that the work of creativity is a marathon, not a sprint.”
8. What’s the most important life skill you’ve learned through your work?
Patience and perseverance are two of the most important skills I’ve learned over the years. I’ve been a collage artist for 5 years and a writer and storyteller for even longer. As I’ve grown as a creative, I’ve learned that a lot of the things I create take time, and it’s vital that I give myself time to create, as well as time to rest. It’s incredibly easy to get swept away in the culture of constant production, and early on, I’d constantly judge myself for not being able to write or make art as quickly as some of my peers. However, I had to learn to understand my own timing and that ebbs and flows in creativity come with the territory. What comes to me will come when it is ready. In the meantime, I should always focus on taking care of myself to ensure that I have the mental capacity to create something worthwhile, regardless of how long that takes. Something my best friend always tells me is that the work of creativity is a marathon, not a sprint. So, it’s become imperative that I pace myself and give myself patience and grace while on this journey.
9. Where do you hope to be in five years?
I don't know where I want to be in five years, but I do know how I want to feel, and I truly believe I’m on the right track to achieve that feeling. While in therapy, I’ve learned so many incredible things about myself, and while not all of them have been good, they are vital to me reaching a sense of mental stability, which is something I strive for daily. While I understand that every day can’t be sunshine and rainbows, I would like to get to a point where I am fully confident in my abilities, content with who I am, and living the best life I can live from the seeds I’ve planted.
10. What’s a typical day like for you?
A typical day for me changes depending on if I have any major projects to complete or if I’m taking a break. I get my most meaningful work completed early in the morning before I go to work. I like to wake up before sunrise, burn incents, light my altar, make a cup of coffee, and set my intentions for the morning activity. Sometimes, it may be something like logging a journal entry or working on my novel; other times, I may just want to water my plants and watch the sunrise. Either way, I notice that when I give myself the morning to be, the rest of my day goes better. After work, I may be too tired to do anything creative, so when that happens, I typically just make dinner, walk my dog, and enjoy Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.
“…first drafts, either in writing, performing, or collage art, aren’t final drafts for a reason.”
11. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve faced?
I think the biggest obstacle I’ve had to learn (and am in some ways still learning) to work through is understanding that my first may not be my best. I am a recovering perfectionist, so I still struggle with accepting that first drafts, either in writing, performing, or collage art, aren’t final drafts for a reason.
First drafts are meant to help you organize your thoughts and I’ve had a hard time accepting that during this journey. I must constantly convince myself to keep going, and sometimes, it’s a struggle to get out of my own way. It’s gotten better over the years, but I still have my setbacks, and when they happen, I just try not to beat myself up about it.
12. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Some of the best advice has come from my therapist. I’ve been in therapy for 5 years, so there is a lot to choose from, but one thing she said that stood out to me is the understanding that two conflicting ideas can be true at the same time and one doesn’t have to outweigh the other. For a long time, I used to think I had to choose a feeling or a state of truth, even if I felt both at the same time. That caused a lot of anxiety for me and was a constant source of contention. Now, I’m beginning to learn that this way of thinking has not been beneficial to me and that I should, instead, embrace the complexities that exist within me.
13. When do you get your best ideas?
I get my best ideas in the morning. That is when I’m well-rested and free of any influences that the day may bring. I’m able to be fully present with myself and my thoughts and I let them guide me.
“Some doors must stay locked whereas, with others, I just haven’t gotten the right key yet.“
14. Can you share a time you failed and what you learned?
I honestly can’t recall the last time I believed I’d failed at something. If anything, there have been plenty of times when I didn’t get what I really wanted or when something didn’t go as planned. However, when that happens, though I may be disappointed, I’ve grown to understand that doors open and close all the time. Some doors must stay locked whereas, with others, I just haven’t gotten the right key yet.
15. How do you unwind?
I like to turn off my lights, light a couple candles, and play music. As someone who’s dealt with insomnia all her life, I’ve noticed that when I turn off the television and just be in my place with a cup of tea or something, it helps calm my mind and prepare my body for sleep. To be honest, it doesn’t always help my sleeping, but it’s a practice I enjoy because it gives me a chance to just be and meditate on my date without the distraction of television or social media.
“To live the life I needed to live for myself, I had to sacrifice what I thought I wanted.”
16. What’s a sacrifice you’ve made to pursue your dreams?
To live the life I needed to live for myself, I had to sacrifice what I thought I wanted. For a long time, I thought I wanted to be a doctor and I did all the things that students do to make sure I was on the right path for medicine, regardless of my internal misgivings. However, there came a point when those misgivings became so loud that I simply could not ignore them anymore and I decided not to pursue medicine during my senior year of college. Although I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life, I leaned into the spirit of not knowing and made room for what is supposed to happen for me. So far, I have no regrets about that decision.
17. What advice would you give someone interested in your field?
Anyone interested in being a creative should start creating. Period. And do it because it’s something that makes you feel good, not because it can make you well known. Granted, there are tons of opportunities out there that give you a chance to showcase your work and get paid for your imagination, but I believe that doing the work because it makes you happy should always be a main priority. Whether you decide to enter the field of writing, performance, or visual arts, do it to please yourself first, then the others will follow.
“What matters more is that you pay attention to yourself, what does and doesn’t feel good, and what brings some sort of peace to your life.”
18. What do you hope people take away from your story?
I hope that whoever comes across my story is inspired to do, creatively, what they’re compelled to do and not let fear or the guise of perfection get in the way. You don’t have to be perfect when you’re just getting started, nor do you have to be perfect or have a large audience after you’re a few years in. What matters more is that you pay attention to yourself, what does and doesn’t feel good, and what brings some sort of peace to your life.
19. Anything else you'd like to share?
If you want to keep up with my journey, follow me on Instagram @nanceybprice or visit nanceybprice.com. I’m always creating something new, and I’d love to connect with you.
Want to support Nancey’s next big move?
She’s raising $4,000 by May 1st to move into a larger creative studio on rural farmland—perfect for dreaming, storytelling, and growth. If you’re able, contribute via GoFundMe, PayPal (paypal.me/nanceybprice), CashApp ($nanprice), or Venmo (@NanceyP) to help make this dream a reality.
TL;DR:
Artist, creative, and visionary Nancey B. Price shares her journey from a 10x10 studio in rural Georgia to creating powerful work rooted in memory, legacy, and Southern Black life. In this conversation, she opens up about trusting her calling, honoring her roots, and the community support powering her next big move: a dream creative studio on farmland that mirrors her hometown. This is a story about growth, grounding, and asking for what you need.