Quentin J. Cheeks

How I Built Portrait Studios: Blending Art, AI, and Health Strategy

1️⃣ The Spark — Why I Built It
I started Portrait Studios with a simple idea: what if art could be a tool for health? As I worked across product marketing, data, and design, I kept seeing the same gap — people need access to health and wellness experiences that feel human, not clinical, but also delivers measurable impact.
_______________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to find a way to bridge health & wellness with art, as a creative way to reach engaged audiences, and to drive measurable health impact.

  • I started with the idea of merging healthcare with art to bring creativity to health & wellness access.
  • I shared my idea with ChatGPT, which identified the viability in the market and paths to consider for scaling the business in the health & wellness sector.
  • I focused on leveraging my professional background in healthcare, tech and personal interest in art experiences, to build a baseline business plan.
  • ChatGPT outlined how I can make this happen:

2️⃣ The Vision — Defining the Concept

“Portrait Studios is an art and health residency that connects creativity, data, and community wellness. It’s both a physical experience and a digital product concept — where art experiences, wellness events, and local health resources come together.”
_________________________________________________________________________________

🧠 Strategic Framework

I built the project around four wellness pillars:

  1. Movement (Health)
  2. Mindfulness (Wellness)
  3. Community
  4. Education

I tied these pillars to measurable outcomes: stress reduction, connectedness, screenings, and creative engagement — bridging art experiences with real health metrics.

3️⃣ The Build — From Concept to Product

I approached Portrait Studios like a product launch. I developed the brand identity, positioning, and go-to-market strategy, while also designing a digital prototype — an AI-informed “Health Navigator” tool that helps users find local care resources (urgent care, primary care, pediatrics, women’s health) filtered by insurance/health providers, health/ wellness events and creative experiences centered in health.

  • Brand Identity: Where art meets wellness — Portrait Studios creates immersive experiences that connect communities and promote measurable well-being.
  • Positioning: Portrait Studios is a creative wellness platform that brings people together through immersive art experiences designed to inspire connection, mindfulness, and measurable health outcomes. We engage diverse audiences — those who value art, wellness, and community — through collaborations that blend creativity, culture, and care.
    • Target Market-
      • Gender: Women & Men (approx. 60/40 split toward women)
      • Age Range: 25–55 (core 30–45)
      • Education: High school diploma minimum; (many college-educated)
      • Location: Metropolitan regions – NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta
      • Profession: Administrative, Tech, Healthcare, Arts, Media, Advertising
  • Go-To-Market Strategy:
    • Test & Build: Launch pilot activations; roll-out beta version of “Health Navigator” tool; build an engaged community; identify 2-3 event partners/ sponsors
    • Expanded Reach: proof of concept w/ branded event series; social storytelling; impact metrics; business partnership outreach
    • Scale & Monetize: Launch the first Portrait Studios “Residency Program” through a health partnership; share progress report of the pilot program documenting measurable health impact; expand program to more venues
    • Channel Strategy: Social media; community events; Email/ SMS; Local media; cross-promotion through partner channels
    • Metrics for Success: Brand awareness; Engagement; Health Impact; Partnerships; Revenue via Sponsorships

4️⃣ The Business Layer — Turning Creativity into Strategy

Beyond the concept, I structured Portrait Studios under my existing LLC, Exhibit A LLC, to create a scalable framework for growth — exploring partnerships with insurers, sponsors, and art institutions, while keeping operational flexibility through a DBA structure.

I plan to scale the venture through:

  • Partnerships with insurers, providers, and sponsors.
  • B2B opportunities (corporate wellness activations, art-health collaborations).
  • Limited-edition art drops tied to event themes for funding and brand awareness.

5️⃣ The Outcome — What I Learned so far…

  • JUST START!!!: I have many ideas, but this one stuck because I was able to realize true market potential and viability, through the use of AI.
  • Portrait Studios became more than a creative project — it’s a live demonstration of how I apply AI, design, and marketing strategy to real-world challenges.
  • It reinforced my belief that impactful innovation happens at intersections — between creativity and data, empathy and technology.

How AI brought the spark to my idea:
The Health Navigator Tool was built through a collaborative process, called vibe coding — a way of using AI as a creative co-pilot to rapidly prototype a product from concept to testable beta.

With AI’s support, I transformed early sketches into a functional experience structure, complete with resource categories, filters, and a clean data model that could scale.

Together, we mapped out a starter dataset of 15+ local health resources, designed intuitive user flows, and built the foundation for an interactive pilot that users can explore today. AI accelerated every step — from UX mapping and positioning, to Airtable schema creation and Softr-ready layouts — compressing what could have taken months into a few focused sessions.

The result is an early public prototype that blends creativity, community health, and product thinking in a way that feels both human and measurable.

The Health Navigator Tool will be available by 12/30 (updated) for beta test users @ portrait-studios.com

Check out this mix from one of my favorite creatives, Salehe Bembury, for your own creative inspiration.