Why is art important to you, and what inspires you?

I was the "craft kid" growing up for my entire life, and art had always been my most passionate subject in school. There was something about getting lost in it; the painting, the process of creating. It's still a feeling that I can't quite describe, but I knew that it was my happiest state, so I wanted to chase that feeling for the rest of my life. Art can transport you to places you've never been, it can introduce you to people you've never met. There's a sort of magic in that.

Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

When someone comes to me asking for help for their small business, the first thing I always say is this: It's called a leap of faith for a reason. There's a whole lot of unknown on the other side of that leap, but that's what makes it so rewarding, I think. Entering the entrepreneurial world means unlearning everything you were taught from a 9-5 mindset. It takes years to unlearn all of that. To live for your work, while also just working to live. There are people who have viral success, yes. I have friends who have earned their success like that. But I also have friends who have been working on their business for seven years, and have only just taken that leap of faith into full time. Comparison to someone else's journey is a slippery slope. You need to be mentally prepared for both. The glimmer, the glamour, it comes in waves. It'll fade. But as long as you've harnessed that passion, and you've learned how to keep it going, you alone will survive the lull in between those waves. Build a wall around yourself with other like-minded people, other motivated people, and it will keep you going until you reach the finish line.

I will say what I wish I knew before: your business can change. It should change. It should evolve, and grow just like you. Because in some ways, you are your business. You pour your heart and soul into it; why would it look the same forever? My heart will always be in painting and creating: it got me through a global pandemic. But as I evolved, as I grew with the community that I gathered around me, I realized that teaching and inspiring other artists and entrepreneurs was something that resided in my heart too. This business kept me out of what could have been a really dark place, and I owe it to myself, and to others who could be in that position to help them live out their dreams in any way I can contribute.

What is your background in art?

For a long time, art was simply my best subject in school. It wasn't until high school that I realized that people actually went to school for this, that they made it their job. At first, that's what I thought I wanted: the art school experience, the starving artist aesthetic. Then, I got to the first part, to art school. I realized how much it inhibited my practice, and if I went back now, I probably would have stuck with it, but back then I knew I needed to leave. So, I did. However, I graduated during the beginning of the pandemic which naturally left the hiring field pretty slim. After an exhausted few months of applications to no avail, I decided to take a break for a month, to paint. That was where the magic happened. That first viral video. My social media took off, closely followed by my Etsy shop, and my art business spun quickly into what it is today.

Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to create art full-time?

I had always pictured being a full-time artist as a down-the-line thing, something I could do once I was established in a "regular" career. The pandemic had me sitting inside my house for months on end, and that was where I chose to use my time wisely. I told myself "Give it six months. After that, you can quit. You can go back to applying to jobs and focusing on moving out." Just like that, when I started giving it my full undivided attention, it blossomed. Within four months I had transitioned to my own website; within six months I had signed an apartment lease purely off my artist salary. That's not to say that this line of work is linear. Running a business during a global pandemic looks a lot different than the business I'm running now, a business in the middle of a world that's healing. Things will change, and I'll adapt, but I accept the lows as graciously as I accept the highs because I could not appreciate one without the other. When you learn just how strong your own resilience is, you will realize you have more power than you ever could have imagined. □

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