Welcome to the first week of my journey into full-time artistry! This week has been a whirlwind of lessons, challenges, and unexpected discoveries. As I reflect on my experiences, I want to share three valuable lessons I've learned along the way.
Lesson #1: this sh!t take discipline.
For the first week, I focused on taking as much of the pre-workout of creating as possible.
✅ I restocked my art supplies,
✅ tested out my cameras and set up,
✅ mapped out content concepts and ideas, and organized them in the Airtable,
✅ blocked out time for when to paint vs when to do more admin tasks.
And I have to be honest: I didn't stick to this plan exactly. lol
One day I took a nap, another day my daughter ended up being sick and home from school.
But the intention for planning was there. And it helped overall. When I was ready to create, I wasn't scrambling around wondering "What should I be doing?". It allowed me to mentality show up to paint with less stress.
I wasn't expecting the week to be perfect, I knew hiccups would happen when you are trying new thing, but I was very happy with the pre-work I did. I've found that it's a little easier to show up when you set yourself up for success.
Lesson #2: you have to knock on real doors in real life.
As much as we've heard of businesses becoming successful from a viral video or that 1 post online, I'm a practical girlie. I sell physical things like prints, candles, t-shirts, and home goods. These things have to be experienced in physical spaces and that means going back outside.
This also means making connections with communities, meeting art lovers and patrons, getting back into group shows at galleries, doing a few vendor opportunities, and things like that. Festival season is right around the corner and I know that has a lot of potential to grow my business's reach.
This week I also attended an artist-based event. I was in the room with over 200 black creatives from all areas of businesses. CEOs, marketers, visual artists, photographers, PR specialists, and the works.
It was inspiring and a pleasant reminder as well that I live in Atlanta, and this city is a special place for black creators. I know so many entrepreneurs and business owners. In nearly every field I can name a success story, about someone who rode down these same streets, went to these same schools, even know the same people as I do, and has found their own happiness by being themselves.
Sometimes I take that for granted just a little bit because I grew up here, but there are a lot of people who recognize the talent and the beauty that is here. I was reminded to not let that be an untapped resource, to step out into the world, to be in the rooms, to knock on the doors.
Lesson #3: create from a place of joy and exploration.
Being strict about when I create is one thing, but being strict about how I create is completely different. Structure and discipline are essential, but it's equally important to maintain a sense of joy and curiosity in my artistic practice.
As I navigate the transition to full-time artistry, I'm committed to preserving the passion and excitement that initially drew me to this craft. Creating from a place of joy allows me to stay true to my authentic voice and connect with my work on a deeper level.
Whether I'm experimenting with new techniques or simply letting my imagination run wild, I believe that embracing creativity as a form of self-expression is key to not turning something I love into just work.
Being an artist full time to me is financial freedom, but it's also stepping into a vulnerable space to foster community with others. It's storytelling. It's passion-led service, and that has to come from a genuine place.
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As I continue to navigate the world of full-time artistry, I invite you to join me on this journey. Subscribe to my newsletter for regular updates and insights, and follow me on TikTok for behind-the-scenes content and sneak peeks into my creative process.
Together, let's explore the intersection of art, passion, and community as we embark on this exciting adventure. Thank you for your support, and here's to a future filled with creativity and inspiration!