I wrote this two years ago - one month into quitting my architecture job and taking a deep dive into being a full time artist. the real, raw thoughts I was processing at the time & the stories that brought me to that point.
let’s dive in:
I am one month into this journey of being a full-time, self-employed, artist & business owner. In all honesty - it is not exactly how I imagined it to be.
Most of you may not know my story, my entrepreneurial path, or my academic past - but I want to let you behind the curtain in all of that.
Since I was a young child I have been pursuing entrepreneurial beginnings - always the one who deeply desired to create things with my hands and secretly sell them in the cafeteria at lunch. In elementary school I sold my version of the stress ball (water balloons filled with flour), in middle school it was duct tape pencil pouches and intricate friendship bracelets. In high school this desire manifested as hand painted canvases, started a stationery business, and a photography business (really exposing myself here). As I entered architecture school, my passions started to feel more aligned - bringing this non-linear process together.
After learning about the exploitation of the fashion industry my friends and I started a repurposed and second hand clothing business called Bare Thred (click to see the instagram or here to read about it), and I made recycled journals on the side. this allowed me to create, while also sharing the ability to repurpose wasted textiles into beautiful pieces (and make money for food in college).
It was through each of these endeavors, alongside of my architectural education, that I could not shake my need for creating - creating pieces of intentionality & thoughtfulness, crafting garments that tell a story, and works that seek to educate and bring people together. That’s where Reclaim Creative was born - navigating a non-linear path of maturity and growth between watercolor work, repurposed textiles, mural painting, and design. At times it doesn’t feel concise, I often feel scatterbrained as I experiment with finding my voice through different mediums. But I am often reminded that I am just where I need to be - learning & growing deeper into what I am called to create.
I started Reclaim Creative because I felt the need to just start - unsure if the timing was right, not knowing what my “thing” is or who my “niche audience” is, and certainly not 100% sure it would be the most financially secure decision.
I still feel the need to have everything figured out now - hard on myself for not choosing one style, and one medium to focus on. I feel like a failure when I transition from watercolor work, repurposing textiles, and mural painting because I believe I will only be successful if I pursue one thing. But you know what I am learning? Each of these expressions of creativity are drawing me closer to where it is I need to be.
I’m here to share that starting something uncertain is scary. But it is also exhilarating and, in my experience, has been one of the most freeing decisions I have made.
I share all of these thoughts for two reasons. First, I want to vulnerably welcome you into my journey - where I have been, where I am, and where I might be going. Second, I want to encourage you to just start. Start whatever it is that you feel deeply in your gut. Start that passion project that is pressing firmly on your heart. It doesn’t have to be a full time job, it doesn’t need to have a website, and it certainly doesn’t need its own instagram page. If there is something you feel the need to release into the world - start it today.
I am on this journey with you, leaning into the gifts of each day, and remembering that every detail does not need to be resolved now. There is beauty in just starting something. There is boldness in taking a risk for something you love.
Will you join me and start something you love today?
Want to share that? Comment below - what is it that you are wanting to start? How can I support you in that?