On a more personal note:
I was 16 when I realized Art was “my thing” because it was the first time I had ever surprised myself, surpassing what I thought I was ever capable of. It was also around this time that I started creating and consuming Art to help me cope with my emotions. Poetry, journaling, creative writing, music, singing, drawing, painting, street photography… these were all the ways I started to express and understand my truest self in an extremely genuine and raw way that, even if weird or dark at times, I was never ashamed of but incredibly proud of. I still do this now as an adult. Art has always been a therapeutic process for me. My Art and the Art of others has been there for me, healed me, and made me feel alive in ways I’ll probably never be able to explain.

Some might see the creative mindset of an Artist as drastically different to that of a Business minded individual (which I also am) and I couldn’t disagree more. To me Business is the ultimate creative adventure and it’s given me much of the same things Art has- security, freedom, expression, something to be proud of, and again that surprise that I was capable of far more than what I or others had ever thought.

For me, I can’t see my Art disconnected from Business because I can’t see myself ever creating solely for myself and never wanting to share it with others. I understand I could do this without asking for money but for me it’s not about the dollars, it’s about the energetic exchange of giving and receiving through Art- the ability to take the magick and gifts I hold and share them with the world in hopes of receiving the gift back of comfortably living in this world doing what I love most, and that hopefully inspiring others to do the same. It’s a cycle I live for.