My Art Journey To Building A Small Art Business In My Late 20s

I turned 30 recently and so naturally I was looking back at how far I've come and my long and winding creative journey from feeling stuck to building my small art business.

Making a living as an artist has been a dream of mine since I was little but I spent most of my 20s feeling stuck, trying to develop an art style, and failing to get an art business off the ground. Eventually I got myself together, started taking myself seriously and a year and a half later I'm running my own small art business!

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PINTEREST:

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WHAT I'M USING FOR ART:
Laptop: Microsoft Surfacebook 3
Software: Adobe Photoshop

FOR FILMING:

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A big thank you to my partner for filming and editing this video!

00:00 Intro
01:15 The 90s!
01:56 High School
02:16 University
03:08 Early 20s
05:54 Mid 20s
07:18 Feeling Stuck
08:30 Late 20s
09:53 Building My Art Business
13:01 What Worked This Time
16:09 You Can Do It Too

[MimimooIllustration]

Guys this video took us SO LONG to make because my art and photos from the last 30 years were spread across a dozen harddrives and accounts 😅 So worth it though to be able to look back at the journey I've taken to get to where I am with my art today. Would love to know where you are with your art journey!

[pinquitte]

This video helped me a lot. I've been going through a similar journey just like yours. Last week I started posting daily on Instagram. I'm terrified I'll get bored and drop it again, but I'll watch this video once in a while when I feel overwhelmed and hopefully remember my goals and motivation. I'm 27 now. I'll leave this comment as a memory. I just want to come back after some time, when I achieve what I'm dreaming of now, and edit it. I hope we all can find the courage to be persistent and consistent. Wish me luck :)

[thebirdartistscottage]

Happy Birthday, Mimi! I just turned 60 and my journey to becoming an artist wasn’t at all straightforward! In truth, I never dreamed that I could have the kind of life that I do now. I feel more alive and more excited about the future than ever! I believe it’s never too late to become the person you always wanted to be!! Thanks so much for sharing your delightful art life with us. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you! So bright!! ✨⭐️✨

[PaintIt]

I just can't explain in words how much this video help me to overcome my own restrictions. I am working as a freelance graphics designer too but I was finding an inspiration to make myself convinced that I can be an Artists and make a living out of it. Thank you very much for sharing this journey.

[jessicavanderwalt]

Mimi, I wish I could thank you enough. I am 27 years old and my years after school have felt like a waste. I have a degree in UX, but I have not been able to find a job. I have found peace in digital drawing and now I want to find my own art style. Seeing your journey has given me hope. Thank you so so much.

[stampinturtles]

My daughters are so creative yet they struggle to know where to go to study after high school. I want them to pursue their passion-art. But they don’t believe it’s a real job. As an artist myself I’m trying to encourage them to follow their dreams. I love that you validate your journey to finding your career as an artist. I’m 50 and I did a lot of “real” jobs. But my greatest joy is creating art with God’s guidance. 🙏🏻❤️🙌🏻

[cuthillcreative]

I just started my art journey this year. Already I'm struggling every now and then but I'm curious to see where this journey can go. I love your videos :) they are always so calm and inspiring

[wc]

Thanks Mimi for being such an inspiration! I'm in my late 20's and really feel like illustration is my calling...but sometimes I wonder if it's too late to start! Thank you for sharing your journey :)

[ErinKCreations]

This video came up while I was journaling. I let pretty you tube videos play. I’ve been a fan of your Instagram for about a year. Anyhow. I didn’t mean to watch this video. I was journaling about my life and my work/life balance and what I want to do about it. This video was SO inspiring to me. I don’t want to be a full time artist. But I want art in my life. It finally hit me. I don’t want to BE a nurse. I want to BE an artist who WORKS as a nurse. I let worrying about my nursing path take up all my off work time. That’s art time! That’s creative development time! That’s MY time. And I’m taking it back.
Thank you. I love you. We are best friends now.

[moviefreak]

I'm laid up with a leg injury and I've been watching your inspiring videos about starting an Art Career. You helped me have the courage to try again.

[batool]

I'm just in my early teens.... But I know that I want to be someone like you.... Love ya

[ArtySubu]

It's such a beautiful journey! Mine is very loopy just like yours, and thanks to the pandemic am starting again at the age of 42!

[Theswordinthesewn]

I've always felt "creative" but not "artistic". My library offered a nature journaling class earlier this year which was my introduction into watercolor. From there I gave myself permission to enjoy learning and making art.

[LadyLimmi]

Thank you for sharing your journey! Often times videos about career journeys seem to be too polished and unrelastic. Yes, everybody mentions "downs" on the way but nobody takes the time to explain what really happened during these times. I really, really appreciate your honesty! ❤️

A year ago I also descided to change my career upside down and focus on my dreams and I was always looking for other creators who had a somewhat similiar journey. I'm still stuck in the phase where I have to work another job to make it work but starting next month I'll be working completely as a freelancer and I'm so excited for the new chapter in my life ☺️

[evakajanovaenna]

I am 28, medical doctor who doesn't like it. I have always been creative and I chose medical career for stability. Buy I regret it deeply. Now I found my love in art and I post my arts on Instagram everyday. The milestone is 365 day. I learn to love my art, and grow. Maybe one day, I will be able to be an artist. 🙂 Thank you for this video. Life is a journey.

[jennifert]

Thank you so much for this video! I'm 38 and have always been crafty but lost touch with painting and sketching regularly. This past year and a half I've been learning digital art and many other things with starting a business online with my art. I love your videos - so down to earth - and your illustrations are so magical! Thanks for sharing your story!

[danielsandoval]

This makes me feel my dream of being a illustrator is attainable, thank you!

[sehrishsaghir]

It’s October, i am 26 and i am creatively stuck, using references and questioning myself. But i have started uploading my art on insta daily. I am committed and this video is all i need ❤ Thanks

[MissElastic]

Thank you for this video, it is really inspiring. I also grew up loving art, way into my teenage years- I was always doodling and creating things. Then I dropped art completely for about 10 years, followed a different path which led me nowhere. Working service jobs and feeling kind of depressed about my life. Then a couple of years ago I decided to pick up a pen/pencil again to try and make it in my dream career- to become a tattoo artist! However, I quickly realised that my art is NOT as good as I remembered it to be, becoming very disheartened. I also really struggle to draw anything decent without a reference and sometimes feel creatively stumped and like this will never go anywhere. I am telling myself the answer is to practise, practise, practise... it will come (though I am already 30 at this point so you're way ahead of me!)... Nevertheless your story is very inspiring!

[mnd]

Such a great vedio! The part of not feeling creative and always needing" a reference to draw from" is very relatable