I thought I’d share a bit about my journey to becoming a full-time artist. This is Part 1 of the two-part series.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been writing a fiction novel for the last fifteen years.

Well, when I first started writing it, I wasn’t painting. I hadn’t painted in years. I locked that part of myself away. I was intent on becoming a published author. I applied and got into this super intense 6-week writing program. But eventually, I got burned out. Especially after I lost my job.

I’ve always loved art and have been creative. But I stopped painting and creating for years after college.

All of my early artwork ended up in the basement or trash, so I thought, “What good is it to paint?”

I never thought anyone would want to see my work. I didn’t want to do anything creative if I couldn’t do it for a living. It was just too painful.

It took many different jobs as a journalist, photographer, graphic designer, gallery assistant, floral designer, website developer, and more before I finally realized the only thing I could put my heart into was being a full-time artist. Still, having all of those jobs – which seemed like mistakes and hurdles at the time – helped me learn how to grow and run my creative business.

I had hopped from job to job to job until I was fired in 2008.

To heal my spirit, I went back to what I adored most as a child – cutting out outfits for characters and making up their stories. My sister-in-law gifted me with a few fabulous vintage wallpaper books, and I fell in love with the colors and patterns. I knew I had to do something with that gorgeous paper.

It made me SO HAPPY to just create and paint again. So, I took all of the art supplies that had been collecting dust over the years. I set everything out onto a blanket in the backyard—and I just started to play.

I loved it so much, I started doing it all of the time. It completely healed my heart. And it changed my life.

That’s what started my whimsical paintings (I’d never painted characters before) and it all eventually led to starting a business for my art and life as a full-time artist.

That’s why now, whenever I get frustrated with a painting, I take a step away, start a new painting, fingerpaint or go back to using my favorite techniques and colors… I do whatever it takes to get myself back to a less serious place, so I can start having fun again. 

I’d thought it was too painful to create if I couldn’t do it full-time. But now I realize that not creating was what held me back and really crushed my spirit. So now I paint every day, and I’m so honored and humbled to be able to share my art and creative journey with you (thank you!!!).

Next week I’ll tell you how I started painting and got the courage to put my paintings out into the world, so be sure to subscribe to the VIP Newsletter List and watch for that in your inbox if you’d like to know more. I hope it’s all inspiring and encouraging for you to follow your dreams too.

Happy painting!

Love, Juliette

PS Read Part 2 of my Artist’s Journey here.

This essay was originally published on Living The Way Of The Happy Painter on Substack.