" I am an Artist!"

I heard someone say "Claiming I am an artist is it's own personal revolution." I couldn't agree more! It also got me thinking about my own journey to saying "I am an artist".

It took me some time to call myself an artist, loudly and with confidence. I have always identified as a creative and understood that it is a huge part of who I am and how I want to contribute to the world and my community. I convinced myself at a young age that being an artist wasn't for me. I wanted stability and consistency mixed with creativity. I believed that textile design was my best path to fulfilling my desires. One day I'll share more about my textile design journey (it's evolving).

I am very fortunate to have a family that has always supported my creative passions. My mom always told me "do what you love and the money will come". My father has always encouraged me to use my talent and acknowledge it's value. While I had the support from those around me, I didn't always feel confident in how to move forward and grow with my artistry. After getting laid off in 2019, I felt I had the perfect opportunity to focus on my art. I realized it was all I would think about each day and what I wanted to give my energy to. I was just trying to take Sister Mary Clarence's advice okay! I wasn't clear on how I would support myself with my art and that scared me A LOT! I felt like I was in a place where my art was all I had to call mine and I had to find a way to thrive with it.

It's an interesting and challenging place to be. All my creatives know, many of us just want to create. We love the making part of our creative process. The business of it all doesn't always come as naturally. The last two years have given me the chance to dive into all of the above. I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned some things the hard way. I have also had some incredible opportunities to share my work with others and meet some incredible individuals. I've been affirmed in my talent by loved ones and complete strangers. I've had conversations with creatives that I admire and received advice, good, bad and super mid lol. I'm grateful that I've had this time to spend with myself and develop a brand that I am proud of thus far. I'm grateful that I've had the freedom and flexibility to do so because I know that's a luxury not everyone gets. My exploration and evolution is far from over and I thank everyone who has shared in this journey with me.

I've started this blog with the intention of sharing more of myself with you all. My hope is that we'll all understand that we are not alone in our feelings, even when it feels lonely. Where we are on our journey's has been experienced by others. As I share more with you, I hope you'll learn not just about me personally but also my art and inspirations. And I want to learn about you! I want to build community with you and grow alongside you. We're walking together and I'm so happy to have you with me!

All My Love,

Maya.