Reigniting My Creative Journey…

Reigniting My Creative Spark as My Encore Career

I’ve had a career in design, first graphic design and then user experience design. In my day job, I shape digital experiences and create solutions for others. But somewhere along the way, I had put away the part of me that loved to create just for the joy of it—the artist inside me. Recently, I felt the pull to bring that part of myself back to life, and I decided to take on a new challenge: building an art business from the ground up. In a couple of years, I'll be ready to hang up my corporate career hat. I see a business in artistic expression as something I will do until I can't do it anymore. Because I love it so much. It's part of me. It's who I am and how God created me.

Why Now?

I love design, but I realized I had spent so much time crafting for function that I stopped creating for self-expression. I wanted to re-challenge myself, push beyond corporate work constraints, and find my own artistic voice. I missed the challenge of seeing something that inspired me or some image in my mind and trying to make it come out the way I imagined.

Starting this journey has been equal parts exciting and overwhelming. The world of art licensing, putting my designs on prints, totes and mugs, and creating surface pattern designs is vast, and I’m still learning where I fit. But one thing I know for sure—I’m ready to commit to my creativity and explore what’s possible.

The Challenges & Self-Doubt

Transitioning from a structured career to a more open-ended creative business comes with lots of challenges. One of my biggest struggles has been perfectionism—that little voice telling me my work isn’t “good enough” or that I should wait until I have everything figured out. Another challenge is staying focused and not getting distracted by every new idea (because, trust me, there are so many!).

But I’ve realized that waiting for the perfect moment or perfect style will only hold me back. Instead, I need to create, share, and refine as I go.

Committing to a 6-Month Creative Challenge

To push myself forward, I’m giving myself a new challenge: for the next six months, I will commit to a single art style and focus on refining it. No second-guessing. No jumping between aesthetics. Just deep exploration and consistency.

Here’s what I hope to gain:

✅ Establish a recognizable artistic style that reflects my personal vision.
✅ Build a stronger portfolio for potential art licensing and collaborations.
✅ Overcome creative self-doubt and embrace the joy of making art.

I’ll be documenting this process along the way—sharing behind-the-scenes work, my struggles, my wins, and everything in between. If you have ever struggled with creative self-doubt or finding your unique style, I’d love for you to follow me on this journey. I'd love to know if you have started a creative goal of your own.

Let’s Do This Together

Over the next few months, I’ll post updates here on the blog and on social media, too. If I share my journey—the highs, lows, and the messy middle—it inspires others to embrace their creativity too.

If you’ve ever put your creative dreams on hold, I want to hear your story. Drop a comment below or connect with me on social media! Let’s support each other in making art, taking risks, and finding joy in the process.

In the next post, I'll reveal my style selection and how I will hold myself to constraints so that I have an identifiable, consistent style across my future artwork. I hope you will tune back in and follow me. 

I will truthfully say that in the past year, I have been planning and working. I started with a divine appointment with Bonnie Christine and took her class "Immersion", and then later joined the Creative Powerhouse Society by Stacie Bloomfield. Weekly, I receive art prompts and really valuable lessons from Cat Coq. These inspiring teachers have helped me put together a plan to create surface pattern designs, leverage my art, and grow skills and learn how to look for trends. I hope you will check them out and learn from them, too. Their stories and work are a long way away from where I am now, but without them, I wouldn't be where I am now.