Why I Said Yes to Live Painting Again

Last week I live painted and auctioned off one of my pieces at the Mielle Cares Celebrity Pickleball Tournament, an event giving back to their organization focused on youth and mental health. While I was there, I got to connect with Mojo Brookzz and Eva Marcille. It was a good night, a good cause, and the kind of event I show up for happily.

What I didn't expect was what came out of it.

An Unexpected Invitation

Someone I connected with at the tournament reached out afterward and asked if I'd live paint at her son's trunk party. Live art isn't really something I do often, so it wasn't something I expected to be asked.

I've Become More of a Homebody

As I've gotten older, I've noticed myself becoming more introverted. More of a homebody. Content to create in my own space, on my own time, and let the work speak for itself online. There's nothing wrong with that season, it's real, and it's where I've been.

But I also want my business to thrive, and thriving sometimes asks something different of you than what's comfortable.

Why I Said Yes Anyway

I'm in a season of trying to figure out how to make this business pop again, and somewhere in that process I realized it might be time to get back out in public, as a brand and as an artist, not just behind a screen.

So I said yes.

I'm looking forward to challenging myself in new ways, exposing myself to the live art process again, and building my network in person, not just online. I want to be someone who's top of mind when big opportunities come up, and that means actually being in the room sometimes, not just posting from home.

The Business Has to Evolve With Life

Sometimes the strategy has to change as life and the world change. This business isn't only an e-commerce art brand anymore, and I don't think it's supposed to stay that way forever. Live art, in-person connections, real relationships built at events like this, that's a different kind of growth than a website update, and I think it's growth I've been avoiding without fully realizing it.

I don't know exactly where this leads yet. That's part of what makes it worth doing.

Showing Up For Myself Too

I'm juggling a lot of hats right now, art, a corporate job, real estate as a landlord, and an actual personal and social life underneath all of it. Saying yes to more public, in-person work means being mindful of my capacity, not just saying yes to everything because it sounds good.

Whatever this next chapter looks like, I want to make sure that no matter how full my plate gets, I'm still showing up for myself too, not just for the business.

FAQ

What is Mielle Cares?
Mielle Cares is the philanthropic side of the Mielle brand, focused on giving back to causes including youth and mental health. I paired and auctioned off a piece of my art at their Celebrity Pickleball Tournament to support that work.

Do you do live painting events?
It's not something I've done often, but I'm stepping back into it, starting with a trunk party I was invited to after connecting with someone at the tournament.

How do you balance art, a corporate job, real estate, and everything else?
Honestly, I'm still figuring that out in real time. Saying yes to more public work means being intentional about capacity, and making sure I'm showing up for myself, not just for every opportunity that comes my way.