Starting my business was never something I had planned or imagined for myself. But when my daughter was born during the height of the Covid pandemic, everything changed. The world was in turmoil, and I found myself struggling with depression. I needed something—anything—to keep me afloat, something to help me cope. It was during my therapy sessions that the idea of starting a business first crossed my mind.
At that time, I was miles away from family and friends, living in Las Vegas with my husband and baby. We were each other’s only support system, navigating the challenges of new parenthood without the usual network of loved ones. The early months were incredibly isolating. I needed a creative outlet to channel my emotions, to give myself a sense of purpose outside of the daily grind of motherhood. I realized that the creative spark that had always been a part of me could be turned into something meaningful—something that could help others too.
So, in 2020, I launched my website and Etsy shop, filled with artwork and designs that represented my journey through the chaos. But even after starting my business, life had its way of making it harder to stay consistent. Between caring for my daughter and balancing my husband’s work schedule, finding time to work on my business was a struggle. I’d try to squeeze in creative time during my daughter’s naps or after she went to bed, and there were countless moments when I felt like I wasn’t making enough progress.
At the beginning, I worked primarily on my Surface using Corel Painter, but when my Surface died, I was left scrambling to find a new tool. I turned to watercolors and acrylics, a medium that allowed me to tap into my creativity in new ways. Eventually, I got a laptop and an iPad, and Procreate became my go-to tool for creating digital art. The flexibility of working on my iPad has given me the ability to create anywhere, anytime—and it has allowed me to explore a whole new realm of possibilities.
Throughout all the ups and downs of the last four years, my art has been the one constant. It has helped me stay centered through some of the most difficult moments of my life—like the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages and the challenges of IVF. The journey through fertility struggles was draining, both physically and emotionally, and I’ll always carry that experience with me. But when my daughter was born, it felt like a turning point, a moment where I decided that I was enough, and that my family was enough.
With everything going on, it was incredibly hard to find a steady rhythm in my creative work. There were weeks, months even, when I couldn’t tap into my artistic flow. And then, this past winter, something shifted. My daughter started PreK, and for the first time in years, I had space to breathe and focus. The silence in the house was hard to get used to, but it’s been such a gift to finally have time to really dive into my business and nurture the creative side of me that had been put on the back burner. I’ve spent time reworking my Etsy listings and restructuring parts of my website. I’ve even ventured into creating limited-edition magnets, mini works of art that display my designs in a whole new form.
Looking back, I’ve realized that my business isn’t just about selling products—it’s about how art has saved me, over and over again. It’s how I process my emotions, how I center myself, and how I navigate life’s challenges. My art allows me to escape, to let go of my anxieties, and to connect with the world in a meaningful way. I’ve learned to accept that there are seasons in life, and that some days, my creativity will flow freely, while others will be quiet. But that’s okay. Through it all, I’ve learned to embrace the ebb and flow of both my personal life and my business.
What I’ve learned most in these past four years is that art is a part of me—it’s my escape, my therapy, my joy, and my purpose. And I’m grateful that I’ve found a way to turn it into something that not only fulfills me but can also inspire and bring a little bit of color and joy to others.