Art by Allysia

August 31 marked the end of an era for me. My digital painting series has officially been retired.

That decision wasn’t easy because those paintings helped me grow as an artist. They challenged me creatively, gave me confidence, and introduced my work to so many wonderful people. But as much as I loved creating them, I knew it was time for something new.

So, for the month of September, my online shop is temporarily closed while I create a brand-new body of original paintings.

Lately I’ve been reaching for paintbrushes instead of my iPad, and I’ve been finding inspiration in the simplest things around my home. I’ve realized that I absolutely love painting glass. There is something so satisfying about trying to capture reflections, transparency, and the way light dances across the surface.

For this latest painting, I challenged myself to paint a glass jar filled with cotton balls. It may sound like an ordinary subject, but I had so much fun figuring out how to paint the softness of the cotton against the smooth, reflective glass. Those little challenges are exactly what make me excited to keep painting.

Looking Toward the Future

People often say you need a vision if you want to be successful, and I think they’re right.

My vision is simple: I want to build a career creating and selling more original artwork.

Over the years I’ve sold commissions, murals, digital prints, and original paintings, but I want originals to become the heart of my business.

Recently, I printed 100 Certificates of Authenticity.

Why 100?

Because I want every single one of them to be mailed alongside an original painting that has found a new home.

I’ve already used two.

That means I have 98 more certificates waiting for the paintings I haven’t created yet and the collectors I haven’t met. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by that number, I find it exciting. It’s a reminder that this is only the beginning.

A Little Social Media Reality

Yesterday I wasn’t feeling well. My stomach was in knots all day, and I ended up relying on a video I had saved in my drafts so I wouldn’t break my daily posting streak.

Ironically, the video only reached a handful of people.

It made me laugh because I realized how much unnecessary pressure I had put on myself. I spent more energy worrying about missing a post than simply giving myself permission to rest.

That’s probably a lesson I needed.

One thing I’ve noticed over the past few months is that many of my biggest supporters are complete strangers. Of course, I have a handful of amazing friends and family who consistently encourage me, and I’m incredibly grateful for them. But I’ve also found an incredible community of artists and art lovers online who genuinely celebrate one another’s successes.

Especially on TikTok.

Other artists understand what goes into sharing your work. It’s not just making the painting. It’s setting up the camera, recording the process, editing the video, writing captions, choosing hashtags, finding good lighting, and then hoping the algorithm decides to show it to someone.

There’s so much that happens behind the scenes that people never see.

Imposter Syndrome

Recently I posted a video using the prompt, “I’m embarrassed to admit this as an artist…”

I shared that I struggle with imposter syndrome.

After posting it, I worried that people misunderstood what I meant.

It’s not that I think I’m a bad artist.

I’m actually very confident when it comes to my digital paintings. I know my strengths there.

What makes me feel like an imposter is comparing my traditional paintings to my digital work.

My digital paintings have rich, vibrant colors and loose, expressive brushstrokes that come naturally to me. With traditional painting, I tend to overwork everything. I refine and refine until some of the life disappears from the painting.

That’s exactly what I’m working on changing this month.

September is about learning to trust my brushstrokes, letting go a little sooner, and creating paintings that feel freer and more expressive.

I’m sure there will be mistakes along the way, but that’s part of becoming the artist I want to be.

What’s Next?

Throughout September I’ll be sharing plenty of behind-the-scenes moments, time-lapse videos, successes, and probably a few failures too. If you’re following along on social media, you’ll get to watch this collection come to life one painting at a time.

My shop is only closed temporarily.

On October 1, it will reopen with a brand-new collection of original paintings, and I honestly can’t wait to share them with you.

Thanks for being here and for following along on this journey. Whether you’ve been here since my digital painting days or just recently found my work, I’m grateful you’re part of this next chapter.