Art by Allysia

I may have mentioned this a time or two before, but if you’re new here, welcome! I’m Allysia.

By day, I work full-time as the Community Relations Coordinator at The Arc of Delaware County, New York. Outside of work, you’ll usually find me in at my kitchen table with a paintbrush in hand and a camera set up ready to record, documenting the process as I build my art business.

One question I get asked is whether I want to become a full-time artist.

The honest answer is…maybe.

I’m not in a rush.

I love my current job. I like knowing I have a steady paycheck every two weeks. It takes a lot of pressure off my artwork. Because of that, I don’t feel like every painting has to sell in order for me to pay my bills. I can experiment, make mistakes, paint something just because it interests me, and enjoy the creative process.

Of course, if one day my paintings were consistently selling and I reached a point where art could realistically support me full-time, I would absolutely consider it. But for now, I’m happy building my business one painting at a time.

I see artists online creating 100 miniature paintings in a month, and honestly, that’s amazing. I have a lot of respect for the dedication that takes.

For me, though, success isn’t about keeping up with someone else’s pace. It’s about finding a rhythm that works for my life.

My day starts around 4:15 or 4:30 each morning. I squeeze in a quick 20-minute aerobics workout, get ready for work, pour a cup of coffee, and spend some quiet time writing blog posts like this one before heading out the door.

After work, I come home, spend some time with my husband and our dogs, eat dinner, and then from about 6:00 to 7:00 each evening, it’s art time. That’s when I paint, edit videos, and prepare content to share online.

It isn’t hours upon hours of painting every day, but it’s consistent. And I’ve learned that consistency is often more important than intensity.

The funny thing is, painting is actually the smallest part of running an art business.

Years ago, while I was serving in the United States Coast Guard, my half brother, Jacob Thomas, planted a seed that has stayed with me ever since. He said, “You make art now. Why don’t you get paid for it?”

That simple question changed everything.

It made me realize that creating art didn’t have to stay a hobby forever. It could become something more.

What I didn’t realize at the time was just how many different jobs an artist has.

On any given day I might be:

• Setting up a still life to paint.
• Adjusting lights and camera equipment.
• Recording the painting process.
• Editing videos.
• Writing captions and trying to come up with a hook that convinces someone to stop scrolling.
• Photographing or scanning finished artwork.
• Uploading paintings to my website.
• Writing product descriptions.
• Writing blog posts and newsletters.
• Sending emails.
• Designing graphics to promote new work.
• Carefully wrapping and shipping sold paintings.
• Visiting the post office.

Some days I spend more time at my computer than I do at my easel.

Being an artist means wearing a lot of hats. Painter. Photographer. Videographer. Writer. Marketer. Graphic designer. Web designer. Customer service representative. Shipping department. Accountant.

The painting is only one piece of the puzzle.

People often ask what success as an artist means to me.

I’ve been selling artwork and commissions for more than twenty years, so I already consider myself incredibly fortunate to have people who want to bring my work into their homes.

But if I had to define my biggest professional goal, it would be reaching a point where my artwork alone could support me financially.

Ironically, that’s also the goal that scares me the most.

What if I couldn’t keep up?

What if I had a huge following and couldn’t meet expectations?

What if creating became more stressful than joyful?

Those thoughts definitely cross my mind.

But I’ve also learned there’s no point worrying about problems I don’t have yet. If that opportunity ever comes, I’ll figure it out when I get there. For now, I’m exactly where I want to be.

I’m painting consistently.

I’m learning every day.

I’m building something slowly instead of rushing it.

And honestly, I think there’s something pretty special about that.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for spending a few minutes of your day with me.

Whether you’re an artist, a creative, or simply someone who enjoys seeing the process behind a painting, I hope you’ll stick around. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the highs, the lows, the finished paintings, and probably a few failures along the way as I build my newest collection.

I’d love to have you along for the journey.

And I’d love to hear from you. Are you working toward a dream while balancing a full-time job? Leave a comment below. I have a feeling I’m not the only one.