We recently connected with Elyse Arnold and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Elyse thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I love being creative, and I love that my career as an artist allows me to do so much for others, and be who I need to be for myself as an individual. Before, for years I used to have to combat the timecard for my life outside of a conventional job, but since I’ve opened up my very own studio/gallery, I don’t know how I did it before! Work as a traditional artist isn’t just putting paint to canvas; it involves so much just to get to the easel, but that is what makes this whole thing fun — having diversity and challenges. Being a full-time artist has enhanced my life in different ways I never knew could be possible. For instance, my “retail therapy” impulses gets satisfied when investing into my studio and the materials, which then goes into the territory of helping navigate my mental health. My career allows me to meet new and familiar faces, a lot of which are high quality people in contrast of who I’d meet or work with in retail and service industries. I typically have more control with who gets to interact with me now, rather than behaving like a queued up NPC with a name badge, trapped behind a counter. I especially enjoy the “free time” in which I get to choose when to create. There have been lot of instances since opening in July of 2024 where I’ve realized there’s no way I can return to a 9-5 gig. Life doesn’t stop, and bosses usually don’t care about that. Which brings me to the next point: having the creative freedom to express myself in style and otherwise isn’t stifled, either. I get to make art, be myself, and leave an impact on a person or a multitude of people. I am pretty unorthodox, but this lifestyle to just be colorful and creative wherever I am, is absolutely the way to go.

Elyse, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I claim being a painter if someone asks “what art do you do?”, but I have many backgrounds in other areas, as well. I also do photography and model, graphic design, video editing, oddities and murals. I started out being self taught at 7 years old, and graduated Texas Tech University with my Bachelor’s of Fine Art at 31. I never stopped getting my hands into whatever kind of art I could as I grew up, but I landed on painting in my 20s. I love the human form, so that or mythical creatures are my typical subjects. It’s been described that I use vibrant colors and interesting visuals to tell a story, or to say anything at all. I’m a commission based artist, but I do end up getting rid of my “art for art’s sake” pieces, too. I would highly encourage the readers to never give up. If you love it, practice. If you hate it, practice. Practicing over and over and never stopping is what got me here, and I’m still not quitting. Art started as an outlet, a pass time, an expression. It’s still all of that to me. I still heal and process a lot with “The Art it Out Method” I’ve coined and utilize on the regular.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The way I watch people light up, laugh or cry at mine or anyone’s work is special. There’s just something about wanting to share my art with the World that I can’t put my finger on. I’m not sure what story I need to tell, but I’ve been equipped to tell it with my hands and imagination. I love what art does for me, I want it for others, too! It’s liberating, eye-opening and simply pleasing to the soul to express. I want anyone to be creative because anyone can be an artist: you just gotta make the art.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Art costs money to make — unless you’re out there making pigments or fabric from nature, but still. What would help creatives is funding like what we have for sports or other entertainment. If schools and universities received what the athletics get, we’d have so many strong, thriving artists able to create and do what we are put here for. The Master’s lived in castles, just to live their days as painters and sculptors. We need a resurrection of appreciation for the artists, but now we’re burning out. If we had incentives to be creative just like if we did going to fight a war or push a ball around some fake grass, society would be unrecognizable. Yet, the art departments are always the first to go. If it’s by design, we ought to change it up a bit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.artiqulating.com
• Facebook: Elÿse Arnold
• Other: Artiqulating [Tiktok]