We were lucky to catch up with Grace Mandl recently and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Yes, I have been a full time artist since the inception of my business in January 2021. Prior to that, I was a footwear designer for a well known footwear brand for nearly 5 years. I resigned from my job and launched my business the next day- I haven’t looked back since! Of course there is SO much I didn’t know- I still don’t know! But I have always believed in making a decision and sticking with it. I learned about a year into this that most creatives slowly transition into their own business vs quitting and then starting. But that wasn’t ever going to work for me. I go all in for everything I do. I am so fortunate to have so many loving people surrounding me, particularly my parents, who have encouraged me always. When I launched, my friends and family rallied around me, which kicked off that initial momentum. Luck favors those in motion, so I truly believe that those initial clients are responsible for so much of my success today!

Grace, 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 am an artist/designer with a focus in abstract oil painting. I have been painting for as long as I can remember, and have always wanted to be my own boss and create my own brand. In 2020 when COVID happened, it sort of served as a wake up call that I didn’t want to keep putting off dreams of mine for a later date. I decided to leave my successful career as a footwear designer and take a leap of faith creating my own business! The bulk of my business is creating custom commissioned oil paintings for clients. In addition to the commission work, I also release regular inventory of ready to ship paintings on my website. I absolutely love custom commissions- It is such an honor working with clients to create pieces that will live in their spaces for many years to come. It’s a really special and intimate process and it really means so much to see the way people trust me in their homes. I am humbled and honored every time! I am so proud of the pieces I create because they are such a part of me. My pieces are my visual journal- they are the way I best know how to be of use and communicate with the world. My goal Is to create authentic pieces to me, that also happen to make other people feel good too! I love the idea that I am creating family heirlooms that can be passed on for generations to love.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is the feeling of living in total alignment. I feel that my work and myself are in total sync, which is quite rewarding and fulfilling. My work is the visual representation of me- the two are intertwined and can not be separated. Its rewarding to feel like my passion, purpose, career are all one in the same.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the work flow of a creative is very challenging for non creatives to understand. Some people think painting all day isn’t a real job, some are confused by the hours, or what the days actually look like. The thing about being a creative, is because you never really turn it off, the working hours can look a little weird. I am always taking in everything around me as inspiration and using it as fuel for my next works. However, I am not painting Monday- Friday 8am-6pm. Some days I don’t paint at all. Some days I make a whole painting in one day start to finish. But even if I am not physically painting, I am always listening and looking. It’s all part of the process. I find that if I try to force painting too much or for too many hours, it has a negative impact on my creativity. It needs to flow, and that flow is different every single day. It requires a huge level of intuition, trust, and self awareness. It’s taken me a long time to let go of the guilt associated with not working a traditional schedule. Before I started my own business, I averaged 7o+ hours a week in the office, and could barely keep my head above water. I still struggle with the concept of balance in my life 3 years later, but I have found that those kind of hours are not sustainable or conducive to fostering originality or creativity for me. My first year in business I made 90% of my money for the year in a 4 month period. Then I took a 3 week vacation. This year it has been more of a consistent flow. It is always changing and flowing, and part of being a creative is riding the waves as they come.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gracemandl.com
• Instagram: @gracemandl

Image Credits
Photographer @tejas