We recently connected with Abigail Murphy and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Abigail, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’ve been an artist my entire life, first drawing with crayons and markers and pretending I could play Fur Elise on my keyboard; then into video making on cassettes, writing stories and plays, acting, directing, designing, cosplaying, and most recently into content creation and business. “Rosaleigh Arts” has been my business name since I was 12, as a matter of fact, when I started selling paintings and could finally remember how to spell middle name.

Obviously as a kid art was natural and fun! No stress involved! But once I hit 16 and started going to college without knowing what I could do or handle with mental health having gone off the rails and making me G.E.D. my way out of high-school, I started to think of art as a means of survival. It wasn’t fun anymore; I had the sheer goal of making a living off of my art because I couldn’t do anything else. Anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, discalculia, the works; it makes handling people and workloads difficult to unbearable.

It got worse when I hit 18, and even more horrible at 22 when I had an overnight phone job I hated. I got to do art at that job, though, to spend the hours away. I wrote out the start to my book there. Got lots of video ideas. But I was exhausted with the 10pm-6am shifts, and my manager could be very moody and intimidating. I had a panic attack, like a lot of jobs in my life, and had to quit. I was “un-self-employed,” as I put it, for 3 years. I tried working here and there, but mental health made it impossible. So I focused on art again, freshly inspired in the wrong ways, to try making money. I wouldn’t have had the chance to survive without my now-husband then. Content creation and commissions were slow going and difficult.

So art was fun, then it was for survival. Then suddenly, there felt like there was no reason to do it; I applied for disability in 2022 and slowly gave up the idea of working at all without fully realizing it; if I could make money and wasn’t really supposed to work anyway, what was the point in striving for any artistic career?

I got declined for disability about a month ago, struggled with missing meds for a horrible half-week a week and a half ago, and finally, within the last week, realized some things about myself because, or perhaps in spite, of it all.

I’m not the same person I was just several years ago, much less younger, and I don’t like that. I’ve gotten to have selfish tendencies, I was never taught how to be a proper adult, I’m awful with commitment to projects and jobs, have had terrible procrastination and a worse attention span…I don’t like who I’ve grown up to be. And I *am* a grown up. I’ve never felt like one. But now, I’m taking a whole new lease on life. I’m working on bettering myself; as a person, as a professional, and, surprisingly, as an artist. No more procrastination, no more rushing and ruining quality, no more desperation, and no more giving up.

This weekend, my husband and I are cleaning out a building in order to make it my new craft room and studio. I’m not going to put off finishing my book any longer. I’m going to stream and make videos again. I’m going to draw, and sew, and design, and do whole projects, and *create* again, all for fun and for the relief it’s supposed to be. If it makes money, great! That’s not not a desire! But it’s not my main goal anymore. And it shouldn’t be, not with art.

I’m excited for my new character arc, and I’m working hard towards–and hoping for–a good one.

Abigail, 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 started my brand name, Rosaleigh Arts, when I was 12! I started selling paintings I made, and kinda settled on that name, but I’m not quite sure why back then, haha. Rosaleigh is my middle name, so it sticks with me regardless of nicknames or name changes; plus I’ve always liked it!

When I was 15 I got introduced into the world of cosplay, along with anime; I started learning Japanese at that time, too, because I wanted to write songs in Japanaese (it’s a very poetic language.) Nowadays, 基本的な日本語を話せます! And cosplay has become a central artform for me.

Cosplay is what really pulled in all.my talents, and brought more in. I figured out that sewing isn’t as hard or as scary as it seems, and got to learning it! Wigs and makeup came next, then a number of crafting methods, pattern making, and eventually 3D Printing! Alongside cosplay, I continued to develope graphic design and photoshop skills (starting when I was 13 in graphic design class), videography and video editing, modeling, social media, and finally content creation combining it all again! D&D and Magic the Gathering have also come into my life thanks to my husband, and I do all kinds of art for those–writing, painting, cosplay, acting…even logic and tactics!

I’m self-taught in every art I know aside from acting and graphic design. I never had teachers for what I got interested in growing up, so I’ve gotten very good at learning and teaching myself. I think it’s part of what makes me, as I’m told, a good teacher, too, on top of adoring children. I’ve taught drama, photo and video editing, camera work, graphic design, costume design, and sewing to many people from kids to adults, both publicly and privately. I love teaching, and seeing people–kids especially–just light up when something they’re trying to learn clicks. It’s always an amazing feeling for both teacher and student!

With all that info-dumping in mind, the long and the short of it is that art has always been my life, and Rosaleigh Arts is how I share it with the world. It started as “Rosaleigh Art,” but I do so many arts, the “s” at the end was added. YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok are how I get my acting and presentation chops up and have fun doing it every time; Instagram and Facebook combine as a place to share my latest cosplays, art, and projects; and now for almost a year exact, I have 2 websites! One for Rosaleigh Arts all in one package, and one for my upcoming D&D campaign book, “The Dawn of Annwn.”

I love sharing what I do, and the hardships I have to get past to make it happen. Making art, making friends, and giving and gaining confidence and inspiration are some of the biggest reasons I do what I do and work so hard on it all. It betters me, and I hope it can better others, too.

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

Everyone can be creative; everyone IS creative; but people that don’t embrace creativity both within themselves and in the world are actually the ones having a harder time than us who follow our creativity.

People who don’t respect the arts or even mock it don’t realize what their world would be without it. Art is everywhere, both man-made and not. Entertainment is art, building is art, nature is art incarnate…even science has beauty to it, and trying to understand the complexities of science, social sciences, and life take creativity and an open mind.

Never let anyone discourage you on your art, whether it be a hobby or your career. It’s a release of energy and emotion not everyone has, and self-expression is a wonderous thing. You, and your art, are valid to simply exist, be melded, and created. Be the art in the world, and see the beauty there is in everything, good and bad. Let those who want to see only in black and white miss out on the wonderful colors and shades being has to offer.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I went from enjoying art, to desperately wanting it to be a survival method, to no longer seeing the point in doing it.

Surviving is hard, and having to make money to do so is so unfortunate, to say the least. The other side of that, however, is riding high on the good feeling you get from actually making money–or, often in my case with health issues getting in the way–feeling like your art isn’t good enough to have been purchased aren’t healthy, either.

It takes money to survive, but that’s not all there is. I’m finally doing art again, and I’m not focused on the worry or stress of whether it sells or not. I know I’m blessed with the people around me’s support, but regardless of what art you do, art is supposed to be *fun*. Acting on stage can be stressful–so stop thinking about your performance and having fun performing. Constantly having to make new paintings or videos or writings or any content can be stressful–so stop thinking about the future of your art negatively and focus on living for fun in the present. Sharing your art can be scary since you don’t know what people will think of it–who cares? You aren’t required to impress anybody or ask for validation or approval.

Do art for your own satisfaction; for love of the craft. Not everyone is going to approve or like your art, so do it anyway.

I’ve struggled to survive, struggled to continue, and struggled to make. But now, looking back on a good handful of blessings in disguise long since coming around, I’m going to struggle for fun. Get frustrated that something isn’t quite right with my piece and I can’t tell what. Cramp my hands drawing and writing for long periods of time, and stiffen my back from bending over sewing for so long. Wake up in the middle of the night with an urge or idea I just have to sate.

I’m going to have fun doing what I love, and I’m going to go through the struggles that come with it because of my love for it.

A little bit of hatred towards your process is okay, too, of course. We all can’t draw the second eye as easily as the first.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rosaleigharts.com
• Instagram: @Rosaleigh_arts
• Facebook: @Rosaleigh
• Youtube: @Rosaleigh Arts
• Other: @rosaleigh_arts on TikTok www.dawn-of-annwn.com

Image Credits
SuperPowerStudiosFL, James Cacciatore, Rosaleigh