We were lucky to catch up with Alexis Rivera recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alexis, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I took a risk this summer when I decided to quit my job to travel and pursue my passion for art professionally and full-time. I had been working at a wildlife hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a wildlife rehabilitator for 5 years, a rewarding, yet, exhausting and under valued profession when an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself. My partner is an occupational therapist (OT) and we have daydreamed of a life where we traveled around the country while he did travel OT (similar to travel nursing), but, unfortunately, my current career had prevented us from taking the leap. We both loved traveling, but I knew the wildlife rehab field was small and competitive, so I would be giving up what I thought was my dream job.
When the pandemic hit I started watching Bob Ross videos as a sort of pick-me-up. Bob Ross has the most soothing, therapeutic voice and how can you not cheer up watching him paint “happy little trees”? I’d always loved artsy things so one day I decided to invest in some supplies and paint along with him. Turns out I really loved oil painting and the more I watched his show and practiced, the better I got. I started gifting my paintings to family members and with their incredible support and encouragement I began selling my art. First to family and friends, and then at local markets on the weekends. Still, I was afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone. I was afraid of leaving the stability that a consistent salary and benefits, however small, awarded me at the nonprofit wildlife hospital, and most of all, I was afraid of failure. Afraid that my art wouldn’t be good enough.
Eventually my newfound hobby became more than that, it became my passion. I wanted more time to paint, to experiment and discover my potential. I knew if I stayed at my job in Wisconsin I would settle for a life that didn’t bring me as much joy as painting and traveling. It led me to revisit that conversation with my partner and I did something I never thought I would do. I quit my job at the wildlife hospital and a month later we packed our bags and moved to North Carolina. I am happier than I thought I’d ever be. I am able to spend my days painting on the front porch and exploring this beautiful state on the weekends. It was definitely the scariest decision I ever made, but the support I’ve gotten from customers I’ve met during our travels have made it all worth it. The fear of unknown can lead to a life frozen in place contemplating a million what ifs. But taking a leap of faith and investing in yourself is always worth the risk.
Alexis, 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?
My name is Alexis “Lex” Rivera. I am a Puerto Rican self-taught artist and owner of Happy Accidents by Lex. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and now live and work in Wilmington, NC temporarily as I am traveling around the country with my partner. My inspiration for pursuing my passion for landscape art comes from my supportive family and my love for nature as well as my background in zoology, conservation biology, and environmental studies. I learned the alla prima direct painting technique from the world renowned artist Bob Ross while watching his “Joy of Painting” series. I now create Ross-style oil landscape and seascape paintings on canvas. Happy Accidents by Lex is a homage to my teacher Bob Ross’s motto, “There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.” With my work I hope to instill in others a sense of awe in the natural world and an appreciation of the earth’s many wonders.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The very first local maker’s market that I entered and debuted my business Happy Accidents By Lex was a total flop. I had prepared for weeks with new paintings and even a slideshow on my iPad of my previous work. I had assumed since it was Father’s Day there’d be a huge influx of people coming out looking for something to do with their families. I was wrong. And what’s worse, it was raining! The only sales I made that day were from my close family and friends that came out to support me. I barely covered my admission fee into the maker’s market. At first, I wanted to give up. I kept thinking what a fool I was to think that my art was worthy of purchase and display in the homes of strangers. But after reflecting on that day, and thinking more optimistically I learned so much from that experience. I got an idea of what worked and didn’t work in terms of my display. I learned how to make prints of my paintings by chatting with other artists at the market. I learned that timing, weather, and advertising for markets goes a long way. And most importantly I reflected on all the kind feedback I received not only from my family and friends, but from other makers and shoppers that day. “You’re so talented” and “Your art is beautiful” got me through many markets that weren’t as successful as I’d hoped. Every failure is an opportunity for growth. I have been doing a lot of growing since then and I am grateful for that experience early in my career.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Take the extra time to think about where you want to spend your resources. What’s convenient seems like the easy answer, but to encourage a world of creativity and to support those who love what they do it’s so important to reach out and support your neighbors, your artisans, your artists. Be intentional about where you spend your money so that commerce in the art community and beyond can be sustainable, ethical, and beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/HappyAccidentsByLex
- Instagram: @happy_accidents_by_lex
- Facebook: @HappyAccidentsByLex
- Other: TikTok: @happyaccidentsbylex