Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alli McAfee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alli, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

When I started painting again a little over two years ago, I was not intending to pursue a career as an artist. I was happily teaching at the time and made a few pieces for my school’s spring art show. This was where I sold my first painting and something about that experience ignited a long forgotten desire to create.

I started out by participating in local art events and markets. Seeing my work resonate with others gave me the confidence to apply to larger fine art shows. This is when I really started to find my footing and it made me wonder why I had stood in my own way for so long. I’d given myself an endless list of reasons why I wasn’t ready or good enough based on unrealistic expectations I had set for myself. I sometimes wish I’d been able to let go of those sooner so that I could have experienced this amazing part of my life for longer.

But, truthfully, this happened exactly when it needed to. I don’t know if past versions of me would have fully appreciated this privilege or been able to keep going when faced with rejection. I’m just ecstatic that it’s happening now and that the best is yet to come.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My love for creating started at an early age. I spent many summers with my Nana and aunts reading stories together, watching movies that fueled my imagination like The Last Unicorn, and scouring the “woods” hoping to stumble upon hidden magical creatures I could document in my sketchbook.

One summer that particularly stands out to me is when I was introduced to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis and my aunt got me a Crayola 50 colored pencil set. It didn’t take long at all for me to fill an entire sketchbook with drawings of fauns, centaurs, glowing lamp posts, and maps of magical worlds. This early exploration of interweaving my love for storytelling, art, and nature became an intrinsic part of my creative process.

I didn’t discover my passion for watercolor until high school and it was most certainly not love at first sight. I had only worked with graphite and colored pencils up until then and my art teacher, wanting me to explore new media and step out of my comfort zone, practically forced me to try painting. I started with acrylic and just as I was getting comfortable working with it, he switched me over to watercolor. As a {recovering} perfectionist, I find it difficult to keep doing anything that I’m not immediately good at, so I really disliked watercolor in the beginning. But I kept working with it and Mr. Wood even let me incorporate colored pencils and pen so that I could use a familiar medium. When I eventually completed a piece, something just clicked and it has been my favorite ever since.

I took an unexpected hiatus from art for about 11 years, but I found my way back to it after the pandemic. It had never been so apparent how fleeting life is and that it’s far too precious to not pursue your desires.

Through art, I was able to reconnect with little Alli and share her stories. I strive to create work that I know would make her proud and that resonates with fellow story lovers.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of this journey is definitely the connections I get to make through my art.

I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, whether it be some grand fantasy or a humorous anecdote from my life. I love the connection you feel with someone as you share your story with them and I especially love that no matter how many times you may tell the same story, there is something new taken from each retelling.

Being able to connect with others, oftentimes strangers, with the stories I tell through my art has been such a joyful part of this. Sharing common interests or similar lived experiences has given me some truly special moments of human connection.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the greatest dilemmas I think all artists face is the balance between creating for yourself and creating for an audience. The constant evolution of social media has made this even more challenging.

When I was first starting out, a lot of the work I created was based on what I thought other people would want. I was really focused on growing my social media presence and I thought that painting what was popular would do that.

Social media can be a very important tool for artists, but the problem was that I was telling other people’s stories with my art. While I did make some great pieces during that time, I noticed a major elevation in my work and my confidence when I shifted my focus to creating work for myself and telling stories in my own voice. Making this change taught me that authentic and unique work is what attracts an invested audience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bowerbirdfineart?igsh=aXU2aWx6d3cxeHB2&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081784323390&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits

Headshot photographed by Brittany Windham