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

Alyssa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

After working in a cooperate setting gor years, I felt monotony slowly creeping in and the only time I would feel myself come alive again was when I was creating artistically. When I let myself fall into artistry, the world fades away and I feel lit from within as I swim through the experience.

Alyssa, 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 a creator and artist of all kinds, but my favorite media to share with others is movement. I teach aerial and circus arts at multiple studios around Houston, TX. I very much enjoy instructing such a dynamic program, how fast paced and exciting it can be. My favorite part of teaching a movement modality is creating a performance for the athletes to showcase their new skills for an audience. Making shows brings many of the creative skills I like to use together, and I get to see my students grow in their confidence and abilities and see how excited they get to show family and friends how hard they are working.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I first started my own circus training business, I was met with a good deal of negative feedback from family and friends. They wanted to support me and my choices but to most, it seemed I was letting go of a good, steady corporate job to “run off and join the circus”. And for the first year, I did struggle immensely with sustaining myself and my family on the profits of my circus business but determination and love for my students pushed me to continue and to show my children and athletes how to persevere through tough times.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that it is important to support artists by instilling in children the personal as well as communal value of art. If we collectively treat art as something only children do or something that is silly to pursue professionally, we are all missing out on enriching, life-giving experiences. I believe art gives buoyancy to life and teaching that notion to youth will help them create buoyancy for others, so that we may all continue lifting each other up.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @wittyquiped