We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amber Streed. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amber below.

Amber, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I was at my last job for over 10 years before realizing I needed to pursue what truly set my soul on fire. I searched for creativity in that role every day, but it was never enough. I felt myself slipping away…dreading each morning, each interaction, each day. What I longed for was to express myself freely, to live surrounded by color, and to use the canvas as my therapy.

After months of soul searching, I came to a simple truth: life is too short to stay miserable. So I left that safe space and stepped into the unknown. Looking back, even with the struggles, it was worth every risk. I feel life returning to my bones, and my creativity is more alive than ever.

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

I’ve been creative for as long as I can remember. I was always drawing, painting, or crafting as a child. Today, I am a self-taught mixed media artist, and what sets my work apart are the messages, emotions, and the way I use color to express them. My deeper journey into mixed media began after I stepped away from alcohol inks, which had only amplified my struggle with perfectionism. Everything shifted when I took the Abstract Refinery course by Ange Miller—it changed the entire direction of my art. For the first time, I allowed myself to create freely, releasing the thoughts that had held me back from painting without restraint.

Grief has become both a shadow and a guide. Through it, art has been my therapy.
Turning sorrow into color, loss into movement, and pain into meaning. What I’m most proud of is breaking free from the cycle of perfectionism and allowing creativity to hold me in my darkest moments. If you look back at my art journey, you can see the transformation unfold!

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

The most rewarding part of my creative process is witnessing someone be emotionally moved by my art. When the connection sparks and the message reaches them, I know I’m on the right path. It’s a connection beyond words. A dialogue expressed through color and movement. I’m honored when others witness the result of me laying my soul bare in each piece I create, and deeply grateful that art has been my light in the darkest of times.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

To me, there’s no such thing as a non-creative person. Creativity takes endless forms, and we all carry it within us. As children, we created without hesitation. We colored outside the lines, mixed colors that ‘didn’t belong,’ and did it purely for joy. Over time, fear and perfectionism creep in, and that’s what silences creativity. But it never leaves us. Once you let go of judgment and the need to be perfect, you’ll see that creativity has always been there, waiting to be embraced.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dreamlacedsoulscapes.com
• Instagram: dreamlacedsoulscapes
• Facebook: dreamlacedsoulscapes