We were lucky to catch up with Aremy Stewart recently and have shared our conversation below.

Aremy , appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am insanely happy to make art for a living. It’s my dream job.

You’re going to think I’m crazy, but when I was 10 I had an experience that cemented my desire to become an artist when I grew up. I was outside and it was very sunny and I was playing when all of a sudden I heard a voice that said clearly, “I’m going to stay here and I’m going to be an artist”. The voice was my inner self making itself known and expressing itself and ever since then I’ve been an artist. That’s the most spiritual experience of my life, and my art practice is a reflection of that deep inner conviction that I am here to be an artist. Period.

So no, I don’t ever think about ditching my art and finding a job working for someone else. I also love the hustle that comes from wearing all the hats in an art career. I love entrepreneurship and being my own boss.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I make big, abstract paintings. I’ve always loved to paint. My mom was an artist and I am an artist because she normalized that lifestyle for me. I’ve never not been making things, it’s really a way of being in the world. I think every kid is an artist, we just forget as adults that we all have this creative superpower. We grow up and get serious and stop making art because it isn’t practical. Meanwhile, making art will save your life, if you let it. If more people made art the world would be a happier, healthier place with less depression and self-destructive behavior.

As an artist I make art every single day. At this point it would be weird not to paint each day. It’s become such an ingrained habit. When I make time to get into the studio I am a much better person, mom, wife, and friend. I’m happy because I’m spending my life making things that I’m proud of. Part of my mission is to help other people rediscover their passions and live the life of thier dreams. I work with struggling creatives on their mindset and getting over their own blocks so that they can make more art and be happier people.

I grew up in Minnesota, married an Australian, moved to Europe and had a few kids. Now we live in Portland, OR. I work out of a studio I built in my backyard in 2019. I show work here in town, and also travel for work. I recently spent a month in Mexico City at an artist residency, where I worked on some large-scale canvas pieces and explored the city. I get inspiration from travel, literature, the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and being a parent. Color is the subject of my paintings. I am obsessed with color and its impact on human emotion and psychological wellbeing.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My mission is to help creatives get out of their own way and design the life of their dreams. I have come to realize that we are the biggest blocks to our goals and desires. Our fears and worries about how things might turn out keep us stuck in patterns of behavior that keep us small and unfulfilled. I help people artists get clear on what they want and how to get it.

This is a story from my own life and how I held myself back for years out of fear:

I always said I was an artist, but for the longest time I made art that I didn’t like and that wasn’t in alignment with the career I wanted. I made representational work that sold well, but that I wasn’t engaged with. I realized that I wanted to make the shift to abstract painting, and that scared me so much. I knew that I would lose a lot of collectors when I changed the style of art I made. And that’s exactly what happened. Overnight I stopped making realistic paintings and started working with abstraction and I lost my audience. They didn’t understand my new work. I didn’t understand my new work, and yet, it felt aligned and I was sure it was the right move. But it felt scary and the new work wasn’t good! I made really bad abstract paintings for a solid 2 years until I learned how to work in this new way. And as the paintings got better I started to grow a new audience, and now I’m making work that I love. But that never would have happened if I wasn’t listening to my intuition and willing to take risks.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I actually think everyone is a creative. I’ve never met a kid who didn’t use their imagination, or like to build things, or like to play. Playing IS creating. If you’re alive you’re creating. Look at your life. Your life is the way it is because you made it that way. You created the situations that brought you to where you are right now. There’s so much power in this! If you like where you’re at right now, congratulations! You made an awesome life for yourself. If you don’t like where you’re at right now, congratulations! You have the fantastic opportunity to make some changes. That can start immediately. There’s always something you can do to start shifting towards living a more aligned life. If you’re reading this you are a creative. Artists aren’t special, they are just people who prioritize making art more that the average human.

For the people I work with, oftentimes what’s missing is a daily art practice. A lot of folks wish they had time to make art but they’re putting it last on the to-do list. Through mindset work they start to unpack their own blocks and limits around how they think about art. They start to make art even when it’s scary. They start to say no to non-essential things so they can say yes to their own passions. They start to wake up earlier and fill their own cup before they start working for someone else. And that’s when the real magic starts. I love my job so much. I love the flow of being in the studio making art, and I want to share that good feeling with the world. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aremystewart.com
• Instagram: @aremyart

Image Credits
Ryan Warner Photography