We recently connected with Chelsea Tikotsky and have shared our conversation below.

Chelsea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Art has always been a part of my life, thanks to the encouragement of my parents, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I decided to give it a real try and pursue becoming a professional artist. In college, I earned a BA in Studio Art with an emphasis in painting and had the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy, where I was surrounded by centuries of art history and inspiration. Those experiences ignited my passion for painting.

During my final year, a professor told everyone that only a few of us would continue creating art after college, and it really stayed with me. It was very deflating. For a time after graduating, I stepped away from painting, questioning whether I could actually make a career out of it. But after some reflection, I realized that just because the odds seemed slim didn’t mean they had to define my story. If I didn’t try, I would never know what was possible.

That moment reignited a fire in me, and I’ve never looked back. I decided that only I could determine my future, and pursuing art has been one of the most fulfilling choices I’ve ever made.

Chelsea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For those who don’t know me, I’m an artist deeply inspired by the magical moments in nature and life that too often go unnoticed. In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re consumed by work, phones, and endless to-do lists, we rarely take the time to pause and appreciate the beauty around us. My art is a reflection of those fleeting, ethereal moments, created to remind people that magic truly exists.

One moment that stays with me is running by the bay at sunset. I’m a big runner, and as I ran, I was struck by the colors, textures, and sheer beauty of my surroundings. It was a feeling of pure joy—like magic—and that’s the feeling I aim to capture on my canvas. My goal is to bring that serenity, hope, and positivity into people’s homes through my art.

My work includes vibrant landscapes, waterscapes, and botanical paintings, all of which are rich in color, texture, and movement. I love incorporating maximalism into my pieces, where darker tones around the edges often give way to light and uplifting energy on the horizon. There’s always a sense of flow and motion in my work, inspired by nature—like the movement of water or the rustling of trees.

One of my favorite subjects to paint is botanical-inspired pieces. These paintings are pure romance, light, fun, and happiness. They’re heavily inspired by my love of Bridgerton, Chinoiserie, and the dreamy elegance of 19th-century romantic novels like Pride and Prejudice and Emma. There’s something so magical about the beauty of blooming florals paired with soft light and rich, playful colors—it’s a celebration of joy, kindness, and simply enjoying life.

One defining aspect of my work is that I taught myself how to paint with a palette knife. In school, we primarily used brushes for painting and palette knives only to mix paint. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I started experimenting with painting directly with a palette knife, and that’s when I discovered my true love for the medium. Palette knives give me the freedom to create dynamic texture and movement that I couldn’t achieve with a brush. While I do incorporate brushes in some pieces, the palette knife allows me to express the energy and flow I feel when I’m connected to nature. I often start with a bright neon acrylic under-painting, letting vibrant colors peek through layers of oil paint, creating depth and vibrancy.

What sets me apart is the heart and intention behind my work. I’m deeply connected to nature—it grounds me and inspires me, whether I’m near water, surrounded by trees, or watching a sunset. My art reflects that connection and invites people to slow down, find beauty in the small, magical moments of life, and hold onto hope and kindness.

Ultimately, my work is about bringing positivity, romance, and joy into people’s lives. Whether it’s through a vibrant landscape, a whimsical botanical painting, or a serene waterscape, I want to inspire people to not take the little things for granted—time with loved ones, the beauty of nature, or even just the quiet joy of a moment spent in reflection. These are the things that make life magical, and I want my art to help people see and feel that magic every day.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are so many things I wish I had known earlier in my creative journey—resources and insights that could have made such a difference during my early days. In college, there wasn’t much guidance on how to actually build a career as a professional artist. The options always seemed limited: get into galleries, become a teacher, and do your art on the side. No one talked about how to truly get your work out there or market yourself effectively.

Over time, I’ve learned so much about creating opportunities for myself that I wish I’d known back then. For instance, I didn’t realize how valuable it is to attend art fairs and gallery openings—not just as an observer, but as a way to network and do my own market research. Visiting galleries helped me see if they would be a good fit for my work and gave me a better understanding of what’s out there, both locally and globally. The more I explored, the more curious I became about the art world, and I realized it’s okay to ask questions and put myself out there without feeling intimidated.

I also discovered that there are so many ways to share your art beyond the traditional routes. For example, you can reach out to magazines for interviews or pitch article ideas like a “day in the life of an artist” or your perspective on creativity. Social media, which was just starting to grow when I was in college, has been a huge tool for me. It allows me to connect directly with audiences, share my work, and even collaborate with other artists. Pop-up art shows at boutiques or businesses have also been an incredible way to show my art in less traditional settings and reach people who might not typically visit galleries.

Another big lesson has been the importance of building relationships with other artists. Social media has made it so much easier to connect with artists across the country and even the world. I’ve learned so much from sharing experiences with others, and I love the sense of camaraderie we’ve built. We’re not competitors—every artist has their own unique voice and perspective. Supporting each other and sharing knowledge creates a stronger, more inspiring community for everyone.

I think if I’d known these things earlier, I would have been more empowered to explore the possibilities within the art world. It’s so important to stay curious, be open to learning, and take time to understand how you want your work to fit into the larger picture. I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned along the way, and I hope this helps others feel encouraged to carve their own path.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A big lesson I had to unlearn came from my time in college. Even though I took art classes, the professors didn’t really talk much about how to get your art out there or build a career as an artist. And I realize now that I didn’t ask enough questions at the time, but at the same time, no one really brought it up either. It would have been incredibly valuable to have those conversations early on. I had some underlying beliefs about what it meant to be an artist and how to get into a gallery, which I’ve had to unlearn.

One big misconception I had was that for my art to be in a gallery, that gallery must have the same type of art that I do; otherwise, it wouldn’t fit. But I’ve learned that this simply isn’t true. It’s not about having the exact same style, but about the characteristics of my art aligning with the gallery’s overall vibe. It’s taken me a while to rewire my thinking on this. For example, I once thought that my abstract landscapes wouldn’t fit in certain galleries because they didn’t feature landscapes. But I now realize that what matters are the shared characteristics—like the maximalism, the vibrant colors, the texture, the connection to nature. My art may not always be fully defined, but it’s not completely undefined either. It’s a mix that doesn’t always fit neatly into the box I once thought it needed to.

And as simple as that realization sounds, it wasn’t always easy to shift my perspective. But now, it’s been incredibly liberating and empowering to understand that it’s about the qualities and characteristics of my work, rather than trying to fit a certain mold.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chelseatikotsky.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseatikotskyart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Chelsea-Tikotsky-Art/61553069091328/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chelseatikotskyart

Image Credits

The images with me in them were taken by Olya Timoshevich. The images of just the single paintings I took.