We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chelsie Tamala a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Chelsie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I am a self taught oil painter. I attended Phoenix College and studied Graphic Design which helped strengthen my eye. I still have never taken a traditional painting class but am not opposed to it.

In the the pursuit of learning anything you just keep practicing and keep studying and researching or doing what you want to be great at. I am still doing all of those same things today to help myself grow and continuously learn. Reaching out to others in the same field as you is also always a great way to learn or gain insight.
Perseverance I would say is the most essential tool. You can’t give up if something doesn’t work out the first time.

Failure does not exist. We only learn what not to do again.

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 am a self-taught oil painter and the creator of Level Body Skincare. Painting is something that I have always been drawn to and feel like I have to do. It quiets my mind and at this point is a necessity to how I operate. I recently finished a series of eight pieces. I painted nine mothers and their children during the pandemic. I am currently working on a series about over coming fear/anxiety and really stepping into your true self.

I have been exploring this idea further by painting on jackets and sweaters. Pictured is one of the jackets I painted on. I call them “force fields”. Representing the infinite energy that runs through all of us. The outwear feels like a suit of armor for me, to protect my energy.

Level Body Skincare is what I created during the pandemic while I was at home with my three kids. I have always wanted to create a product but I told myself if I ever did I need to believe in it and really be able to stand behind it. I have had medical issues and inflammation which began my endless search in finding clean skincare products. I never could find what I was looking for so I formulated it myself.

I turned to plants and oil based moisturizers which work miracles on your skin and treat the whole body so you can use it free of worry. It is part of my daily ritual to use my own products and something that I look forward to every day. It is important to me to use high quality ingredients while still being able to offer it at a median price range. It cleanses, moisturizes, smoothes fine lines and even tones your skin + more. The longer you use LB the more you will benefit.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

If you aren’t hearing ‘No’ you cannot find your ‘YES”! At this point in my artistic career I get excited even when I get a decline letter knowing that ‘they’ now know who I am and have reviewed my work. Same in developing a product. How are people going to know it exists unless you get it in front of them? Get those No’s to find your Yes’s.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me it’s freedom in being myself and being able to create something and share it with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chelsie.co; www.levelbody.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelsie.art/; https://www.instagram.com/_levelbody_/
• Facebook: Art: https://www.facebook.com/chelsietamala/ LB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069830416384
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chelsie-tamala