We recently connected with Debbie Ali and have shared our conversation below.

Debbie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve always had sales here and there during my art career, though it really kicked off when I made the decision to leave my teaching career. I was able to dedicate time to creating new products, work on branding, and most importantly, attend events and markets that I would not have been normally able to go to because they were during the work day. From December 2023 to now I have sold work at over 25 markets and fairs, with my biggest accomplishment being Anime NYC in the Javits Center NYC. Being able to sell my work there was incredible!

Investing in higher end machinery early would have helped a lot! I am a huge fan of the XTool product line, and feel that having the equipment at home to make and try new products really fast tracked the growth of my business!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi I’m Debbie, fine artist and owner of Stargyal Shop! Sometimes I feel like a renaissance woman; over the years I have incorporated so many different art styles and mediums into my work. If it’s trending (ie punch needling) I’ve probably tried it. If it’s super niche (ie raku kiln firing) I’ve definitely tried it. I am an interdisciplinary artist based in the Bronx focusing on gender and fantastical topics. I specialize in visual arts, curation, and art education, based in the Bronx, New York. Ink drawing and book arts my specialty, and what you will mainly see in galleries and art shows. My small business, Stargyal Shop, are all handmade home decor items that combines Japanese culture with my fun silly self.

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?

We have 1,000 ideas just waiting to be made. I have so many lists of new products, drawings, and ideas that are itching to be made that it sometimes makes me wish my mediocre super power was being able to work on multiple pieces at once. However, every artist knows when you try to speed up the art making process, you start cutting corners and then all the art looks like sugar honey iced tea. So be patient with artists and if you really like their work, give them a follow on their socials! It’s free!

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

Before starting up Stargyal Shop, I was a high school teacher for 6 years. It was probably the scariest decision I have made in my life (and don’t freak out mom but cliff diving was probably an easier decision than this). I knew I had to though. Students are so aware of the energy that adults put out there and whether or not you are being truthful AND consistent to your beliefs and mindset. As teachers, we always want to model best behaviors for students, and encourage them to study and follow the career paths that they want to be on. How could I tell students to do this if I wasn’t taking the leap and trying myself?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daailart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daaliart
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@daaliart
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DaaliArt