Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Destiney Powell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Destiney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Yes I have been making a full time living from my artwork for 9 years.
The journey to full time income started while I still worked my corporate job. I knew I wanted to pursue my creative career seriously so I created a business plan and began implementing it day by day. I used to bring my sketchbook to work and draw at my desk during breaks and lunch. My coworkers started to notice and commission portraits. Within a few months I was matching my income from the job. I would paint at night and work my job during the day and set monetary goals to achieve. Once I started to exceed those goals I knew it was time to pivot and implement the next part of my plan which was to create a body of work to submit to shows. I participated in local events and festivals to get my work in front of people and posted online every day on instagram and facebook. I basked 2 jobs for a year to begin earning from my craft and learning how to run a business as well as manage a creative process.

I sold my first piece of art at a summer camp when I was in middle school. After the first sale I knew I could make a living from my art, I just didn’t quite know how. I was making a full time income from my art when I left my job but I believe that is due to the clients I connected with while working and I had saved up a year of income from the art to sustain me while I continued to build my business.

I believe I did take the necessary steps to speed up my career growth. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I now see that I gave myself freedom to create freely without the pressure of having to make money by testing and building a strategy while having another source of revenue.

Destiney, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always been an artist but I decided to commit to the craft full time in 2016. I wasn’t connected to the corporate office world and I wanted whatever I was working on day to day to reflect who I am.
I provide figurative and portrait paintings inspired by a diaspora of cultures and natural elements. Some of those paintings become wearable art such as hoodies, tshirts, and home decor items. Some of them I license to publishing companies for oracle decks, canvas prints, greeting cards, etc.

I believe I address the problem of connection and unity within many cultures and communities. My work explores how we are all connected to each other, and the natural elements. Many embellishments in my pieces expand across many generations and cultural practices and traditions. My aim is to allow my viewers to see themselves in my work, to feel how deep the ancestral connection runs through them from past to present to future.

I believe my use of color and the narrative details included in my work sets me apart from others. My ability to tell a story with portraits as well.

I am most proud that I continue to create, that I get to live my dream of spending my days creating art, reading, and spending time with other creators and art lovers. That I get to connect with people all over the world through art.

I want the readers to know that I am forever a student and a fan of telling stories of real people like them. My paintings are inspired by real people experiencing life but through my artistic interpretation of the lesson they taught me by allowing me to see them.
I want them to know that my work is meant to be a reflection of us and the beauty of truth, not through a lense of pain but through the gaze of an admirer.

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

I wish I knew about the resources available to artists as a business such as state grants and, entrepreneurial training programs. The importance of constantly developing your craft and unlearning and relearning multiple mediums and disciplines. I wish I knew about all if the books on licensing your art, how to price your work, legal contracts for artists in the beginning. I have read many books and listened to so many videos on the topics now. I went to the library and started reading in the business and marketing section. There are so many resources one book I highly recommend is “The Business of Being An Artist”.

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

I had to unlearn the traditional model of selling and earning.
I use to think that I would just make a painting for someone and sell it rinse and repeat until I met my money goals for the month. I quickly learned that this leads to burn out and not enough money.
I now know that it’s easier to have a piece of art create multiple streams of income by diversifying what you can provide.
I also love the process of bringing my digital community on a journey with me through the creative process to the finished product. I ask them questions and make adjustments per their recommendations so we’ve co created a piece together that we all can enjoy and take part in. It’s very important to let people know that you are real and you value them this creates life long bonds with your supporters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Poeticallyillustrated.net
• Instagram: Poeticallyillistrated
• Facebook: Poetically Illustrated