We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Destiny Musick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Destiny below.

Destiny, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

Generally most of my physical work is misunderstood but that is typically what I expect when my general style is abstract, rarely stylized. I have themes for each piece and most of my art is emotion based so I don’t expect everyone to understand.
Art is my ultimate escape, and the challenge with being a primarily abstract artist is that most people want you to have a “niche” or style that you hone in on but I love having a little bit of everything. There’s not a specific instance that comes to mind when my art has been misunderstood but I think that comes with the territory of what being a creative is.. Our art won’t be for everyone and that’s okay.
There was a period of time that I tried to change up what I do with physical art and I was miserable because I was trying to paint in hopes to impress others and yet, that wasn’t who I was. I have stacks and stacks of canvases that I have poured my heart into, every piece having at least 10+ layers and that’s who I am. I’m the girl with paintings that have “hundreds” of layers because I’m constantly changing things. The insight I have taken away from the full experience is that it is okay to not please everyone and it isn’t my job to do that.
I have several people that love my digital art that is more realistic and catered to what my client asks for, and I can do the same on canvas at request- however, I always let my client know my style, see previous works I’ve completed, and make sure they’re comfortable with commissioning me to create a piece for them.

Destiny, 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?

I have been creating since I was a child, however I paused my creativity for a long while due to (then) undiagnosed autoimmune diseases. October of 2023 I got my “spark” back after a small interaction with a local artist named Jon Rollins who had his work in a gallery and I was mesmerized. His creations touched a part of my soul that I had forgotten existed. Simultaneously I was going through the loss of my grandmother and that was when I picked the paintbrush back up. I do struggle sometimes to do physical and digital art due to my autoimmune diseases but I do as much as I can when I’m not having a flare up, and with me recently starting a new treatment I firmly believe I will be able to do so much more in 2025! I look forward to it so much!
My daytime job is being an Ophthalmic Assistant but in all of my free time I try to create, paint, draw, make connections- it can be quite exhausting sometimes though.
The dream I have for myself is one day I can be a full time artist, do more art shows, and be surrounded with other creatives like myself.
We are all different in what we do and the emotion that is put into each work of art- I think that is part of what makes the artistic community that much more amazing. Another artist and I may both love to do abstract but no two artists are the same, our pieces would be completely different. We all have something different and amazing to bring to the table.
My goal for 2025 would be to make more connections, have more commissions, and I know to do that I will have to dedicate myself to making more content.
It is exhausting but worth it when you’re doing it for what you love with a passion like no other.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I had rarely thought of myself as resilient until this past year. Throughout my art journey I had also been battling unknown chronic illnesses that would ultimately change my life once diagnosed. Being diagnosed with 2 autoimmune diseases along with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome hit me like a rock. My health had always been in question, even with me being 27 I have been symptomatic since very early teen years and no doctor knew what was wrong or how to help. Through chronic pain and being sick and severely hypermobile I still worked my job as an ophthalmic assistant and created whenever I could.. even if it was just me jotting down notes about a piece I wanted to make or had an idea of. There isn’t a “cure” but there is mitigating symptoms/inflammation and I have found that when I am creating I get myself into a zone where nothing else seems to matter, I don’t feel as angry at my body, I stop comparing my life currently to what I had planned on it being as far as achievements, I just let myself be and believe that it’s all going to be okay. Then when I finish a canvas or digital piece I feel genuinely proud of myself- I have been in pain and sick since I was 13, I’m 27 now and have finally been diagnosed and am getting the treatment I needed. I have been through a lot but I have never wanted that to be what defined me because I am so much more. I am an artist, a mother, a fiance, a lover of cheeses, and pasta- there is so much to life that I don’t want to miss!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

To support artists, creatives, and to create a thriving creative ecosystem it has to start within our own communities. Supporting local businesses instead of taking the easier route of convenience. Showing up for creatives, buying their work, trading goods, there is so much we have to offer one another but also for non-creatives as well!
Everyone has an inner-creative, whether they tap into it or not is a different story, but among all of the creatives there is something for everyone. All of our crafts and specialties are different so there’s no excuse to not support. If we can get everyone on board with that idea and belief then maybe we won’t have artists exhausted and worried about fitting into an algorithm or creating content to a certain standard and then still feel like they fall short.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/notdestinymusick