We recently connected with Elena Gunderson and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Elena, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

If you had told me three years ago that my primary source of income would be my art I would have struggled to believe you. I had attempted to go full time art twice before. I usually made it a few months at a time before realizing my pockets were far too light, and returning to the restaurant and service world from which I came. While I would love to say that I know longer work for anyone but myself, I have found that working one day a week for someone else isn’t necessarily a bad idea. It supplies a steady income for which the art world doesn’t always provide. Living in a rent competitive city such as Denver requires a fairly high and regular income that my art does not entirely supply, however, I am finally at a time in my art career where I am seeing consistent growth and demand. I live modestly but passionately. I am happy that six out of seven days a week I am fortunate enough to devote my time to my craft, and my career. Hard work does pay off.

Elena, 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?

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

For me, the most rewarding part of being artist is being able to do the thing I know I’m meant to do. There has never been a question in my mind of what I am. I have identified as an artist for as long as I can remember. As much as I enjoy the process of painting, creation does not come as a choice but rather a compulsion. I can’t not make stuff. It just wouldn’t make sense. To stop producing art would be like cutting off a limb or removing part of my brain. It is as much a part of me as my hands or feet and I simply can’t imagine a life without it.

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

Something I had to unlearn about my art was the pressure to produce and how often we sacrifice the joy of creating without realizing. As an art school student majoring in Illustration, we are taught to make what the client wants, and to follow an outline. Often in those situations it can be easy to lose what makes our art our own and can sometimes feel like we are compromising ourselves. As art becomes our careers the demand to produce can feel burdensome. Joy is the most important part of production to me. Finding ways to bring that into every project you produce and trusting yourself is of the utmost importance. I often think of how kids create so freely and I think as we grow that wonderment can be lost or stifled. Sometimes it feels like we are spending our lives trying to become that fearless child that we once were. What was once, can be once more. Embrace the chaos, and have fun.

Contact Info:

• Website: elenathunderson.com
• Instagram: @elenathunderson

Image Credits
Richard Alden Peterson (Artist Portrait)