We were lucky to catch up with Isabella Breedlove recently and have shared our conversation below.

Isabella , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My life has always revolved around creative expression. When I was three years old, my mother, Kelly Lancarte, enrolled me in my first art class, and I never looked back. I’ve studied drawing, painting and sculpture. I took dance classes and acted in plays. I wrote songs and short stories, I journaled and blogged, and I learned how to play guitar, piano and ukulele.

Growing up, my mother never measured or judged my efforts – she always encouraged me to explore and develop my passions, whatever that looked like at the time. Ultimately, I established a career as a multimedia artist. While it may sound glamorous, there’s a big difference between following artistic passions and using those passions to build a business. I had to learn how to promote myself, how to price my work, how to juggle multiple projects at once and how to maintain creativity while adhering to specific project parameters like color palettes, dimensions and deadlines. But I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so it just seemed natural that I would be able to start something from the ground up just like they did. I’m lucky to have had people guide, support and walk before me.

Your learning process?

Nothing. My learning process wasn’t linear – I didn’t have a plan, and I  didn’t acquire my skills in any particular order. But when I look back,  everything fits together perfectly. I learned what I needed to learn at the  speed I needed to learn it. It’s like Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “It’s not the  destination, it’s the journey.”

What skill do you think was most essential?

I am very self-disciplined, and I think this skill has helped me feel fulfilled  and happy despite the stress of growing a business. I always have multiple  projects rolling, and for many of them, I am creating a client’s artistic vision,  not my own. I think it would be very easy to get burned out, but from the  very beginning I’ve been disciplined about setting time aside to make art for  myself, not for other people. I have to remember create things that are  personal to me so that I don’t over exhaust my creativity.I use this time to  explore my feelings, to heal, to experiment with color and to try out new 

ideas and techniques. It’s important to me to be creative because I want to  be, not just because I am getting paid. Although getting paid to be creative  is pretty great!

What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As an artist, there is always going to be a lingering fear of “Will they like  my work.” My strategy has always been to stay focused on the final product  and just push through any fear or doubts that may cross my mind. I think  that as human beings, it’s easy to take obstacles and turn them into  roadblocks. It’s our nature. I fight the urge to let obstacles take me back  and instead use them as new tools. I’m not perfect by any means  whatsoever but it’s all about trying. There’s always going to be a little voice  of self doubt wondering what other people are thinking, I have decided to  let the voice of positivity speak louder.

Isabella , 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 am a multimedia artist. My clients come from all over the country, and they commission me to create any kind of artwork they can dream up. I’ve made everything from traditional paintings to marbled resin charcuterie boards to a giant painted plexiglass menu for a candy shop! I am so grateful to each and every person who has ever ordered from me.
Right now, one of my most popular commissions – and one of my favorites to make – is called a Love Story Board. It’s a chalkboard that I paint like a canvas to tell the story of a couple’s courtship, from the first date to their wedding. Every Love Story Board is completely custom, and the process can take several weeks. We start with a questionnaire, and I incorporate their answers into my artwork, adding special details like hobbies and pets. Love Story Boards are usually displayed at the wedding reception, and couples love hanging them up in their homes. They’re always a sweet conversation piece!
Becoming an artist is a scary thing because the art world is constantly changing. I have had my Uncle, Lanny Lancarte, to guide me in this competitive world of creativity. He has mentored me my whole life but especially in the last two years when I began working for him at his restaurant Righteous Foods. He is one of the if not the most creative people I have ever met. His brain runs a million miles a minute – it’s hard to keep up sometimes. He is always pushing me to try new things, experiment and never give up. I admire him and all he has done to encourage me in my short 21 years on this earth.

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?

No, because I believe there is no such thing as a non-creative person. Everyone has a unique gift, and they can use it to be creative in whatever field they choose, whether it’s law or business, engineering or medicine. I use my gift to create art, and just like any profession, I’ve worked hard to develop my skills through education, dedication and practice – lots of practice!

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Definitely. When I was a teenager, I went through a very dark time. I was crowded by loneliness. As a result, I had a lot of frustration, anger and grief. Art gave me a way to deal with all of this inner turmoil, to process it, heal and move forward in a positive, healthy way. As women, we’re taught to not show emotions that are considered negative. That’s where society and I do not agree. My experiences empowered me to dedicate my resources –my art, business and even this interview – to amplifying women’s voices and acknowledging their emotions, even when it’s an emotion like anger or rage that makes society uncomfortable.

One day, I would like to create a foundation where I could bring women artists and non-artists together to collaborate, make art and learn from each other. Some people collect coins, others collect buttons but I collect stories. To have a platform to tell those stories and uplift women – that’s the dream.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.isabellabreedlove.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la.vida.mas.bella/
• Facebook: Isabella Breedlove
• Other: Tik Tok: Isabella Breedlove

Image Credits
Amber Shumake Blissful Sky Photography