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

Jo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I started pursuing my art in my mid-forties. I had gotten laid off from my twenty-year job as a physical therapist assistant. I was burnt out with the job anyway and decided it was the perfect time for me to change careers.

looking back, I wish I had started pursuing a creative career sooner. You see I had always had an inclination to be an artist at a young age. i was a very creative child. I loved making my own paper dolls, making things out of clay and finger painting was a favorite thing for me to do, when i went on a school filed trip to an art museum with my class in the sixth grade, I had a longing to be a painter. unfortunately, my erroneous thinking was I could never be an artist because I didn’t draw very well. It never occurred to me growing up that drawing was a skill I could perfect with practice. I feel if I had started my art journey sooner, I would be much further along in an art career by now.

Jo, 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?

After being laid off from my job I enrolled in a graphic design course with the plan to change careers. I chose a drawing class and a painting class for electives. Taking those two classes were a game changer for me. The classes made me feel like I was finally doing what I was meant to do. A strong passion was ignited in me for creating art. Other than the elective classes and a few workshops over the years I’m pretty much self-taught. Although I never finished the graphic design course (I eventually got my job back) I kept dabbing away at my art which I treated mostly as a hobby initially. Artwork was given away to family and friends.

When I retired in 2019, I was able to put more time into my craft and hone my skills. I turned my garage into my art studio. Lately, I’ve been working on developing my style. I hope to make a career out of being an artist. I’m gradually getting out there and have sold a few of my pieces. My next step is to develop my website and other social media platforms.

The mediums I mainly work with are acrylic and oil on canvas. I started out doing landscapes and now work a lot with creating abstracts and mixed media.

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

Two resources I wish was available earlier in my creative journey are affordable art workshops, workshops I came across over the years had always been too expensive for me, and I wish YouTube had existed in my early endeavors as an artist. I’ve come across some amazing workshops and art information on YouTube.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is the sense of pride and accomplishment of creating something original and unique. I enjoy the creative process even if it’s a struggle initially trying to solve a problem and create on canvas what’s in my mind. There’s nothing more enjoyable than standing back and looking at something you created. The process of creating is very enjoyable and brings me a sense of peace. I can get lost in it for hours.