We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Keisha Pruhs a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Keisha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

My first dollar I earned as a creative (that wasn’t from a friend or family member), happened a little after I opened my Etsy shop. Someone ordered a sticker that I had made from one of my original designs, and I was so excited! I packaged it and put it in the mailbox that very night. It was such a great feeling having someone selectively choose something that you created, even as small as a sticker.
I still get extremely excited and overwhelmed with gratitude anytime someone purchases art from me in any form. It’s a great validation that what I’m creating matters, not only to me but to other people as well.

Keisha, 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 first started drawing and painting when I was pretty young, about five or six. I would draw anything that came to me just for the fun of it. It was something that soothed me, helped me focus. Often times in class If I were feeling nervous, I would doodle on my homework pages (which some teachers weren’t too happy about), but it helped me process what I was feeling. I have used art as a creative outlet since a young age and for the most, it’s stuck with me.
I have mostly worked with acrylic paints, watercolors, pencils, pastels, and I have recently got into oil paints.

What I would love for clients and other artists to know and understand is that every artist has their tough moments. And one of the most important things that I’ve learned during the tough parts of being an artist is that I can always come back to my craft, art will always be there.
I am still an “artist” even when I’m not creating art, and especially when I’m taking much needed breaks. I’m allowed to take a step back.
There’s a lot of pressure that artists put on themselves to always be creating new and exciting pieces, which can lead to burnout.
There’s a balance in creating art for clients, art for yourself and taking rest time.
So if you are experiencing burnout, take the time to find your fire again. Your craft will still be there when you come back.

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

When I finish a project, there’s this proud feeling of accomplishment, “I did this”. Whether it’s from finishing a painting that I’m excited to show people, or one that I’m not very impressed by, there’s always a moment of proudness. A reward proving that I was able to transform what I envisioned into physicality.

And of course my all time favorite reward is the feeling of appreciation from clients when they support my art. From either purchasing a painting, print, sticker, or commission from me; It’s a wonderful feeling being noticed and appreciated for what I am bringing into the world.
And clients are helping to support something that I love to do!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lesson that I’ve worked on unlearning has been from the classic saying, “starving artist”, or “struggling artist”. I think it’s time we retire that saying.
I’s not an empowering statement, it’s mostly filled with doubt, trying to convince artists and creatives that their dreams aren’t worth working hard for, that it’s too unachievable.
It’s taken me a while to finally believe that it isn’t true; in the past the more I heard it the more it became harder for me to believe in my art career.
And let’s be honest, Why shouldn’t we be able to make a living doing something we love, why shouldn’t we believe that we deserve to be able to do that?
Just because something may be difficult to achieve doesn’t make it impossible to do so.
So don’t give up. :)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ko-fi.com/keishastudio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keishastudio/
• Other: Etsy: https://keishasartstudio.etsy.com/