We recently connected with Kellie Sansone and have shared our conversation below.

Kellie, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I wish I had started much earlier. I spent a good deal of time with my grandparents when I was growing up. My grandfather, while supportive of art as a hobby, urged me to get a “real job”. So I did. And I was never truly happy. I spent over 10 years in the corporate world. Sure, I was successful, but I wasn’t really happy with what I was doing. I wish I had listened to my gut and pursued art like I wanted. There were benefits to me waiting so long though…I learned a lot in the corporate world.

Kellie, 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?

My family was very artistic. My grandfather could draw and paint like the masters and sing and dance like a star! My grandmother did watercolor and needlepoint, and my mother could sing opera! I fell in love with drawing at a young age. I would try to recreate the pictures from my storybooks and even try to copy old drawings my grandfather had completed in his old sketch books.

I took advanced art classes in school and loved learning everything there was about art. To be honest, I hated painting. I wanted to stick with charcoal or graphite drawings. As I mentioned, I had a “real job” for a while…and had pushed my art to the side. When I had my second child, I sort of lost myself. I had gone from career woman to full time caretaker. I had no idea who I was outside of being a mother and wife. I have always suffered from anxiety and depression, but this all lead me to sink even further.

My husband suggested that I start doing something creative again. I don’t know why I did this, since I hated painting in. my my youth, but I picked up a paint brush and never looked back! Art truly helps me get through those feelings and emotions that are hard to process.

It all started small and just for fun, but then people kept asking me if I sold my stuff, and the wheels started turning. In 2019, I started my business…I was teaching art classes, but also painting. The pandemic hit, my classes turned virtual, and my art blew up with a challenge called the 100 Day Challenge. I was in a painters rut and needed something to motivate me. Knowing myself, I had to do something that was quick, something I could complete nightly. So I decided to paint on 2×2 canvases.

I am now known as the “mini art lady”. I painted so many of those small paintings and people couldn’t get enough of them. This year, I stopped teaching so that I can focus more on painting…not only my minis, but larger pieces here and there as well.

My art is bright and colorful, and detailed. I pride myself and getting the most detail in my tiny artwork. I paint anything from food, to houses, to people and pets!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love bringing people joy. When I see someone react to one of my paintings, it is the best feeling. Like when I paint a pet portrait, seeing the smiles from the pet mom/dad when I had them the painting…it makes all of the hard work and sometimes frustration when I feel like I’m not getting it right, worth it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My entire life has been pivots and turns. From trauma and abuse during my youth, to flunking out of school (my heart wasn’t in it), to finding out I had health issues that got my discharged from the air force. I could go on and on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelliesansonecreates.com
• Instagram: @kelliesansonecreates
• Facebook: @kelliesansonecreates