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

Kelsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Yes I have. I graduated from Montana State University with a BFA in graphic design in 2009. At the height of the recession it was very difficult to find work as a new graduate. About a year after I graduated I scored a job as a lead designer for a boutique marketing and media agency in Big Sky, Montana. I worked there full time for about 5 years while I continued to do my fine artwork on the side. Working full time as a graphic designer left me very creatively tapped at the end of the day, and I always felt a greater calling to pursue my painting, so I left that job in 2015, with not much of a plan except to travel around the American West in a camper and do freelance work from the road.

As I prepared for a career transition to focus on fine art and freelance design, an unexpected path opened up — becoming a raft guide on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. I guided full-time each summer between 2017 and 2022. These seasons cultivated a wealth of creative inspiration, an adventurous, en plein air skillset, and opportunities to guide clients through their own memory-making moments with riverside watercolor workshops.

While guiding has provided great financial support and a nice break from my creative work the rest of the year, once again I’ve felt a pull to invest even more in my art career, so I do not plan to return this summer.

It took me a long time to cut ties from my full time job, as I continued to freelance doing design and art direction work for about 6 years after I ‘quit.’ Knowing what I know now, I likely could have sped up the process by having a more ‘all in’ mentality in my art business. In the words of André Gide, “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.”

I just started working with a creative business coach last fall, and I wish I would have pursued that support 7 years ago. The support, tactical advice and community has made a world of difference. I know how to make art, but I’ve learned running an art business is a completely different skillset that I’m still learning.

Kelsey, 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?

I am an independent painter and illustrator based in Bozeman, Montana. I partner with purpose-driven & creative brands, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to further their products, passion projects, and big ideas.

My offerings include fine art painting commissions, custom interior and exterior murals, and custom illustration and design services for apparel, products, and packaging. I regularly exhibit and sell my acrylic paintings and offer them as prints and on other products through my website, businesses and galleries.

My nature-inspired artwork serves as a tool to protect and heal our inner and outer wilderness. I partner with mission-driven organizations and changemakers to protect a thriving, sustainable future for the wild landscapes we all love. As a 1% for the Planet member, I donate a minimum of 1% of my sales each year to environmental nonprofits.

I love digging into the extremes of the human experience. With the support of lots of therapy and a good sense of humor, I’m working on how to do that sustainably without burning out my nervous system!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In December 2019 my youngest sister was killed by a drunk driver while riding her bike home from work. This tragic event, followed by the global pandemic, sent me into a ‘dark night of the soul,’ a period of extreme gestational growth, from which I just feel like I am starting to peek out of the soil.

I’ve relied heavily on my artwork to process this personal and collective grief over the last few years. It has served as a tool to express emotion and start conversations about loss and healing that words couldn’t do justice.

With lots of time and introspection in nature I’ve found resilience I never knew I had. This experience of profound loss has made me stronger, with the ability to show up more fully and authentically, and more capable of helping others to heal from trauma, or at least provide empathy.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I first picked up ‘Women Who Run with the Wolves’ by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés while I was still in my full time job as a graphic designer and it probably had the most influence in my decision to jump into creative entrepreneurship. It has been my guiding light to tap into and continually return to my own intuition, creativity, and spiritual power, which has directly influenced how I have run my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://kelseydzintars.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/kelseydzintars

Image Credits
Kate Shupe