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

LIAN, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

“Undoubtedly, I do wish I had started my creative career earlier. However, life has no discernable map despite the internal voice guiding us. Mine was the long road to my ultimate creative career. I am blessed with strong personal traits – stubbornness and perfectionism – that have sometimes led me to get in my own way. For example, when my family moved us to the US from Israel and I first attended school, for an entire year I did not speak a word in school and only after I had mastered the English language did, I start speaking in full sentences. I grew up in a creative family and have an uncle who was a very successful and renowned artist. My creative surroundings partially fueled my desire to attend art school and I was fortunate enough to attend the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where, consequently, I pursued a more practical field of study, opting for illustration, in the hope of securing a job after graduation. This choice led to various distractions, including working for the family business, and starting a family of my own. Over time, I felt that something was missing in my life, but I was resolute in doing things my way. All the while I was determined not to rely on my uncle for assistance and was committed to making my own way.
Ultimately I decided to wait until my children were self-sufficient, allowing me to shift my focus to my creative journey as a fine artist. While I may have wished to start earlier, the experiences and responsibilities along the way have only strengthened my determination and commitment to my creative path.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born with a unique calling, an innate passion that beckoned me from an early age. For me, that calling was the world of art. As a child, while other kids were playing outdoors, I found myself captivated by the magic of drawing and painting. I would sit for hours, pencil in hand, instead of joining in the outdoor games. Even when I ventured outside, I couldn’t resist the urge to carve intricate shapes out of sticks, a testament to the creative impulse that resided within me.
Curiosity was my guiding light. I pestered everyone around me, seeking to understand how they worked their creative process. I wanted to know how to bring art to life and to understand the intricate relationship between lines, shapes, and colors. My parents, recognizing my fervor, often referred to me as “the artist” – a title that resonated deep within my soul.
But life is seldom a straightforward journey, and when it came time to choose my path, the world urged me towards practicality – math and science, they said. However, I was unyielding in my resolve to follow my artistic dreams. I chose the path less traveled and enrolled in an art school, where I decided to study illustration. It seemed like a perfect blend of practicality and artistic expression, a choice that embodied my creative spirit.
After completing my education, I found myself at a crossroads. Many advised me to embrace a “regular” job, but deep down, I knew something vital was missing. I had allowed the guidance of others to veer me away from my true calling. For years, I assisted my family in their business and taught in various schools, all the while filling a void within me.
However, life has its own way of guiding us back to our passions. As my youngest child grew and didn’t require my constant attention, I finally heeded the call of my artistic soul. I dusted off my brushes, squeezed fresh paint onto my palette, and began to paint once again.
Portraiture became my focal point, for I’ve always been a people watcher. Since my early days, I’ve had an innate fascination with human expressions and the intricate details of faces. The subtle emotions that play across a person’s features have always fascinated me. This fascination is the driving force behind my choice to specialize in portraits.
Color, too, has always played a significant role in my artistic journey. My work is a vivid testament to this passion, with vibrant and expressive hues saturating my canvases. Whether working with oils or acrylics, I relish the thrill of experimenting with new mediums and techniques. In the world of art, I have found my true calling. It is where I feel at peace, and I revel in every moment spent creating.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Here is something for non-creatives to understand about my creative journey or any creative journey. Creativity doesn’t come naturally to most people. It’s not solely an inherent talent but a skill that can be cultivated and honed through practice. The more you practice, the more you become creative. You can be rusty at being creative. So even for those who think they are not creative, they may in fact be creative. They need to give themselves opportunities. They need to give themselves challenges. They also need to give themselves limitations. Sometimes we find that we are the most creative when we have only a few choices to make. What can we do with limited materials? What can we do with limited budget? What can we do when the world doesn’t allow us an easy path? Embracing limitations and challenges often leads to innovative solutions. It’s a valuable mindset for people in any field, as creative thinking can be a powerful tool for problem-solving and generating fresh ideas. We become creative and that’s a challenge that anybody can use in any career.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In my multifaceted life, I’m in a constant state of pivoting across my business, career, and personal roles. With a bustling household includes three children, a dog, and a husband, my daily responsibilities are diverse and ever-evolving. I’ve learned to seamlessly transition between nurturing my family and pursuing my passion as an artist. This balance itself is a form of creativity.

Whether it’s interrupting my painting to shuttle a child to an activity or pausing to run errands and walk the dog, these shifts are simply part of life’s ebb and flow. I’ve come to view them as opportunities to embrace the present moment and adapt my creative process to fit the circumstances. The pressure to juggle these responsibilities has driven me to become more efficient, working faster to make the most of my available creative time.

I hold dear the awareness that my children’s formative years are fleeting, and I cherish every moment spent with them. I’ve discovered that in these fragments of time, I can create art that is all the more special because of its connection to the richness of life itself. The constant pivoting not only challenges me but also makes life all the more precious, and I wholeheartedly embrace it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.liansever.com
• Instagram: @lianseverart
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/lian-sever-215ba2261