We recently connected with Lisa Lammi and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lisa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I came to the realization during the pandemic that I wanted to pursue a creative path not just as a side hustle, but as a full time career. It was when we were allowed to work from home that I suddenly had extra time in the morning and evening that I never experienced before. So I started taking online courses related to marketing and business as well as took some virtual art classes.

I also started following a number of creatives in the online space who were making an income from their art. They spoke about the importance of multiple revenue streams. That is when I decided instead of just making money on a commission here and there from my pet portraits that I could instead teach others how to do it. I realized that I was more than capable of doing this. I had been sharing some of my time lapse videos and had a number of people not just liking my posts but asking me how I got started, what materials they needed to try themselves, etc. This experience and the feedback I received actually helped me formulate the structure of my first digital course.

If I was really honest with myself, I think I have wanted to pursue my love of art for a very long time. I remember feeling the pangs of jealousy when I saw others doing what I wanted to do. I also remember the familiar narrative in my head that you can’t make a living from your art.. Those thoughts were replaced with, why not me?

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a self-taught artist living in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. What really ignited things for me was the discovery of colored pencil as an art medium. I had been looking for an art medium that fit my lifestyle at the time. I was still in my corporate job and there was little time and energy at the end of the day to devote to an art practice. While I loved painting, I just couldn’t be bothered with the set up and tear down that it required. That is when I stumbled upon colored pencils. It quite literally checked all the boxes. It had virtually no set up and tear down, was fairly inexpensive and it was portable, meaning I could create just about anywhere.

As my skills improved I started posting my work in progress shots and time lapse videos on Instagram and Facebook. I started to get a lot of engagement. Then much to my surprise I started getting commissions. At the time that really wasn’t anything I was looking to do. I really was doing it for the pure enjoyment of it. Then after being encouraged by several artists I connected with online I created my first digital course all about color pencil pet portraiture. I have recently updated the course based on the feedback of my students and will be sharing it on a learning platform that already has a large audience of eager consumers wanting to learn from other artists.

My previous career in broadcasting and public relations has come in handy to help me promote my work. My goal in all my communications, both social and my newsletter is to encourage others to explore their artistic side. Common themes include mindset, dealing with imposter syndrome, making excuses that we don’t have time to create and the desire for perfection.

It was in late 2021 when with the support of my husband I made the decision to quit my job to pursue art full-time. My mission for my business was very clear and that was I wanted people to find their creative side and in doing so find more peace and joy in their lives. I hoped by sharing my own story people would be inspired to pursue their own artistic endeavours, whatever they may be. On my YouTube channel I have interviewed a number of other people who have pursued creative careers later in life and I also share some of my own learnings as an entrepreneur.

I’m proud that I proved to myself that it wasn’t too late to start a new chapter in my life or learn things that I thought were way beyond my ability level like learning all the technology necessary to create an online business. Creating and marketing a digital course was a real stretch goal for me. I learned how to use live streaming platforms, learning management systems (LMS), creating a website and email marketing. More importantly I built up my self-worth that had been eroded working in a corporate setting.

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

I wish I had known there are online communities out there that can assist budding online entrepreneurs. I found a community by a well targeted Facebook advertisement. I mean, I read the advertisement and they were speaking to my pain points and in my language.

I realized fairly quickly going into this online space that you can’t do it alone. You need the help of others or at least tap into their brain power.

From this same online community I found a business coach who has been invaluable to me. A business coach serves as a guide, ultimately you do the work. For me what my business coach helped with early on is decision paralysis. There is the fear that you will make the wrong decision. There is no such thing as a bad decision, it is the best decision you can make with the information you have at the time.

Communities are also good because you often can form accountability groups. These have been invaluable to me. We all think we are motivated but sometimes having another person to check in can keep us on track. There is even evidence that being in an accountability group can make you more productive.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think unless you are in the thick of it as I am now, it is really hard for a non-creative to wrap their minds around this career path. I know as a life long corporate employee it has been a HUGE adjustment. For me personally, it is learning that I will need multiple revenue streams to make a living. When you are used to making a regular paycheck, it is a hard thing to get used to. I have never worked harder than I do now. But, when I start to question my decision to leave my corporate job, I just have to think back to sitting in a cubicle doing the work that I was doing. It was steeped in policy and procedure. How did a creative person get here?

As for the people in my life, particularly my husband, I know he sees how hard I have been working and would like to see things happening faster. However, he understands that there is no such thing as overnight success. I know there are people that I used to work with that question why I would walk away from a relatively secure career to the unknown. Former colleagues that have taken the time to reach out say they have seen such a positive change in me.

One of the other things that I have come up against is that people don’t seem to respect your boundaries. Because you are running a creative business they seem to think you have an open schedule and can at the drop of a hat take the time to meet. I still have real deadlines and a lot of responsibilities. If I don’t get the work done, it doesn’t get done. There is no one to do it but me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lisalammiart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisajoyartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisalammiart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisalammipr/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/lisalammiart.com
• Other: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/lisajoyartist/_created/