We recently connected with Madeline Nave and have shared our conversation below.

Madeline, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

My grandmother has been my most significant influence in all things creative: how I present myself, what hobbies I try, how I interact with people, etc. My first paintings were all done in her presence because she fosters an environment of exploration.

I paint bathroom scenes for their symmetry and delicacies, for their nuances and privacy. Who is the person that owns this bathroom? What do they do? Naturally, I’ve kept my first bathroom painting and sold the following paintings. Never did I imagine that my art would be in households across the US.

The first dollar I earned as a creative was at an artist’s open tabling at my favorite vintage store in Tulsa, OK. I really put myself out there when I saw an open call for artists and makers on Love Me Two Times’ Instagram. It helped that I was familiar with the owner, space, and clientele, for I don’t think I would have put myself out there otherwise.

I offered about 6 original paintings and numerous prints, postcards, and cards. I left that day with zero original paintings. I priced my work at an approachable number because art should be accessible to all. Witnessing people not drop a jaw at the prices of my pieces was astonishing! Someone spent $300 with no issue on a canvas with a white clawfoot bathtub in a vintage pink tile bathroom, shadows ever present. While I knew I was capable and creative, that sale solidified my desire to create more.

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 proud University of Kansas Jayhawk alum who lives in New Orleans after spending time in New York and Tulsa, OK. I graduated thinking I would spend my whole life in fashion, a great passion of mine, but witnessing the cutthroat mentality of New York’s fashion industry, I made a different choice for my life.

My love of children blossomed while working as a paraprofessional and behavior tech at a Title I school in Tulsa. I got to be silly, myself, and a positive confidant for students. I also got to be creative. I started painting while working at the elementary school. I saw my true abilities and proficiencies. I also worked for a nonprofit that had a garden at the school where I worked; another opportunity to be creative and witness the abilities of children!

I’d wanted to move to New Orleans since 2018, so I moved there in 2021, intending to sell my art full-time. I worked many jobs in my first year living there under my mom’s roof. I walked dogs, managed a vintage store, pet sat, babysat, and did anything really to make money, on top of creating and selling my art.

But somewhere along the way, making art was no longer fun because it became a chore. To make money, I had to paint. But to paint, I had to feel inspired. New Orleans itself is a great inspiration to me: the history, people, and architecture. But do you know all the other things I could do instead of painting? TONS! Holding myself accountable for my career as an artist proved difficult.

With all this said, I am now happily an Executive Administrator for a locally-owned construction management firm. Is it what I thought I’d be doing as a college student? Of course not! But I am happy. I am happy I have a steady income and benefits. I’m happy I have my own place, no longer living with my mother. I’m happy that I can pick up a canvas and paintbrush after work if I want. I’m happy that I have time to learn new hobbies. I recently learned how to sew on my grandmother’s Singer from the 1950s. I haven’t painted in a while; only 2 original paintings lay in my storage unit, and I’m happy.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I moved to New York post-graduation, sight unseen. I’d totaled my car a month before graduation, and the silver lining was that I didn’t need a car in New York! I used the insurance money to fund my first few months on Long Island, where I had an uncle and a retail job in the mall. I applied to over 100 jobs in the city, and after five months in Port Jefferson, I moved to Ridgewood, Queens, after securing a job with Les Copains, an Italian fashion house. I worked a full-time job, a part-time job at a bar on the weekends and also had a nannying job three days a week just to pay rent and eat. Forget about traveling and extracurricular activities! The New York hustle is unlike any other.

I lasted two years in New York and left with the mindset that if I could make it there, I could make it anywhere. I moved home to Tulsa, OK, depressed, underfed, and exhausted. My move home was the best exhibition of resilience I’ve shown myself yet. I’m approaching 30, and happier than ever.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I’d known about all the grants and funding that are available to artists. There are so many resources that help artists! Not only financially, but mentally as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: madelinenaveart.com
• Instagram: @madelinenave @madelinenaveart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-nave/