We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monica Campbell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Monica below.

Alright, Monica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I want to paint more no matter what is going on in my life, and that momentum has made my favorite art possible. I have lost all my drawings and paintings in a fire started by the Rodney King riots in Seattle WA. The biggest fan of my art, my mother, passed away from breast cancer. I went through divorce and my family was torn apart by it. I know we all have issues and un-happiness in our lives and painting has been there for me, A place to meditate and focus on something other than the outside world. Turn on my favorite music and paint. My studio the only place with no rules and I am the boss.

Monica, 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 name is Monica (Mono), and I am an oil painter. I would describe my work as dreamy, surreal, dark pop art. I am originally from Seattle, WA and now reside in Maricopa, AZ . I have a few creative family members that I watched growing up and have the artistic bug in my blood. My Great-grandmother taught me how to oil paint when I was 10 and that has always been my preferred medium. Oil on canvas or wood panels. The service I provide is to sell original paintings to art collectors, or commissioned work. I love filling rooms with art and being surrounded by bold colors that makes one daydream. What sets me apart from others is I am honing my personal style and and each piece is original. I try to jump around on subject matter like my mood at that particular time or a person I meet, There is usually a story to each painting. I am most proud of myself for continuing to paint despite what is going on in my life or getting that rejection letter. I would love to be a part of the art world one day and get out of my comfort zone of just me in my studio. I have a few goals and a couple of them are using my designs on clothing, have a real art show in a gallery, sell art out my studio, have a mentor, and meet other painters.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When you are heading into a divorce storm you don’t know how or where you will end up, everything changes. For 28 years I raised my kids and opened and ran several restaurants with my first husband. I supported his passion and I painted when I had time which was usually late at night. Over the years the toll of the husband chef and waitress wife was to heavy. We owned restaurants and bars and an Airbnb, 20 employees and cleaning, office work and raising our kids. I needed to pursue my passion and see where it could go. 3 years later I am in Maricopa AZ with my boyfriend. I went from Montana’s long winter and wood stoves to hot desert temperatures. I love the landscape here and the new and inspiring ideas that are flowing. I will be looking for my dream studio here and I hope that I can get that for myself, that is one of my biggest focus right now.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

for me the most rewarding part of painting is the action of it. Spending hours in my studio doodling, painting, canvas prepping, listening to music and expressing my visions and moods on canvas and wood panels. Also to sit back and look at the art and enjoy it. Searching for ideas are fun. When I travel I take a lot of photographs and find things that I just have to paint. When you get that desire you cant let it pass.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @monoartstuff
• Linkedin: Monica (Mono) Campbell
• TikTok: @monoartgallery

Image Credits
The photo taken with Mono and her painting behind her was taken by Joey Walker of Missoula MT