Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monica Echeverri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Monica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Art is something I’ve loved and practiced since I was a child, but becoming an artist was never a plan for my future. There was always an underlying doubt about turning art into a career so I made sure to always keep it as a hobby. I decided to pursue a degree in nutrition, but even then I was always finding ways to stay creative in my field.

After going to my first art market during graduate school, I made some of my first art sales and received requests for custom work over the summer. This ultimately led me to feel a new purpose with my artwork, a feeling that led me to take the risk of turning my childhood hobby into a small business. But honestly, I think the additional pressure of creating custom paintings for people has motivated me to develop my skills and grow as an artist much faster than if I had kept painting just for fun. Now that I’m on this path, I’m constantly exploring new opportunities, coming up with different ideas for collections, and putting every ounce of my heart and effort into each piece!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a child, I was thrown into a mix of different activities by my parents and art just seemed to be one that stuck with me the most. I completed my first oil painting of a fruit bowl in 2006, then practiced painting my first landscapes a few months later. Throughout the next ten years, I continued to fill my walls with paintings of places that held a special place in my heart.

Fast forward to December 2020, I decided to share my artwork with a larger audience. It was exhilarating yet terrifying at the same time to see so many new eyes on my work! But something in my soul woke up when I started sharing my paintings online and at art markets. I officially decided to turn this into a business in 2021 and have worked with some incredibly sweet clients along the way. I’ve always had a natural pull towards landscapes and many of the commissions I’ve received have been of places that hold a special meaning to someone, a family, or a couple. I love that art can transport you back to a special place in the comfort of your own home.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Bringing people back to their favorite moments in nature through a painting is extremely fulfilling. For someone to walk by a painting of a landscape they love and feel joy from simply looking at it fills me with a sense of purpose and satisfaction that makes the challenging moments of this journey so worth it. There is so much beauty in this world and to have the opportunity to bring it to life on canvas for other people makes the little girl in me feel so proud.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

To connect people to nature! Whether through original oil paintings, prints, cards, or stickers, my artwork is designed to add little pieces of beauty from the outside world to spaces at home. I think the thought of expanding this business to its full potential is what drives me to keep learning and growing as an artist and business owner. Beyond that though, the main factor driving my creative journey is the support! I cannot describe the amount of gratitude I feel for those who have supported and uplifted me and my business. As a one-woman show, it truly is what keeps me going!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monicaecheverri.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/