We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monica Martin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Monica below.
Monica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
My journey into this work really began in the middle of real life—not in a studio, but in the in-between moments of raising a family.
About fifteen years ago, I was newly divorced, and I made the decision to take a risk on myself. I had spent years creating—art, crafts, anything that allowed me to express and use my creativity—but I had never fully considered that it could become something more. I decided to build a small art business from my home, even though I had no clear roadmap for how it would unfold.
In between school drop-offs, dance studio runs, and the daily rhythm of motherhood, I began creating more intentionally. I slowly built a body of work and started putting myself out there—first at street fairs and local art events. After a few years of selling original artwork, as well as art prints. The concept of reproducing my artwork lead to a line of greeting cards, which is still a big part of my creativity. Those early experiences taught me not just how to sell my work, but how to be seen. Over time, those small, consistent steps led to opportunities in art licensing and the ability to share my work beyond my immediate community. It was such a great feeling to have someone reach out to say they saw my artwork in retailers throughout the US.
Today, my work has grown into both a creative practice and a deeply personal offering. I create original artwork, primarily using watercolor and acrylic, often incorporating layered textures and collage. Within my local community I’ve had the opportunity to do a mural, paint on windows, collage on a surfboard and be a Coordinator for an Art installation. When I’m home and creating from my studio, florals and landscapes are my favorites. Using bold colors and themes always gives them an energy I love.
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.
As a San Diego County artist, I’ve had a studio at Liberty Station in Point Loma, a studio in Downtown Vista, and a studio in Carlsbad Village. Since Covid, I have been working from my home studio, and teaching in different venues. A large part of my business in the past 6 years has centered around teaching and creating experiences for adults. I offer private art lessons, small group classes and am currently developing workshops to help people reconnect with their creativity. The newest sessions, entitled “Color & Courage” will focus in helping people move past perfectionism and self doubt, and instead create in a way that feels freeing and personal. It’s more about the process than the product. I’d like to give adults the opportunity to come in, slow down, and reconnect with themselves.
What sets my work apart is that it’s deeply lived. I didn’t build this business from a traditional path—I built it from my home, during a major life transition, while raising my kids and navigating uncertainty. Because of that, I understand what it feels like to start over, to take risks before you feel ready, and to create something meaningful in the middle of real life. That perspective shapes how I teach—I meet people where they are, without pressure or expectation.
I’m not just offering art classes—I’m offering an experience where people feel safe to explore, take creative risks, and reconnect with a part of themselves that often gets lost in the busyness of life.
What I’m most proud of is the longevity and resilience of this business. I’ve kept it going through major life changes, including COVID, which challenged so many small, in-person creative businesses. I had to adapt, stay flexible, and continue showing up even when things were uncertain. That experience strengthened both my business and my purpose.
More than anything, I want people to know that my work is about permission. Permission to create without pressure, to let go of perfection, and to trust that there is value in simply showing up and expressing yourself. This business has been built slowly, honestly, and with a lot of heart—and I think that’s what people connect with most.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
As a self taught artist, most people would think my first book purchases would have been art books, that include the ins and outs of painting and creativity. My first book purchase was an e-book called Flying Lessons: Tips and Tricks to Help Your Creative Business Soar. It became an online course, and I am still connected through social media with some of the amazing creative women I met in that course. We were from around the world, and wow, did it inspire me to create a business that I love.
Soon after that, I picked up a book titled, “I’d rather be in the studio” by Alyson B. Standfield, and I learned so much about self-promotion for artists. She then offered an online course about Art Marketing and that really launched me into art licensing and how crucial marketing is.
Since then, I have taken a 12 week course of The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. The course taught me so much about taking time for yourself every day, and learning the importance of being a creative. It’s a way of life, not a career.
In addition, so many other books have been great additions to my library and I often pull them from the shelf for a quick review. I highly recommend you browse a bookstore for art business books that you find interesting. They are so many to choose from.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
One of the hardest parts of being an artist is explaining to someone non-creative that we don’t just “make” art – we see it everywhere.
In the way a piece of paper is folded. In how colors unexpectedly fall into perfect harmony. In the quiet, ordinary moments that spark an entirely new idea. There isn’t really an off switch – being an artist means moving through the world with a constant creative lens.
For me, that’s also what makes it so meaningful. My family knows that when I stop to take a photo or quickly jot something down, it’s usually the beginning of a future piece or collage. Those small pauses are rarely random- they’re part of the process.
I truly cherish that way of seeing. It feels like a gift, one I don’t take for granted. I believe we’re born with an artist’s eye, and my parents would tell me stories about how they recognized that creativity in me from a young age. Every day, that gift shapes the work I create – and the business I’ve built around it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://monicamartinart.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicamartinfineart?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monicamartinart?
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-martin-2719bb41?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
