We recently connected with Siti Husin and have shared our conversation below.

Siti , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am absolutely happier as a creative person. As a person who enjoys working from home, I’m also a mom who homeschools her children. There are a lot of things on my plate on a daily basis but I’m efficient in managing my tasks, family, and creative work. I’m thankful for the course I took in college and the work experience I gained as a secretary back in Malaysia.

I’m free to be creative. As an artist, I noticed that when I put four to six hours working on my painting I often feel that it’s not like work. And there is a blessing in doing the work you love. You give 100% of your time and attention to your work and as a result, it gives you the satisfaction and inner peace knowing that you accomplish something at the end of the day.

Besides doing my artwork, I enjoy other aspects of creativity that involve marketing. For example, taking photos, creating videos, marketing materials, to name a few.

I made the decision to not ever get a regular job after I quit my job a very long time ago. I remember that when I quit, I was so happy that I didn’t have to drive to work, deal with an unappreciative boss, and engage in office politics.

At the time I was pregnant with my first born and I remember I was sitting on a couch watching a soap opera (something that I never got to enjoy when I worked full-time), thinking how great my life was because I didn’t have to go to work.

My husband, who at the time lived in Los Angeles, suggested that I could now focus on my portrait business from home. Working from home wasn’t known in Malaysia at the time but I was thrilled with the idea. It was like a light bulb switched on in my mind because I finally found my purpose. I started planning for my home office and studio in the spare bedroom. That gave me the confidence to be my own boss. That was also the start of me working from home.

When I first came to the US I was already working on a few paintings that were going to be published in an international book. So, the idea of getting a regular job was not viable at the time.

I know I wouldn’t really be happy doing it. My heart would be at home working on my art and promoting my creative business. Even though a regular job isn’t my cup of tea, I’m open to side gigs. I landed a Malay Voiceover gig and I have been doing that for over a decade.

I believe that when you don’t have a lot of resources and money, you’ll become creative. First and foremost, you do bootstrapping. I learned this from my husband who is very good at that. Now, whatever I do, I think of how I can invest a little and get great results.

Secondly, I thought about what I could do with the skills and knowledge I have to add an extra source of income. Since I’m a homeschool mom, I offer art classes from home. This way I can homeschool my children and have a set time to coach students afterwards.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Siti, owner and artist of Siti Nuriati Studio Los Angeles. I specialize in painting flowers and still life in a realistic style with pastel. I run my creative business from my home studio where I share the space with my husband and homeschooled son.

For over a decade, I worked as a portrait artist, taking commissions and creating personalized artwork for clients. After graduating with my college diploma in the mid-90s in Malaysia, I immediately found a full time job while also launching my creative business. At the time my focus was only painting people’s portraits.

Two years after I moved to Los Angeles, I quit painting portraits after my portrait works of Princess Diana were published in an international coffee table book in the UK. Now, my paintings explore the beauty and the intricacies of nature and still life. I work primarily with pastel, but I also work with colored pencil and watercolor.

You can find my original paintings and fine art prints (reproductions from my original paintings) at my online shop. I also offer painting commissions for those who want to create a custom painting.

My mission is to help my clients find their inner peace through art. Art can be an escape. Looking at a beautiful piece can transport you to a peaceful place, away from the chaos of the world.

I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m a self-taught artist, I love marketing, and I truly enjoy all aspects of my creative business. I make my own rules in my small business. As a creative, I have the freedom to present my art to the world. This way, I can paint what I want, without worrying about what’s popular in the art world. It’s entirely up to me how I want to represent myself as a professional artist. In the end, it’s clear that believing in yourself and your abilities makes all the difference.

I am most proud of my current, ongoing project that I’m working on. It’s my personal project called, The National Flowers of the World. The idea of creating the project was born during one of my homeschool sessions with my youngest son. It all started with a simple question: what are the national flowers of different countries? Now, that curiosity has blossomed into a full-fledged painting project, with each painting celebrating a different nation’s floral emblem.

Simply put, I’m your flower artist who helps you tell your unique story about a flower you love and admire so much. I want to bring that joy, happiness and inner peace into someone’s home and into someone’s life.

My goal is to create art that offers a refuge from the stresses of modern life. I hope my work can bring a sense of serenity to viewers. I mean who doesn’t like flowers? I feel like the more I focus on painting the national flowers and painting flowers in general, either for my clients or for personal paintings (that later on will be turned to fine art prints), the more I see the importance of flowers in our lives. I believe my realistic flower paintings can make a home more beautiful and bring a sense of joy and tranquility to those who live there.

I aspire to be recognized by my clients and followers as the artist who specializes in painting the national flowers of the world.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

This is a big one. I decided to quit painting people’s portraits after I got published in an international coffee table book, which was featured in the media in Malaysia and here in Los Angeles.

Prior to leaving my portrait painting business behind, I had accomplished everything I initially set out to do, and even exceeded my own expectations. In Malaysia, I had a successful solo exhibition, press coverage in newspapers, and I even got an opportunity to be published in an international book—all in a surprisingly short time!

When I arrived in Los Angeles, I started establishing myself as a portrait artist. I received local and international media attention for my work, and then my portrait of Princess Diana was featured in a UK coffee table book. This led to commissions from new clients.

My decision to quit portrait painting stemmed from a religious awakening. I was listening to an Islamic lecture about the prohibition of depicting humans and animals in art. As I heard those words, I put down my colored pencil and a question arose in my mind: ‘Is worldly success worth risking my place in the Hereafter?’

After much soul-searching, I made the difficult decision to quit my portrait business. It was a difficult choice to make as I had worked on my portrait drawing skills since I was very young. Despite the sadness I felt, I knew I had to prioritize my faith over my personal desires. It was a pivotal moment where I chose to align my actions with my religious beliefs, and I stopped painting portraits altogether.

In Islam, if you leave something for the sake of God, He will replace it with something better. I believe in that wholeheartedly.

Leaving my portrait business opened my eyes to the world’s beauty in a way I never could have imagined. Before, my focus was solely on capturing the likeness of people, but now I see countless other subjects begging to be painted. It’s as if I was looking down for all those years, concentrating on just one thing. Now, I’ve lifted my gaze and discovered the incredible beauty of the world around me, a gift from God.

These days, I focus on capturing the beauty of nature and still life in my paintings. I see my art as a way to help people find a sense of peace and balance in their lives. I want my paintings to be more than just decorations; I want them to be transformative, inspiring feelings of tranquility and well-being.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I would like to recommend the following books, which I think will be of benefit to everyone. Even though the books may not apply to artists/creatives 100%, you can extract some of the strategies from these books to apply to your creative business. Remember as an artist you are a business owner and you own a business. I hope that helps.

These four books are worth checking out:
Dotcom Secrets (Russell Brunson)
Traffic Secrets (Russell Brunson)
Expert Secrets (Russell Brunson)
The Ultimate Sales Machine (Chet Holmes)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sitinuriatistudio.com
• Youtube: youtube/@sitinuriatistudio

Image Credits

David Friedman, Yusuf Friedman