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

Uma, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Yes, for the past year I have been a full-time creative. I have been a creative since I can remember but I didn’t consider it to be a career option until the pandemic. I had put painting in the backseat to pursue a more “traditional” job but quickly realized the corporate world did not suite me well.

From 2020-2022 I decided to start sharing my story and selling my products as a small side hustle. I didn’t have a lot of time on my hands as I had a full time job in tech but I worked with what I had. Through social media I started to form a small community who supported my journey and slowly gained the attention of a few brands. Over time I was able to secure multiple brand partnerships and sales were rising on my online shop. Last March I was unfortunately let go from my tech job and I realized I had an opportunity to either pursue my passions full-time or step into another corporate role. I decided on the former and it has officially been a year since then!

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?

My name is Uma Leoni. I am a self-taught artist currently residing in Long Beach, California. Without a formal background in art, my pieces tend to be the outcome of play and experimentation. Through the creation of abstract faces, my work allows me to explore new mediums and styles and often consists of bold line-work and geometric elements. I invite you to discover a sense of familiarity.

Painting is my way of communicating with the world in hopes that my work can inspire any and all who come across it to feed into their own creative side.

My original paintings are for sale as well art prints. I also create streetwear apparel with my art.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have been building my social media presence for the past 3 years. The algorithm is a tricky thing to master and it can get frustrating trying to keep up with trends. My biggest piece of advice is to let your personality shine through your content. Film a vlog, show us behind the scenes, write that long winded caption… Being authentic will build you a loyal community who follows you for you!

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is inspiring others. I love connecting with others through my work. I love hearing interpretations of my art and how it impacts those around it. It is a very special thing to hang a piece of art in your home and every time someone brings a piece of my own into their own home I am just honored.

Some of the most rewarding moments in my career are when other creatives tell me that seeing my journey online has inspired them to restart their own creative journey. That is my biggest goal in my career, to change the narrative that other have on creative journeys. Being a creative can be sustainable, rewarding, fulfilling, and financially stable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.leonisstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonis.studio/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UMALEONI

Image Credits
@zaymonae shot the first uploaded photo.