An Interview with Creative Entreprenuer - An'Angelia Thompson
An’Angelia Thompson was born and raised in northern Ohio, and continues to reside in the greater Cleveland area with her husband, Keith, and sons, Nicholas and Michael. She displayed artistic talent from an early age and spent childhood summers participating in local art programs.
She developed a strong appreciation for artists from every genre, including Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Picasso, and Cezanne. She was heavily influenced by the pure, rich colors of the 60s and the artists who used them, such as Peter Max, Andy Warhol, and graffiti artist, Jean -Michele Basquiat. Those influences remain evident in her work today.
An’Angelia’s work has been displayed at galleries throughout Northeastern Ohio and Michigan. She was Cleveland’s Fox 8 Featured Artist of the Week and she designed and created The 2008 Woman of Achievement Awards for Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, OH.
Her latest projects include a large mural at The Department of Labor’s Job Corp Center in Collinwood, OH. Her work is currently on display at Lakeland Community College where she also teaches creative journaling workshops.
The Interview
What inspired you to become a creative entrepreneur? Many things lead to me becoming a creative entrepreneur, but ultimately, accepting responsibility for my life gave me the courage to truly embrace myself as an artist. For as long as I can remember, I have considered myself to be an artist, and was recognized as such by my mother when I was very young. However, like many artists, I found myself in many different types of employment to earn a living. Coupled with being a wife and mother, my career as an artist remained on the proverbial back burner for many years. As my children grew older and more independent, I found more time to paint and eventually found the courage to begin showing my work in galleries in the mid 1990s.
My mother became ill in early 2008 and it looked as though she would need extended home care. I wanted to be there for her the way she had always been for me. Sadly, she passed away four days after I quit my job as a medical billing specialist. I look back at that time as her final gift to me. I hated every moment of that job but stayed from the fear of feeling like a failure, and from fear of not having enough money. The months I spent in quiet reflection after Mom's passing brought me to the realization that doing what you LOVE is the true path to being content. Working at something that you are not passionate about is devastating to your mind, body and spirit.
What would you say contributes to your success?
I think my love of art and sincere passion and desire to help inspire others has lead to the success of my classes and other creative endeavors.
Share one business goal:One of my goals for 2012 is to fascilitate an all day workshop. I'm even considering hosting a women's journaling weekend getaway.
What is a typical working day like for you?
My day begins with my very sweet and supportive hubby bringing a steaming mug-o-coffee and the laptop to me in bed as I struggle to regain consciousness. After that, I get started on my creative process for the day which includes art journaling, preparing for my art journaling classes and creating posts for my art journaling blog. After lunch, I switch gears and practice my keyboard. I've wanted to learn piano since I was a little girl and finally began learning this past May. Afterwards, I return to my art for a couple hours until it's time to think about dinner preparations. I have dinner and coffee with my husband and then usually return to my artwork and catch up with my social media and Internet surfing. I'm really pretty disciplined when it comes to my work, working four out of five weekdays and most weekends. The fifth weekday is reserved for grocery shopping, catching up with family and friends, and anything else that needs my attention.
What has been your biggest struggle as a professional artist?
My biggest struggle as a professional artist has been isolating what is most important to me as an artist. I had to do a lot of soul searching, and I had to ask myself a lot of questions. I found two books to be invaluable to me during this time. The first book was Julia Cameron's, The Artist's Way. The second book that really brought clarity and focus to me was Lisa Sonora Beam's, The Creative Entrepreneur. These books helped me to realize that what gives me the most joy as an artist is helping others discover and embrace their own creativity. I highly recommend these books.
What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business?
My biggest accomplishment with my business is the wonderful network of beautiful women who inspire, encourage and support me. These are the women who take my classes, and the women who hire me to teach workshops in their groups. When I can see that I have been a catalyst for helping someone overcome their fear of creativity, I am overjoyed. I love the interaction. I explain to my students that I receive just as much from them as they do from me. No amount of money in the world can compensate for that feeling of accomplishment.
What piece of advice would you offer to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your passion. Listen to your inner voice. Look the face of fear directly in the eyes and confront it! Take a leap of faith and believe that there is a net to catch you. Expect failure and find the strength that is left behind. You're going to make mistakes. If you're not making mistakes, you're not growing or taking chances. Expect naysayers - smile, nod, and walk away. Network, network, network. A wonderful support system is crucial, and surrounding yourself with like-minded creatives is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Listen to their suggestions, learn from their mistakes. Most importantly, be your own best cheerleader! Nurture yourself and your dreams.
What resources would you recommend to help other creative people stay organized?
Oh, no! Not the "organized" word! I'm having a definite struggle in this area; however, I am finding the Internet to be a valuable resource for learning this skill set. Join a forum. Follow websites like Alease's, I am a Creative Entrepreneur, and don't be afraid to ask questions and get advice from the professionals.
What are you currently working on?I am currently working on a large commission painting and preparing activities for my winter art journaling classes. I am also working a new look for my blog, Angelia's Art Journals http://angeliasartjournals.blogspot.com/
Next Month:
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