Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be an artist. My mom was actually my inspiration. I loved to paint and draw, and I remember her showing me how. It was always my favorite activity to do with her. In fact, she too is an incredible artist. I learned so much from her as I grew up over the years. Every time I had an opportunity to show off my work, she would always be there to support me. She never stopped encouraging me to pursue my dreams. I fell in love with the way painting made me feel, and I never once wanted to depart from it.

Fast forward to college, I decided to pursue my degree in visual arts education to become an art teacher. I wanted to teach students the beauty of art and how far you can go with it. After I graduated I taught grades k-12 at a charter school for 4 years. It was a great experience! Being an art teacher I thought was going to be my forever career; fast forward COVID-19 happened and a lot changed in education and how I felt as a teacher. I then decided to try something new. I decided to pursue my Masters degree in Educational Leadership and see if Administration was right for me. I then graduated and tried out a couple different positions in the education industry. After a year and a half in, I became pregnant and we decided that being a stay at home mom was the right decision for me. It truly was.

Now the cool part is, in between these life events I continued to paint and paint. I would often dream of what it would be like to own a studio or a business where I could sell my artwork. People would often tell me to pursue this dream, especially my husband and both sides of my family. But I was always terrified of not knowing if I would be a hit or if people would like my work. I guess that’s part of taking a leap of faith into the unknown and seeing for myself. It wasn’t until our annual Grand Marais trip that I finally decided to give it a try. My husband and I were inspired by the many artists that were at the Fisherman’s weekend event in Grand Marais, and that was when I saw many of them sell their own artwork. It gave me a small glimpse of what it would be like to sell my own artwork someday. I loved the idea.

On January 28th, 2022, my in laws’ dog passed away suddenly and it was very heartbreaking for them and for our family. I came up with an idea of painting a portrait of their dog using a wood panel instead of a canvas. I liked the idea of staining the background with a color wood stain and painting the dog with oils. It was something I hadn’t seen before so I decided to give it a try. After Abe (my in law’s dog), I then went on to painting more pet portraits for people whose pets had either passed away, or given as a gift for other people. I started to see my potential.

On June 5th, 2023, I came up with Nelson Studio LLC and launched my pet portrait business. After making several portraits, I started to expand my ideas and dreams. I signed up for a couple courses to learn more about how to leverage my art and get my artwork out to the world. It is incredible how many endless opportunities there are for artists. Putting in the work takes time, but it has all been worth it in the end. I truly love the process as it has also helped me grow as a person, and force me to trust my abilities. My story with Nelson Studio LLC hasn’t ended; it is just beginning, and I am truly excited to see where it goes. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to truly be able to see your full potential. In my case, I once had a solid career where I knew I would be comfortable, but sometimes life isn’t just about staying comfortable. Life should be lived fully. Dare to dream. Find what truly makes you happy. My hope is that one day I can inspire other women to do the same; to chase their dreams and to trust the process. You won’t regret it.

I’ll end with this quote by Jeffrey T. Larson that I have found to be very helpful with sticking with the process, “If a scientist fails to invent something most likely another scientist will, sooner or later. If a particular artist fails to create something, however, it will never exist. Don’t sell yourself short and potentially deprive the world of something uniquely spectacular.”