Hi readers! Today I’m excited to introduce you to intuitive abstract painter, Aremy Stewart.

Aremy has fully embraced her craft and makes a living working as an artist. She whole heartedly embraces the idea that you cannot only survive, but thrive as a working artist.

In this interview Aremy talks about her process and how she makes art a central piece of her life. She discusses how it is possible to make money as an artist and how important it is for us creatives to have a good mindset. Aremy’s words will no doubt inspire you. Enjoy!

Hi Aremy! Please tell us a little bit about your background as an artist.

My name is Aremy, and I’m a painter and artist mindset coach. I grew up in Minnesota, and I’m an artist because my mom was an artist. She always had art supplies at home, so it was easy for me to start making art from a young age. Once I started I just never quit.

I went to art school in the Midwest, then lived in Scotland, The Netherlands, and Australia. Now I live in Portland, Oregon with my husband and three kids. I paint every day in my backyard studio. I also work with artists who need a little mentoring to get to the next level in their career. I believe art saves lives daily, by supporting mental health and bringing beauty into the world.

What has your artist’s journey looked like?

I’ve always considered myself an artist, even from a young age. And even though for the longest time I didn’t make a living selling art, I’ve always told people I”m an artist.

Over the years I’ve taken on a variety of odd jobs to pay the bills and put myself through art school. I’ve used those jobs as motivation…to push me forward towards my goal of becoming an artist. I viewed them as temporary steppingstones leading me to a full-time career making art.

I say this in case someone reading this is holding down a 9-5 job and dreaming of making art instead. It’s totally possible. And it’s great. Just keep making art.

Tell us about your art and how you approach your craft.

All of my attention is focused on three areas of life: artwork, family, and physical fitness. These things cross-pollinate and inspire each other.

I come from a large Italian family and in Italy they have this fantastic word, sprezzatura, which means to make something difficult seem easy or casual. That word has become central to my practice. My work is about the tension between effort and the effortless.

If you look at my art you see a lot of color. I’ve always been fascinated with color and human emotion. I make large abstract paintings on canvas using washes of acrylic paint. I work mainly on the floor of my studio. I put the canvas flat and then pour paint and move it around. It’s a very physical job. And my kids are in the studio with me a lot of the time so we’re all making art together. Being a parent means that I’ve had to loosen my grip on perfectionism, and I think you can see that in the art. The work is successful when it feels “true”, not overworked or mannered.

What is it that’s unique about your work and your business? What makes you stand out?

People who collect my work say that they like that it’s joyful but not too sweet, and I would agree with that.

I think abstraction is a generous artform, holding space for the viewer to find themselves in the work.

By removing recognizable objects from the paintings, I can focus on color as subject, creating portraits of psychological states, moods and emotions.

When I was young my mom used to make these fantastic line drawings and then let me color them in saying that I was very good with color. When you’re a little kid you believe the adults around you. I feel good when I’m using color intentionally and embracing the process of making work.

I think collectors are drawn to this work because they can sense that I love creating it. My delight translates to the viewer. And I talk about being happy. A LOT. I think enjoying what you do for a living is so important, and I feel insanely lucky that this is a thing I get to do every single day. I make art EVERY DAY. Even if I’m traveling, I keep a sketchbook and I’m always doing little acts of art wherever I go. It embarrasses my kids. But their friends all think it’s cool, so maybe there’s hope. Peer pressure is a force to be reckoned with and in this case it’s on my side, haha.

A lot of artists struggle with the money side of their business, but you’ve been vocal about how important for artists to put themselves out there to sell their art. Tell us a bit more about that.

I would be an artist even if nobody showed up to look at it or pay me for it. And I’ll be an artist forever now. The nice thing is this isn’t a career you never age out of. I’ll be doing this until I kick the bucket.

Here’s the truth. Making art is WORK. And I believe artist should be well-compensated for their work. I’ve done the internal work to break down my own limiting beliefs around money and now I help other artists do that work, too. I grew up in a family where money was tight, and there was a lot of scarcity and stories about how money is hard to get. Added to that, we have a toxic story in our culture about starving artists. It’s only a true story if you believe it.

I make a living being an artist. How cool is that? And I work with other artist to make a living from their art. The world needs your art. But you must show up in your power and make your art with passion and a belief that what you’re doing is truly important.

How do you suggest artists get out of their own way and build their careers?

I see artists struggling mostly with mindset (believing they are not worthy and their work is not enough).

Mindset is everything, so I have developed a daily routine that helps me get in the right state of mind. Every morning I wake-up 30 minutes earlier than everyone else in my household so I can do the work to break down my self limiting beliefs.

I journal and write out what I want to accomplish that day. It can be art stuff or family stuff…a variety of things.

Then I reflect on my why; why am I working this hard, why am I showing up, why am I making art every single day without skipping?

I pick one thing that, if accomplished, will make the day a win.

And I celebrate every little win.

Being an artist can be tough because you’re creating your own career and being your own cheerleader. So make sure you’re cheering the very loudest for yourself even when it feels like you’re the only one. That way you’re always moving forward, which is what we want to see.

What are your future goals?

I want to encourage as many people to make art as possible. I want to be a loud advocate for the arts. I understand that art can change people’s lives, both for the artist and for the collector. My mission is to make the world better than when I found it, and art is my way of doing that.

If I could give you just one takeaway from this interview it would be that everyone is an artist, and in order to be a successful artist you must do one thing: never quit. It’s that simple.

How can readers reach out to you?

I currently live on Instagram, or you can find my work here.

I also have open studio days and welcome collectors to come to my space and see where I create. If you are in Portland, OR come and look me up.

How to sell your art (and have a good mindset) with Aremy Stewart