Meet Kelli James | Artist, In Many Forms @artbytwiddle

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelli James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelli, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I love this question! I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, and I left the first chance I got. Small town life didn’t suit me, and I was brought up in an extremely abusive and dysfunctional family. I bounced around between careers and cities for many years, until I ended up moving to San Diego with my partner and the love of my life, and I haven’t looked back! My upbringing forced me into taking risks, and that is one thing I will never fear: not having a safety net has never bothered me, because I’ve never had one, not financial or familial.

I am not a pros and cons type of person, nor am I a list maker. If something isn’t working, I change it, whether its where I live, work, or what I do daily; it’s constantly in flux and stagnation to me is a slow torture. I have grown to accept this into my art, because for a long time I thought I needed a “style” to be a successful artist. But the thing is, you don’t! I teach acrylic pouring paint classes, I create tattoos for people, paint murals, use traditional mediums like watercolor or pencil and ink, graphic design, and now I’m dipping my toes in becoming a children’s book illustrator and author!

To any aspiring artists out there, my biggest advice is: do it. Make that Instagram page, put yourself out there, take a class, ask a local shop if you can hang your art. As an artist, every time I share my work, it’s a small battle of “Is this good enough?” and I’m here to tell you, it is, and so are you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been an artist since I could first hold a pencil. I absolutely love drawing, and I always have. I took a few art classes in college, but for the most part, I am self taught. My whole childhood I was told that art is not a lucrative career, that it was extremely competitive, and that I wouldn’t make it as an artist. So, I didn’t try. Now, I am pursuing this knowing full well that I can do it, and that I should have done it from the start.

I got where I am today by practicing. As much as art can be an inherent talent, it takes practice, just like anything else. Some folks have a natural affinity for playing sports, but you still need those practice sessions. Art is no different. Anyone can be an artist, and that is my biggest passion: to watch someone’s eyes light up when they realize they’ve created something beautiful, and the realization that they can in fact create.

I’d like the world to know that anyone can be an artist, and I’d love to help them discover that!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am an avid ocean nerd, and I always make my friends go snorkeling with me! Seeing the seals swimming around you, and the sea grass dance in the waves, is the most calming place in the world to me. Being underwater is absolutely my happy place, and I love showing that to my friends! After snorkeling, we’d get tacos and some drinks, and I’d likely try to make them go again the next day! But if they weren’t feeling that we’d go to Balboa Park, or the Zoo, and check out all of those little historical spots. I would of course take them to see sunset every night, likely at different spots so they can see how incredible our little slice of the world is!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person that deserves the most credit is my partner, as he constantly supports me in any endeavor I tell him about. He’s also always there if that endeavor doesn’t go the way I hoped. He’s absolutely my rock and my biggest inspiration, as someone who has started a successful business from scratch himself.

In addition, I think I would have to give a shoutout to all of the authors I read growing up. Books were my biggest escape, to the point that my mom started taking me to the library in the next town over because I had read everything in our local library. Those stories gave me hope, inspired me to be a better person, and definitely taught me that risk came with regret or reward, and sometimes both. I am who I am due to the lives I’ve lived through those pages.

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/artbytwiddle

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-james-421731162

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keljamesart/

Other: RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Tw1ddle/shop?asc=u KoFI: https://ko-fi.com/artbytwiddle Amazon Books: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B09TPZZJHJ?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070