Meet Ali Kay

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ali Kay. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ali, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
 I got my work ethic from my parents. They owned an auto repair business for over 25 years. My dad is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever known. I think one reason why he worked so hard was that he actually enjoyed what he was doing. He always cares about the quality of everything that he does and serving others well is part of his DNA. When I was a kid, we would do all kinds of creative projects together and both of my parents would teach to me that you just keep working until it’s done and done really well. They demonstrated to me the joy of doing a good job and taking pride in your work.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve been a professional artist for over 20 years. I love color and exploring different ways to interpret a subject that feel both accurate and fun. I have followed many different paths including showing in galleries, doing commissions and participating in art shows.

I began teaching my loose and bold approach to painting about 10 years ago. In recent years we have transitioned to a fully online teaching platform. This has allowed us to serve thousands of students worldwide which is very exciting! I teach new lessons weekly to my Fresh Paint membership students. We have an incredible group of artists in this community. Some have just begun their painting journey and others have been working as professional artists for years. It is so much fun to see them supporting each other inside our private group and growing in their confidence and skills. We recently launched a free sample course called The Simple Zinnia which I am really excited about. This is a great opportunity for students to check out what they will learn in my Fresh Paint membership and get a taste of my teaching style. We’ve had nearly 20,000 students enroll in this mini course from all over the world.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. I’ve always been willing to try new things. I think that fear of the unknown can often hold artists and entrepreneurs back. We have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. There are so many times I feel like a pilot who is also building the plane in the air. I’ve learned that I work best under pressure so this suits me pretty well.

2. I saw a lot of growth in my art and my business when I stopped worrying about creating the “right kind of work” and began just doing what I loved. When you allow your personal passion to shine through, you become a better artist.

3. I never doubted if I was an artist. This is something I hear from a lot of creatives who would like to learn to paint. They are afraid of calling themselves an artist. They will say, “I’m not talented” or “I just like to paint, but I’m not an artist.” I hate hearing these words. Part of my mission is to empower creative people to claim their title as an artist. I think getting comfortable with knowing you are an artist is powerful. We need to fight back against all the self doubt that goes on in our heads because it doesn’t serve us well.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
 The last 12 months have been a crazy ride! My business has grown so much and this has forced me to stop trying to do everything myself. I’ve expanded my team and began to learn how to better delegate tasks and stay organized. I used to think that I had to somehow be good at everything in order to make it as a business owner. I’m beginning to learn that successful businesses are led by people who know their place and empower others to use their individual strengths. Allowing other people do the things I used to do is giving me the mental clarity to strategize and take my business to the next level.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Hillary Moore (Wandermoore Photography)

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