We were lucky to catch up with Bella Lusk recently and have shared our conversation below.
Bella , thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?
Self-discipline for me, comes from genuinely wanting to do a task, when it comes to my work, needing to get paintings done, installing for galleries, making those hefty emails for commissions. I find that they all are pieces to a puzzle for the bigger picture of my career, And I pursue painting and ceramics in a very similar way. Were they fall under a flow state. To which all of my desire and attention are locked into what is in front of me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
A visual artist, going to college for product design and industrial design, I strive to make my career, balanced with creativity, and pushing the balance for the way that we look at art. I fell in love with wanting to create spectacle for an audience, because of how I feel when I find myself in spaces that I truly feel Magic in. I started painting during the pandemic, and fell in love with our history. my work is in an amalgam of different inspirations of artists, and ways of interacting with a canvas. my work got major attention at my first gallery show in 2021, where the Neurman museum bought a painting of mine for their permanent collection. Currently for the month of February 2024 I have a my work is in an amalgam of different inspirations of artists, and ways of interacting with a canvas. Currently for the month of February 2024, I have a gallery show at the University of Central, Missouri, and a solo show at the smelter art gallery in the arts district of Kansas City, Missouri.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Persistence was very important for me to learn and pick up quickly if I wanted people to remember and recognize me in my art community, networking got me to so many different places and got me lucky quite a few times when it came to opportunities and having people under your belt for support, but also one of the most important qualities that I’ve developed is quality time with your passions, especially in my field it’s very easy to get overworked and burdened by making art out of obligation then wanting to make it. I have learned the hard way, that your art comes before your reputation, for there is no reputation without your art..
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most important thing that my parents have done, to care about my interests, they funded my passions, and they genuinely believed that if it is something I wanted to do that, I should at least treat myself accountable to go all the way Especially when speaking with other artists who have passions my age, it is difficult for them to find a support system, because their parents care more about the financial aspect, then living a safe vanilla life. And I think it is a normal habit of concern, but when it comes to the detriment of your child’s passion, you’re leaving them a bone with no meat they feel helpless in a situation they want to be free from.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @balusted
- Facebook: Balusted
- Linkedin: Bella “ balusted” Hernandez Lusk
Image Credits
(Bella Lusk)
