Meet Meghan Mills

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meghan Mills a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Meghan, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

My main enemy has always been my own mind in survival mode. When you spend all your processing power preparing for potential problems and anticipating the future, it doesn’t leave much space for the present. I realized overanalyzing and planning didn’t make me happy or more prepared; instead, I was creating a world of problems to live within. I’d tell myself this practice was a ‘just in case’ measure, but it wasn’t taking up ‘just in case’ amounts of space in my life. That determination to be prepared for everything was actually a profound lack of trust in myself, a lack of confidence.

Building my confidence and self-esteem has been a journey of small, deliberate actions. Each day, I make choices that align with the person I aspire to be. It’s about embracing the present moment and recognizing that today is a fresh opportunity to be brave, to be kind, to be true to myself. Every day is a chance to rewrite my narrative through actions, proving to myself that I am capable and worthy.

Over time, all those ‘todays’ add up! The beauty of experiential self-esteem is that it’s grounded in reality; you can’t think your way out of it. Each time I tackle a difficult task and succeed, it becomes another brick in the foundation of my confidence. These moments of triumph serve as tangible evidence that I can handle whatever comes my way. Instead of being consumed by the fear of the unknown, I focus on honing my creative problem-solving skills. There’s always a new angle to approach a problem, a fresh way to turn a negative into a positive if I just shift my perspective.

I may not know what the future holds, but I trust that I have the tools and the resilience to navigate whatever challenges arise. By consistently proving to myself that I can overcome obstacles, I’ve developed a profound trust in my abilities. My confidence and self-esteem have grown from the accumulation of these daily victories, and I carry the proof of my strength within me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I grew up on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay but always felt a bit disconnected from the place, like there must be somewhere that felt more “me”. My family traveled often, road tripping across the country to visit relatives and camp in national parks so I was exposed to enough variety at a young age to know there was a lot more out there than the eastern shore. I can thank those trips for igniting my love of nature and sparking my wandering spirit.

Early on I discovered my passion for art through watercolor painting classes at the Kent Island Federation of Art. It didn’t take long to realize art was my calling. My mom supported my creative journey from the start, taking me to drawing classes and encouraging me to attend art programs outside of our limited island community.

My artistic path continued to evolve when I pursued my BFA at Carnegie Mellon University. There, I delved into conceptual art and began creating large-scale installations, deepening my understanding of space and context. Despite trying out different cities like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Annapolis, I hadn’t quite found where I belonged until I visited my aunt in Atlanta in the spring of 2019.

Atlanta captivated me with its vibrant culture and nurturing creative community. After a few more years of interesting but only partly fulfilling work in commercial art and retail visuals, I made the leap and left corporate life behind to pursue my artistic passion. Now, I lead a balanced life, spending my days painting and building my art business while working part-time in my neighborhood. It’s the perfect blend of artistic fulfillment and community engagement that I’ve always dreamed of.

Currently my focus is with my oil painting practice where I work to infuse my paintings with emotion and create complex atmospheres of depth and whimsy. I find magic in common sights such as the small wildflowers and weeds that grow alongside sidewalks, capturing their complexity and organic perfection in my paintings. Rather than aiming for photorealism, I prefer to emphasize subtle colors and movement. This approach allows me to reflect the nuanced beauty of our world through layers of color and texture, landing me pretty consistently in the impressionistic school of thought.

Lately I’ve been experimenting with more graphic overlays and layering techniques to create intricate environments. I aim to depict familiar subjects like flowers in ways that spark imagination and offer viewers a fresh perspective. My goal is to inspire others to see ordinary scenes in a new light, connecting with diverse interpretations of everyday moments through my art.

This summer I’ll be participating in the “Urban Summer Vibes” group show at Gallery Chimera (July 13- August 24), and the EngageMINT fundraising gala at Mint Gallery on July 13th. I’m also excited to announce that Arches Brewery in Hapeville, GA will host my first solo show this November. Hope to see you there!

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?

Three qualities that have been crucial to my journey are resilience, curiosity, and authenticity.

Resilience has been key because the path to where I am today wasn’t straightforward. I had to navigate through various cities and career roles, from retail visuals to commercial fine art reproduction, before fully committing to my own fine art practice. Each experience taught me valuable lessons in perseverance and adaptability, especially during times of uncertainty and burnout.

Curiosity fueled my artistic growth. From my early days experimenting with watercolor to discovering installation art and oil painting at Carnegie Mellon University, I always sought to expand my skills and explore new techniques. Embracing curiosity allowed me to evolve as an artist and refine my unique style, blending layers of color and texture to convey emotion and atmosphere in my paintings.

Authenticity became increasingly important as I matured in my career. Leaving behind the security of corporate jobs to pursue fine art was daunting, but essential for living a life true to myself. It taught me that genuine fulfillment comes from aligning my actions with my values and passions, rather than seeking validation from external sources.

For those beginning their journey, I would suggest cultivating resilience by embracing challenges as opportunities for growth. Stay curious by continuously learning and experimenting with different techniques and styles. Most importantly, prioritize authenticity in all aspects of your journey—whether in your art or career choices. Trust yourself and don’t be afraid to make bold changes to create the life you truly desire. It’s scary, but the personal and artistic growth that comes from stepping out of your comfort zone is immensely rewarding.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Now that I’ve been creating my own routines and attuning to my body for over a year and a half, I have seen my work flourish. I recognize how the concept of cycles applies specifically to my body and creativity flow. I don’t feel like painting in the studio every single day and that’s ok, I’m working on the negative self-talk that would have me believing those moments make me lazy. The key for me is thinking of the paint-on-canvas part of the creativity as just one of many parts of the process. In order to thrive in that most obviously productive way I must also go on walks, try out new ideas on my iPad, have conversations with friends, clean my apartment, expose myself to new experiences, and even sometimes get lost in another world while binge watching a new TV show. All of these activities forge a full life and I want my art to be full. I’ve settled into my creative life and gotten to know the unique ebb and flow of my lifestyle. It works for me, and I encourage others to explore what works for them. The creative well won’t be filled only by practicing in a sketchbook or stubbornly putting paint to canvas.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://afternoondaisystudio.com
• Instagram: megcmills

Image Credits

Sean Patrick Photo