Meet Maya Doss

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

Hi Maya, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from my desire to see my dreams manifest. I believe in being humble in the face of adversity, allowing the challenges to teach me rather than destroy me. Alchemizing pain into inspiration and personal power has been key to remaining resilient. As diamonds are formed while under immense pressure, I believe my soul agreed to go through the pain and hardships of this life to teach me the ways of the world so I can be wiser. Evolution is a law of life, and I will always choose to evolve through what I go through. I am so much brighter and more brilliant than anything that was sent to destroy me will ever be.
I moved from state to state as an infant and young child and then grew up with one parent who has struggled with addiction most of my life, and one who is a second-generation Cuban immigrant. My life was nothing short of difficult from the beginning, but it was always important to me to do my best with what I had and to show myself and others love even when I was confused and hurting.
I have also looked outside myself for guidance and found that most stories tell us that greatness is on the other side of difficulty and struggle. It is all about how you choose to channel your energy through that obstacle that defines who you are and what will happen. I will always choose my dream, my success, and my peace above any negativity life throws my way to show myself and the world that it is valuable and worthy of becoming a reality, because that is when the magic happens.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an artist who alchemizes trauma into colorful, imaginative artwork to help heal and inspire others as well as myself. I guide myself through art therapy, using my pain as a catalyst for creation. Creativity is one of my strengths and has been since childhood, so I express myself in a wide range of mediums and methods. From painting and drawing to upcycling second-hand decor and clothing, I have always loved the process of creating something new.
A year ago I was one of 39 artists in the state of Indiana to receive the On-Ramp Artistic Entrepreneur Accelerator grant, and my project proposal to the Indiana Arts Commission was that with the grant I would professionalize myself as an artist and positively impact my local community with my artwork. I am nearing the end of my project period and I believe this past year I have expanded and grown in ways I never imagined. I am so thankful to the Indiana Arts Commission for believing in me as an artist and funding my project, because that is how what I do became more well known to my local community.
When I think of my success in what I do and my brand, I believe it is me being my authentic self while being willing to be a professional artist in the public eye. It is an unavoidable aspect of the job that myself and my artwork will be judged publically, but because I have stood tall in who I am and my message, the opportunities that align with my artistic voice follow.
My illustrative skills have aligned me with several commission opportunities within a wide range of styles. This past year alone I have made signs and flyers for local businesses like Locked Groove Records and Haul’n Oats Specialty Coffee and Toast. Bringing other people’s visions to life is a service I always feel satisfied doing. Another 2D medium I love is painting, specifically with acrylic or watercolor. I paint so often that both my personal and professional paintings boost my business, leading me to receive frequent commission requests from local businesses. Muncie Civic Theatre commissions me for prop and set designs for live performances, and I have painted 4 murals at Haul’n Oats.
Both my professional and personal paintings get suport and love because my voice and vision shine through. My paintings and mixed media work have been in back-to-back gallery shows in Muncie since March at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Made in Muncie, Be Here Now, and Haul’n Oats. I paint on canvas, clothing, wooden jewelry boxes, and more! My art merchandise, personal artworks, and upcycled treasures are now for sale in booth 229 inside of Caldwell Antique Mall & Flea Market off of Wheeling and at Haul’n Oats at the Crossing.

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?

I would say three qualities you have to possess if you are going to make it in any field, but especially the arts, are resourcefulness, resilience, and a willingness to be openly judged. If you are going to be in the public eye, there will be people that love what you do and on the opposite end, there will be those who do not support you. You have to be okay with either outcome and continue to put yourself out there regardless. This also leads to resilience being important. You have to continue fighting for your dream, creating art, and promoting yourself even if you are not making the sales you want or receiving the support you had hoped for. Perseverance in the face of adversity will pay off big time! You learn so much and find yourself creatively problem-solving often. Resourcefulness is exactly that. Using what you already have, thrifting your canvases (either literally or alternatively with boxes or clothing), and reimagining how supplies can be used are all ways to tackle perceived lack in a positive and creative way. Resourcefulness is also using what you have where you are to your full advantage, and trusting that will get you where you need to go. For a long time, I carried a couple of boxes full of prints, stickers, and jewelry I had made with a sign of my prices to local shows and that was how I got myself out there. Now, I am recognized by the state, a freelance artist and muralist in my city, and have been in gallery spaces multiple times this year. So much can happen so quickly if you believe in yourself.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I am a visual and tactile person through and through. If I do not write out what I need to do in my physical planner and block out time to work, I get overwhelmed. To avoid this, I write out the tasks that need to get done today, this week, this month, and sometimes this year all in the same list to braindump. Yes, half the time this step overwhelms me further, but you have to trust the process because it does get better. After I have faced all the work I have ahead of me, I go to my week ahead spread and fill out tasks on the day/ days I need to work on it to stay on task. The most important part after all this planning is to actually face the task and do it when you say you will. Procrastination is always tempting, but if you want to avoid feeling even more overwhelmed, you have to take every task one step at a time. Give yourself space and time to bring forth your best work. Sure, a time crunch can make us produce our best work every once in a while, but constantly battling the clock can leave you feeling burnt out and like you aren’t putting your best foot forward. You owe it to yourself to look out for future you by getting it done when you say you will! Of course, life throws us curve balls and things come up, but we also have to balance being flexible with being disciplined.

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