Meet Ariana Bupte

We recently connected with Ariana Bupte and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ariana , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?

My ability to take risks developed from my career experiences, rather than from my art journey, where playing it safe didn’t help me. It made me get out of my comfort zone, take calculated risks, and welcome change. I apply risk taking to my art by constantly trying new brands of paint and techniques. I love that taking a risk always teaches you something no matter the outcome. Let’s just say I’ve had to break out Windex more than once after taking a risk with a new kind of paint. When I get inspired by other artists and their artwork I often hone in on something specific about their piece and take that idea and apply it to my own artwork, using my own techniques without knowing how the piece will even turn out, which is a huge risk.

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

I’m an artist who focuses on outer space. I create one-of-a-kind small batch art that is multi-medium based. That means I use different materials and techniques to create one piece. I read somewhere that being an artist is often good for your brain. To paraphrase it, making art makes you piece together different thoughts and solve problems in order to create one single idea. That really stuck with me. Being a multi-medium artist, I’m constantly piecing together my art as if I’m adding puzzle pieces together and getting the perfect combination right. I plan to have my first art show soon. Hopefully, I can collab with a coffee shop or clothing brand to pop up and show my art.

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?

I received some of the most impactful knowledge on my art journey through my mentor, Khani; he told me the statistic that if you truly want to master something it takes 10,000 hours, which on average takes 10 years to complete. I’m 7 years in. I’m excited to see what my art will turn into in the years to come. It’s definitely changed since the first time I painted.

Another thing I learned from my mentor was to stay curious and be observant. This advice rings true since I feel like I’m inspired by the things that aren’t necessarily related to my type of art. I’m constantly inspired by trendy TikTok sound bites and synth wave music. Fashion is a big inspiration, especially anything with glitter on it, like the clothing brand, Asta Resort. One of my favorite things is when an artist’s style looks like they stepped right out of their own artwork. I also get inspired by colors in film and TV. Often screenshot color palettes in some anime shows my husband has shown me or a certain character’s look will inspire me.

The last piece of knowledge I came across was actually on TikTok. I saw a video where the music artist, Sombr, got asked a similar question to this. He mentioned that this wisdom was given to him: “The magic lies in the things you’re ignoring.” This statement is so powerful because it makes you reflect on the things you put off and why. I know that the stuff I ignore is because too much baggage comes with it. I start to think about needing supplies, planning an art show, making more art, etc. When I actually create art, I lose track of time and it’s so easy. And then someone loves the painting and I wonder why I waited.

The advice I’d give to someone who just started their journey is to get your 10,000 hours in. It sounds cheesy but I often see people who master something after 10 years. I think about someone like Taylor Swift who has been doing music for 10 years and saw the reward of her Eras Tour.

The advice I’d stress is that the more you repeat your process, the more you’ll excel. Having many hours of experience allows you to fine-tune and improve. I apply the 10,000 hour logic not only to my art but in my career as well. I also see it being applied by many successful people.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

2025 has been such a big year for me. I’m feeling all sorts of emotions since this is my last year in my 20s. I’ve had so much personal growth this year. It’s helped me improve the way I go about my day, how I juggle my career and focus on art. I thought my 20s would be full of trying new things and career jumps but it was actually trying the new things but making sure I stick to one. I have a feeling that my 30s will be amplified. I feel the most myself I’ve ever felt. I’m so excited to travel more, leap and pivot careers, and focus on growing my artwork. I’m done putting things off and excited to see where the “magic” takes me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ariana_bupte