We were lucky to catch up with Juanita Tatum recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Juanita, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
I make time each day to create. Something. Anything. It’s usually first thing in the morning. I wake up and create. If i’m pressed for time, even just a few scribbles on a piece of paper is enough to get me through the day.
If I don’t create I get cranky. It’s the equivalent to feeling hangry (hungry/angry) which also happens to me! Taking time to create helps me slow down, figure out how I’m feeling and process my emotions. It sets the tone for my day and allows me to be present and effective in the task at hand.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
In early 2021 I was walking through Barnes and Noble looking for inspiration and saw a Somerset Studio magazine that caught my eye. The article Face It by Amanda Judd inspired me to start my own 99 faces challenge. Since I couldn’t draw a face I started with reference photos but quickly found that realism was not my thing. Through experimentation I found my own style and inner voice. I completed the 99 faces challenge and never stopped, losing track after a 1000 faces and continue to add pieces every day.
I am a self-taught artist that creates intuitively through play, experimentation, and the right amount of chaos. You can usually find me in my home studio on the floor with my dogs surrounded by acrylic paint, watercolor, inks, pens, pencils, paper, canvas, fibers, and wood.
My motto is “Anything can be an art supply!”
My mission is to inspire people to create art without judgment. I do that by teaching classes, mentoring and creating spaces and events that foster creativity.
In January of 2023 I left my corporate job to pursue my art career. My love of dabbling in many mediums and areas related to art led to the creation of Art Dabbler. The website Artdabbler.net will be launching in May 2024.
Find me on Instagram @j.tatum.art
Upcoming events in the Minneapolis area:
Make-a-wish Gala April 27th
Winefest 24 May 10-11th
Art-a-whirl May 17-19th -Guest in Flux Arts Building
Two Rivers Art Fair July 20th
Loring Park Art Festival July 27-28th
Art Battle Minnesota State Championship August 16th
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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?
Find yourself: Discover who you are without anyone else. Who are you without the labels (mother, daughter, wife)? Who are you without the conditioned responses? Who are you without anyone else’s expectations? Find what excites you to get out of bed each morning. Show up for yourself. Trust yourself. Don’t take yourself too seriously! It’s better to disappoint others than to disappoint yourself. Be yourself: Let your authenticity shine through. This is your life. Surround yourself with people who love and accept you just the way you are. You do not need to hide your light or shape shift to make other people comfortable.
Lift others up: There is room in this life for us all to succeed. Your success does NOT have to mean someone else fails. Abundance is all around us. Sometimes we only need a slight change in perspective.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
I do a lot of things scared. The perception is that I’m fearless. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I do things in spite of my fear. I have learned to take the leap of faith even if I’m terrified. I no longer try to control everything and trust that I am strong enough to handle what a new situation may bring.
Here are a few examples:
I competed in Art Battle Minnesota in October of 2023. It is a live painting competition. You have 20 mins to create a piece of art! There are 6 artists in round 1 and 6 artists in round 2. The top 2 from each round battle it out in the 3rd round to be crowned Art Battle Champion for the night. I signed up to compete. I had never attended an event. I did not know anyone that would be attending.
What I did know is I could paint something in 20 mins. Since I paint intuitively I didn’t have to worry about what I was going to paint. I just let it flow like I always do.
I made it to the final round! I met some amazing artists and found my mentor. Taking that leap of faith has opened up so many opportunities and helped me find my tribe.
I was invited to attend a women, power and money luncheon. The only person I knew there was the one that invited me. I’m so glad I said yes! I met an amazing lady that invited me to a networking event a few hours later. I had no other plans that day so I went. It was in a new workshare space in a nearby city. I introduced myself and told everyone I was an artist looking to find more places to show and sell my art. The owner of the workspace asked if I’d like to host an art event the next month! I said yes. We picked a date 6 weeks later. I had never planned an art event but had planned other events. I have a great network of artists that I have met through Art Battle and through a local art center. It was a lot of work but I pulled it off. It was a great success and has led to more opportunities.
Go out there and do the things that scare you and marvel in the blessings that come from taking the leap of faith.
Contact Info:
- Website: Artdabbler.net
- Instagram:Instagram.com/j.tatum.art
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-tatum-0a0763236?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
