Meet Julia Kestner

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

Hi Julia, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I first started dabbling in hand lettering about 10 years ago, around the time I moved to San Diego. I was going through a really difficult time and was struggling with depression, and I just started writing some quotes and phrases that gave me hope. I started sharing my work online, as well as my story and my struggles living with mental illness, and I realized that so many people were going through similar challenges. I connected with a beautiful community of other people who also had similar experiences. And I thought to myself, this is my calling. This is my purpose. I want to share my art and story to help remind others they’re not alone.

Since then, my style has changed a lot and I’ve shifted from hand lettering to illustration. But my why has remained the same: to create purpose-driven art to uplift, empower, and inspire people and remind them that they are not alone. I think what it comes down to in the end is being someone who I needed when I was younger, and creating things I wish I had when I was younger.

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

I’m a Japanese-American illustrator based in San Diego, California. I specialize in creating artwork with heart and purpose that promotes positive change. I especially enjoy creating inclusive, empowering, and uplifting illustrations for socially responsible companies and other organizations that are making the world a better place. My work focuses on mental health, gender equality, social justice, and other issues that tug at my heartstrings. I also run an online shop where I offer uplifting products for the heart and home. I create a variety of products – from stickers and greeting cards to art prints and enamel pins – which I hope help infuse our everyday lives with joy, hope, and encouragement.

As for what’s coming up, I have a digital coloring book coming out soon which I’m really excited about! I’m also working on a few client projects, and preparing for some upcoming markets – especially during the holiday season. The best way to stay updated would be to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on social media.

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?

The first one would be finding my purpose. My why is the foundation of everything that I do – it’s what helps me stay true to myself, it’s what helps me decide what kind of work I want to create and what kinds of clients I want to create it for, and it’s what keeps me going when I face challenges and obstacles along the way.

My advice for how to develop your purpose would be to get curious and ask yourself questions like: What are your unique gifts? How do your story and experiences shape who you are? What causes do you care about? What are you inspired by? Who do you want to serve? Why do you do what you do? Exploring these questions will help create a strong foundation for your business, and it will also help define who you are as an artist, what types of clients you serve, and what sets you apart from other creatives in your industry.

The second skill that has had a big impact on my journey would be the ability to break down big goals into daily tasks. Many of us have big dreams and goals, but it can be easy to get overwhelmed, and achieving these goals can often feel daunting. My biggest advice would be to take your big dreams and break them down into annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly goals, and then break those down further into smaller daily tasks. Then just focus on one day at a time.

Last but not least, what has been impactful in my journey is making space for creativity in my daily life, even when (ESPECIALLY when) I’m busy, stressed, or pressed for time. When I was first starting my business, I had 2 day jobs and didn’t have a lot of time. But I made sure to set aside time for creativity – even if it was only for 15 minutes, or sometimes even 5. My advice for anyone who wants to infuse more creativity into their lives is to find a ritual that helps you find your creative flow and that helps you stay present and mindful. For me, that looks setting myself up for success the night before by cleaning and setting up my desk, then writing down 3 tasks that I want to focus on the next day. Then in the morning I make myself some coffee, light a candle, put on a podcast or play some relaxing music, and get started on my daily tasks for that day. It might take some trial and error, but what’s important is finding what works for you and helps you get in the right mindset and honor the present moment – because creativity is sacred and I think we should treat it as such.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Work has been a little slow for me this year, and that has definitely been challenging. While I’ve been very lucky to be able to work on a few client projects that I’m really excited about, the reality is that client work has been slow and I haven’t had as much work compared to previous years.

First, I’m reminding myself that it’s not just me. I’ve had a few conversations with fellow creatives, and so many freelance artists I’ve talked to are going through the same thing. If you’re a fellow freelance creative worker, know that you are not alone, and it’s not your fault. We’re all doing our best and we’re all struggling right now, especially with the current economic climate.

Second, I’m focusing on the things that I CAN control. I’m diversifying my income streams so that even when client work is slow, I still have other streams of revenue to keep me afloat (like online sales, in-person sales at markets, and wholesale). I’m taking initiative and reaching out to companies that I want to work with. I’m pitching my product line to retailers where I want my products to be carried. And while it can sometimes feel like I’m shouting into a void, it feels good to know that I’m taking control where I can.

And on the days when I get rejected or ghosted (which happens A LOT), I remind myself that there’s someone out there who will benefit from my products and services – they just don’t know that I exist yet. When I shift my mindset from “I’m bothering clients/retailers” to “I have products and services that will help them succeed”, it reminds me that I’m actually doing them a disservice by NOT reaching out to them.

If work is slow for you, remember that your offerings are a gift to the world, and it would be a disservice to not let the world know. So go and unapologetically and enthusiastically promote what you do. Celebrate and share your work, even when it feels uncomfortable and vulnerable, or when you may feel like it’s annoying and cringy to talk about your work. Your work is worth celebrating and you get to be proud of this thing that you’ve poured hours of your time and your entire heart into. So keep sharing, keep promoting, and keep shining that beautiful light of yours. Trust me, the world will be better off because of it.

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