We recently connected with Rachel Kelly and have shared our conversation below.
Rachel, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Growing up, my family didn’t have much. I grew up in a single-parent home. My mother worked three jobs to support my sister and I. We moved often and rented house after house. I grew up in several different states and was often bullied for being the new kid. I had to overcome a lot of different challenges. This led me to my super power – resiliency. My whole life I had to be resilient.
It was not easy growing up without a big support system. I had to work on myself daily – improving my mind, body, and spirit. I did this by praying, reading, eating well, exercising, getting out in nature, and creating art. I had no other choice – sink or swim.
Next to my faith in God, my love for art helped me through my darkest days. Despite limited resources, I put myself through college and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, with a concentration in Advertising, from the University of North Florida.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
After college, I focused on pursuing my Artistic Career. In 2021, I quit my full-time job in Marketing to pursue my passion as a full-time artist and made it a mission to share my gift with others.
Most recently, I launched my Preservation and Endangered Species Collection on my website, www.rachelkellyart.com. For every painting sold, 20% goes to the Wyland Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life. It’s imperative we give back and spread awareness about the importance of preservation, the threats of extinction, and keeping our planet clean and healthy. I’m also working on a Human Trafficking Awareness collection, and 20% of the proceeds will go to the Tim Tebow Foundation, who fights against Human Trafficking and Children’s Sexual Exploitation. We must rally together and be a voice for the voiceless!
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?
Patience, persistence, and passion are three things that continue to be a catalyst for me on my journey in pursuing my dreams and aspirations. I’ve developed these qualities by practicing mindfulness and self-discipline, which has helped me in all aspects of life. It’s important what we put into our mind, body, and soul. We are what we see, read, watch, eat, listen to, etc. That’s why it’s my goal to create peaceful, serene paintings for your space. Science has shown that color has a direct correlation with our mood. Take a moment and look at your environment. What colors are you surrounding yourself with?
My advice for others is to believe in yourself and your abilities. Think about what you’re most passionate about doing, how you can apply that to help others, and make the leap! Each one of us can make a difference and can make a positive impact. Pursue your dreams and work on them every day. Make your life meaningful and significant. We all have unique, God-given talents and we can all make the world a better place!
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Every day brings new challenges and opportunities. The goal for me is to pursue my passion as an artist and help as many people that I can in the process. My mission is to bring faith, hope, love, and inspiration to you wherever you are through my art, whether it is on a canvas or digitally. I will continue fighting for the voiceless and preserving and protecting our planet in the process.
Make sure to connect with me on social! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and most recently, YouTube at @rachelkellyart. You can also find my art on my website, www.rachelkellyart.com. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rachelkellyart.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelkellyart
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelkellyart
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@rachelkellyart
