Hey Voyagers! You're new here, so I figure I should start this off with an introduction. My name is Kaelin and I am the Abstract Voyager. I am a self-taught fluid painter and digital artist (in YouTube training) who is stepping into the visual art world for the first time. I have an expected launch date of Friday, September 1st at 3 pm EST and as you can imagine, I'm excited. However, along with my excitement is a whirlwind of "holy shit, I cannot believe I'm doing this" thoughts. Buckle up as I give you the rundown of my life pre-discovering my love for creating and how I hope to inspire other "holy shit" moments in the lives of other Voyagers like me!
Like most creatives who discover their love for the arts early on, I had various ideas of what I wanted to be when I grew up. It went from your stereotypical teacher or doctor to a lawyer or actress. None of those came to pass and after switching from a traditional college to an online college (thanks a lot Sallie Mae) I received my BS in Business Administration. As you can imagine, this degree didn't really do anything for me and I followed the typical millennial journey of job hopping to pay off bills and debt. I had a few good jobs and a few bad ones but they all had something in common. I was miserable.
There was no joy in working in retail, sitting behind a desk, making schedules, attending training and conferences - it all felt as if there was a machine I was being fed to but wasn't feeding me back. Once the pandemic hit, I was forced to seize the opportunity to do something different. I quit my two jobs, started an Upwork account, got my first EIN from the IRS, and became a virtual assistant.
I ran Kae. Consulting, LLC for 3 years, and I thought I was living the high life! I did everything I thought was right, but something was still *missing. I started working from home in order to spend more time with my family, enjoy the things that I loved, and be financially free. As you guessed, none of that was happening; and after having a minor bump on the head I decided it was time to take a small vacation. I went back to the drawing board and I made a list of all the activities or jobs that I wanted to do or thought would make me happy. I narrowed that list down until the last phrase just so happened to be "learning how to draw". This is when everything finally started falling into place.
My husband (whom I love and adore and someone you will hear me reference often) took me to Hobby Lobby and purchased my first acrylic pouring kit, 8x10 canvas, and sketchbook. I was thrilled. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved it. I didn't know if my art was "good enough" but somehow that felt liberating. I was scared out of my mind and somehow I felt more alive doing it than any other hobby I got into. Months later, I had a room full of paintings. I upgraded from a sketchbook to an iPad and got comfortable showing my art to my family and best friend (who will also be referenced heavily). My family pulls no punches and with us being a blended family of cultures and generations, you will never go a day without hearing the truth. With the backing of the fam, a couple of brainstorming sessions, and a lot of prayers Kae. Consulting was laid to rest and the Abstract Voyager came to life!
This all happened a year ago in September, so there was no better time to launch than in the month it all started. Now, we can get to the good part which is, "Why tf should this matter to you?" I know there are some specifics in my story that you may not be able to relate to, but the overall message and feeling is the same: self-discovery. I would have never gotten to this point in my life if it wasn't for all the stops I had to make along the way. It has not been easy, but each time I allowed myself to explore a new realm of possibilities. My art is a reflection of how I see life, things I love, books and video games that have inspired me, and ultimately a chance to preserve what has finally brought me happiness. You deserve the exact same feelings and experiences. We've been told there is a specific path to take. I'm telling you right now that's W-R-O-N-G. You deserve to make mistakes, fall flat on your face, get back up and try it again or try something new. This is what being a "voyager" is all about - and if you made it this far, then you must believe it, too!
Be prepared for my journey, the ups and the downs, and so much more!
"A voyage through this life should be seen in the abstract."