It's Okay to Start Over in Art and in Life
This week's gem:
"Sometimes, you gotta give yourself permission to start over, pause, re-evaluate, change your mind, or pivot. The tighter you hold on to what's not working, the longer it'll take to gain what will" - Desiraé Ofori
This is a statement I shared in this week’s Art Studio Vlog on YouTube.
This statement rules true for so many points in our artwork and lifestyle. What are you holding on to, running in circles, pushing against the grain to make happen, but end up further away from where your heart desires or better yet, where you’re destined to be?
Enjoy this relaxing experimental art video as I grant myself permission to start over on three old paintings with a fresh color palette and study of modeling paste, large abstract brush strokes, and detailed abstract markings.
I also use another experimental painting on watercolor paper to give me inspiration and direction, by choosing smaller sections of abstract composition that stand out to me.
This video is part one. Part two will follow soon. Click the photo below to watch.
Metaphorically, this video represents "starting over" with DeKelis Art Studio.
IT’S A NEW ERA! What does that look like??
Our mission is to use art and words to inspire women from the inside out.
Our signature will be colorful vibrant designs on wall art, lifestyle products, and soul-care tools infused with a message of faith, hope, and confidence.
Our drive is to help fellow women discover and affirm their identity through God as we transform into the women He created us to be. Every woman is unique and different - we deserve to know and become all God has designed us to be.
I want DeKelis to impact women in a way that doesn’t simply “spark joy” superficially or temporarily. I want to help you ignite an everlasting fire of faith, hope, and confidence. I want you to have the reminders through art, lifestyle products, and soul-care tools that you have what it takes to persevere in what you’re going through because God is working WITHIN you (Philippians 4:13).
Trust me I know, at times, it feels that you are doing life alone, but I promise you’re not. God is in your corner fighting for you, uplifting you, and guiding you along the way (Romans 8:31). You CAN be as the woman in Proverbs 31:25 “… clothed in strength and dignity laughing without fear of the future”. This can all be YOUR truth, and it would be a high honor to help you get there.
You may (or may not) be thinking, “Here she goes again, another change”.
And trust me, I feel the same way. But over the past 6.5 years of being a full-time entrepreneur, I’ve learned you don’t always get “it right” straight out the gate and that’s okay!
As you grow and mature in business AND life, you need to be willing to pause, make adjustments, take risks, and follow your instincts. Eventually, you’ll end up where you were meant to be all along.
I have followed so many trends, compared myself to others I deemed more successful (in theory and reality), overanalyzed “What is MY special sauce”, “What am I supposed to make or do”, and “When will it be MY turn to be successful”
Time and again, I’ve missed the obvious or was easily distracted.
The writing has been on the wall for years. I’ve also been afraid to see who would “walk away” from the DeKelis family if I made a complete shift. It’s taken me a while to be okay with the unknown, but I finally accept it and courageously embrace it.
So what’s next? What am I working on?
The next collection from DeKelis is an extension of the 40 I Am Bible-Based Affirmation Cards. There will be four distinct card sets, in four different topics and designated designs with full bible verses so you can read, memorize, and pray them over yourself. This is especially helpful when your mind gets the best of you, and you want to counteract the negative runaway thoughts.
The four topics include Anxiety, Depression, Faith, and Perseverance.
I know, pretty heavy and deep. Yet, I don’t want to shy away from what so many women deal with on the daily. Let’s go straight to the root, instead of just minimizing symptoms.
My hope is for the collection to be released in July 2024. I am still researching appropriate bible verses, creating the artwork for each set, and working out the final design layout (fonts, format, size, etc.). Below is one of the first prototypes.
If you’re new to DeKelis or haven’t been here in a while, I invite you to explore all we have available from the boutique, custom orders, books, content, and more! You can start on our main page here.
Whatever the reason you’re here, I'm glad you found us and I hope DeKelis can bring some impactful, long-lasting inspiration to your life!
Again, welcome!
💖 DeKelis | Desiraé
