Pablo Picasso once said: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

Remaining an artist and wanting to make it a career at all costs is a choice. Sometimes well thought out, sometimes not, sometimes desired for years, sometimes a sudden realization during a lifetime.

For me, becoming an artist is a dream that dates back to my teenage years, a burning flame I felt ignite in my belly every night as I drew in my room. I always saw my parents working, sitting behind their desks, their noses buried in their computers, reading emails and analyzing files. But I wanted to create, I wanted to be an artist.

At 17, I told them I wanted to attend the Beaux-Arts in Paris, but they had other plans for me—more realistic, more concrete. Plans that scared them less, where I could have a "real" career and earn a good living. "After your studies, you can do whatever you want." But the truth is, after earning my Master's degree in marketing, my flame had almost gone out. Between the ages of 17 and 23, I rarely touched a pencil and a sheet of paper. And like many young adults who had seen their dreams slip away, I found a job—behind a desk, my nose buried in a computer, reading emails and analyzing files. But always, in the back of my mind, there was this little flame, distant but tenacious, and I had the desire to make it happen.

Then fate intervened. In May 2023, I was suddenly laid off. At first, I was scared. I rushed to LinkedIn, updated my resume, and started looking for a new job. After a few days and many conversations with my loved ones, I decided to take the summer for myself, to launch my artistic activity and decided to look for a new job in September. So, I created my domain name, my website, my portfolio, and my social media. I was afraid of others' judgment, of my family, of failing and proving them right. Then September came and I decided I wouldn’t give up. I started making a living however I could: pet sitting, babysitting, reaching out to stores to sell prints of my drawings, anything that could bring in a little money and keep me going a bit longer.