Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Lawanda.
Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My story started in 2016. My daughter was getting to go off to college and I wanted something to occupy my time. So I picked up a paintbrush and a canvas and the rest is history.
I started out painting “cute” art for little kids. I posted some of my pictures on FB and people were inquiring about buying them. So I expanded and I started creating more detailed art for adults. I created an Instagram page and started posting my paintings. More exposure from IG, and so I turned my hobby into a full business.
Now, I not only create art, but I also make home decor beads, I wrote three children’s books available on Amazon and I make jewelry. You can find some of my art in two art galleries and three gift shops.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a black female living in the South, it has not been a smooth road. There have been more “no’s” than “yes.” There have been alot of businesses I have reached out to that have told me in so many words “don’t call us, we’ll call you” or “we’re not interested.” That has only made me go harder
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Besides being an artist, I do have 9 to 5 jobs. I am a Case Manager for special needs adults. I have worked with the special needs community for over 20 years. I love what I do. It’s hard to see when some of my consumers need basic things, and Medicaid will not pay for it.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Being home with my family makes me happy. It’s nice to be around family when everyone is healthy and doing well when there is so much heartache in the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: lawandacreations@yahoo.com
- Website: www.lawandascreations.simplesite.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lawandas_creations
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lawandascreations
