I recently hosted my very first children's art competition, and what an incredible learning curve it was! Why this initiative is so close to my heart is because I am an artist myself - still navigating the creative landscape, working hard to make my mark, and building a sustainable practice.

Now that I am starting to make inroads, my greatest hope is to inspire children to follow their dreams and embrace their inner artists. Whatever successes I achieve in my own career, I am committed to giving back to the artistic community.

I have a deep love for Vincent van Gogh, and I often find myself moved to tears thinking about how furiously he painted his entire life without ever selling a piece. He never knew how deeply beloved his work would become, or what an immense source of inspiration he would be to millions - and to me. While I couldn't be there to comfort and inspire Vincent during his lifetime, I hope that somewhere out there, I can inspire a "future Vincent."

Times have changed, and as modern artists, we are no longer solely dependent on traditional galleries to share and sell our work. That is an empowering reality I love to share with fellow creatives. I have learned the hard way to persevere through rejection, to accept that not everyone will connect with what I create, and to keep moving forward. Somewhere out there are people who will not just like your work, but absolutely love it - you just have to keep pushing until you find them. You have to learn to absorb rejections, let them make you stronger, and use that fuel to find the right home for your art. This resilience is the most valuable lesson I can pass on to anyone wanting to build a career in the arts.

What Qualifies Me?

Before launching this first competition, that quiet voice of self-doubt asked me: “What qualifies you to do this? You don’t have formal fine arts training.” But I told my insecure self to step aside and listen carefully. I bring a deep, fundamental understanding of childhood development to the table. Beyond that academic foundation, the true qualification is a profound, lifelong love for art, my own active creative practice, and my growing success as an international artist. My work has been selected for a prestigious magazine cover, featured in an international journal, and awarded third place in a competition in Canada. I know what it takes to get your work out there.

Truthfully, I don't love the rigid nature of competitions; I wish every single child who entered could take home a grand prize. Moving forward, I’ve decided that future competitions will still feature our top three placement prizes, but every single participant will receive a beautiful certificate of appreciation. I want to look them in the eye and say: "Thank you for sharing your beautiful imagination with us—we loved your art." That is the mostimportant lesson I took away from my first competition hosted.