passion and persistence with professional watercolorist Chelsea Blevins Powers (Iota nu-kentucky)
American comedian and actor Demetri Martin is often credited with the saying: The Earth without art is just eh . Though short and punchy, the meaning behind his quote is surprisingly profound. Art is an essential part of life, and without it, everything in our orbit would be far less colorful — metaphorically and literally — and far less interesting. To this, lifelong artist and professional watercolorist Chelsea Blevins Powers (Iota Nu-Kentucky) would 100% agree. Born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Chelsea flexed her creative muscles early. “I had that ’90s Little Tikes art desk when I was seven, and I remember my mom could not get me to leave that thing,” she laughs. Her family nurtured both her passion and innate talent for art, specifically painting, which Chelsea continued to hone through middle school, high school and into college. At the University of Kentucky, she studied art education while also enrolling in nearly every fine arts course offered. Chelsea was also a founding member of Iota Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi. Having lost several family members to heart disease, she felt drawn to the Fraternity’s philanthropic cause, sharing, “I took it as a sign.” After college, she worked as an elementary art teacher from 2013 to 2022 and moved to her current home in Indianapolis in 2017. By her ninth year in the classroom, she knew it was time to try something new. She began painting for family and friends in the middle of the 2022 school year. “I figured I’d give it a try until my teaching paychecks stopped at the end of summer, and then I’d find another big-girl job,” she says. “Luckily for me, clients and orders kept coming, so I never had to quit!” Her next big-girl job found her. In 2022, Chelsea launched Chelsea Powers Art and Design (chelseapowersart.com), where she specializes in custom watercolor portraits of homes, pets and birth flower bouquets. She also creates original prints and wedding invitations, all in watercolor. She first dabbled in the medium in 2019 at the request of a friend who wanted a watercolor portrait of the restaurant she and her then-fiancé had their first date. “I figured, why not give it a try? Then the pandemic happened, and I had nothing but time to play around and practice.”
Practice makes progress. Today, Chelsea is known for her watercolor masterpieces, especially her house portraits. To date, she has created 100 portraits of buildings near and dear to her clients’ hearts. “I love being able to create a special keepsake of someone’s home they lived in their whole lives. So many clients get emotional when I complete their commissioned piece, and I’m just so grateful that they trust me to be part of this next chapter for them.” Painting for a living is by far the best part of being a small business owner. The not-so-glamorous side of it, according to Chelsea? Everything else. That’s when her number one cheerleader in life, her husband, comes in clutch. “My husband is so wonderful and helps me with a ton of the admin stuff I have to do,” she says. “Without him, I could never have quit teaching and given this a shot.” There’s also the challenge of effectively managing time. Most artists will tell you that when inspiration strikes, you take to your canvas. That can be hard to do when you run a business and order deadlines are always lingering in the background. It’s a good problem to have because deadlines mean clients, and clients mean money, but Chelsea still longs for the day she can create her own series of works that aren’t commissioned by someone else. Until then, her business goals include getting better and selling more. On the days she’s feeling stuck or uninspired, Chelsea signs up for a class, always finding new ways to stretch her creativity. “I try a class I haven’t done yet, and I always find something new to add to my routines,” she says. This kind of curiosity and commitment has fueled her business from day one, just like it did back when she spent hours at her Little Tikes art desk. Nothing about small business ownership is easy, but Chelsea’s journey is proof that showing up with passion, persistence, patience and a paintbrush can take you pretty far. “Making art has always been a passion of mine. Now, I get to live it out every day in a way that not only fulfills me creatively but also provides for my family. When I put the paintbrush down at the end of the day, I am actually happy and can be fully present at home, which means everything.”
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