Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sydney Mufuka, Founder of The Blind Artisan, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Hi, my name is Sydney, but in the art world, I go by The Blind Artisan. In a nutshell, I am an Atlanta-based artist that creates whimsical and fantasy illustrations in the hopes of making detailed and colorful artwork accessible to everyone! My audience is anyone that is either creative or inspired by creativity!
Tell us about yourself
I’ve been drawing ever since I could remember. I was always inspired by animation, but I think I really became passionate about creating once I was in middle school. I was bullied a lot, and I was really depressed too, so creating became my outlet. At this time, my mom would call me the blind artist because I am visually impaired, yet, I was addicted to drawing. Crazy right? I was literally always glued to my sketchbook. After I graduated high school, I went to Savannah College of Art and Design, but I was really unsure of what I really wanted to do. I guess you could say I just went to school to say that I was doing something with my life. This was before I was aware that people could actually make a living without having a degree under their belt.
During school, Covid hit. I was in a really abusive relationship at the time, so creativity became my outlet once again, and my technical skills began to get better and better. I guess you could say that creativity has saved my life in many ways. It has always been there for me, and it has always been a way for me to speak whenever I felt like I couldn’t use my voice. It has always been a form of self-expression and a way to make sense of my complex emotions. Somehow creating makes me feel heard. It has allowed me to turn all my emotions into something beautiful and something that people can understand.
I’ve always been so timid, and I’ve never been good with words… so creating art and sharing it with the world makes me feel connected in some way. Since sharing my art with people, I’ve been able to make so many beautiful connections and inspire other creatives to do what they love too! Which is so rewarding, and it makes me tear up just thinking about it. Creating makes me feel understood, and it makes me feel heard. I think all of these things are what push me to create every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think my biggest accomplishment is that I get to inspire other artists to create too! I’m very active on social media, and I really try to make a point to not only share my art but also to connect with different creatives! I’ve had so many beautiful connections, and I’m so grateful that running my business gives me the flexibility to be open and vulnerable with my audience while selling my art.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I think consistency is the hardest. Creating used to be something that I would just do spontaneously for fun, but now that it has become my full-time job, it can sometimes feel like I’m working all the time because I’m drawing and creating all the time. I love it so much, but it’s definitely a double-edged sword because I don’t want to burn out. Burnout can really creep up on you when you’re doing things that you genuinely love for a living. Something that I’ve done to help with this is that I try to have a designated time where I just rest. Usually, this is one day over the weekend, but it works! I’ll just lay in bed and watch justice league with my boyfriend all day and eat some good food!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Oof! This is so hard for me to answer because I have so many tips!
- Be patient. Genuine growth takes time, so don’t be so hard on yourself!
- Do what you genuinely love. Again, it can take so much time to grow. So you want to make sure you’re doing something that you genuinely love and are passionate about.
- Prioritize self-care. You and your mental and physical health matter. Make sure you take time to rest and take care of yourself. You deserve it.
- Be consistent. This one is self-explanatory, but make a plan and stick to it. Show up for yourself.
- Engage with both your local and internet community. Community builds trust and beautiful relationships; at the end of the day, I feel like this matters the most.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.theblindartisan.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblindartisan/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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