The universe is conspiring to help you

When you listen to the things that call you

I joined my first art challenge three years ago – a flower for every day of September. Each day, I carved out time to draw one and post it on Instagram. I so looked forward to looking up the flower and having a limited time to knock it out - like a daily art Wordle. Sure, most of them were meh, but that didn’t matter. With each flower, I was uncovering more of my style.

Earlier that year, I had just begun exploring art in my sketchbook and dipping into the online art community. An artist who stood out to me was Nina Pace. Her floral pieces were stunning. As a teenager, I’d been obsessed with drawing flowers, but I never imagined someone could make a living doing that. Seeing Nina changed that - it showed me what was possible.

Out of those thirty flowers, a few were gems. One of them even landed me my first licensing deal - with a publisher that placed my work in calendars sold in bookstores nationwide. When the art director emailed me, I looked up their website and realized the current featured artist was - of all people - Nina Pace. It felt like a nudge from the universe, telling me to lean into the things that light me up. That if I did, more magic might follow.

For the readers not familiar with licensing, it is when someone basically rents your artwork to put on their product. Like all those gift bags, cards, and journals you buy. You receive a flat fee or royalties for each item purchased. It is a great way for artists to earn income from the work they love to make.

This is the piece that started my career as a licensed artist. As of today, 23 art pieces I’ve created in challenges have been licensed for various products.

I spent two decades as a professional creative, making work for other people. I loved having a creative job - I felt lucky - but somewhere along the way, I stopped listening to the creative things that were calling me.

For four years, I worked full-time for one client while juggling a part-time roster on the side. I remember waking up one morning and feeling hollow, like I’d become a machine. I was producing great work - I had so much practice - but I couldn’t shake the question: what had I left behind?

When I looked back, I thought about all the creative ideas I wish I had acted on. I thought about the ones I started that I wished I had finished.

Here’s the thing: your creative callings don’t have to earn you a living. It just has to light you up in a way nothing else can. It’s the kind of work that makes you eager to get out of bed and pick up where you left off the day before. It even makes your day job or client work feel joyful again – because you’ve filled your own cup first.

I think those are the golden threads in life. Once you catch their glimmer, you hold on tight and follow where they lead. You can’t always see the path ahead, and you can’t plan the outcome - but that’s part of the magic. The universe is conspiring to help you - when you have found your golden thread.

To me, those threads are the quiet signals of the universe. The more you tug on them, the more treasures you find along the way – the kind that feel like serendipity.

The Botanical Beasties Challenge🐛🌿

My four pieces for the challenge

Art challenges have a way of making you grow. They give you a reason to show up daily, a creative brief to stretch your skills, and the chance to learn something new. Even the work you don’t love teaches you something. I have a rule: I can’t quit until I find one little thing I like about what I’m making. Maybe it’s the shape of a petal, or a color palette, but there’s always a spark worth salvaging.

We all start somewhere. I was once the shy beginner, nervous to share my work. Now, I co-host challenges on Instagram. My latest one was called Botanical Beasties – a series of prompts pairing botanicals with creatures. I usually draw inspiration from phrases that come to me during my walks. I carry a small notebook in my pocket, listening to music or sometimes just to the birds.

One of the best parts of hosting a challenge is seeing how others interpret the prompts. Some artists use it to experiment, while others create full collections. My co-host MegPiePrint, used it to start a card deck. Just beginning a project like that, and getting feedback, can be creative fuel to finish a huge project. When you set a framework – like a deck – you can focus on the joy of creation. It can pull you back to your art desk day after day, until you’ve built something wonderful. And this frog. It killed me when I saw it. He brings the joy.

@megpieprint

One challenge participant, RoxyLaneDesign, was so inspired that she turned her Botanical Beasties into a 12-month calendar for 2026 – adding her own prompts to complete the year. Watching her create so much work in just a month was the perfect reminder that when inspiration strikes, it somehow expands time. The work you’re meant to make just pours out of you.

Most participants don’t start out planning big projects – they simply show up. But that’s where the magic happens. Consistent practice opens doors. One of my favorite pieces came from a UK artist, Gemima.Jo.Artist, who uses monthly Instagram challenges to keep her creativity flowing.

This frog just delighted me. I don’t know, but I think frogs won best in show in this challenge.

If you want to see more, visit the tag #botanicalbeasties2025.

Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time✨,
Kim