Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelli Starkey.
Hi Kelli, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well, my family likes to tell people I popped out of the womb with a paintbrush and an Afro. I’ve been creating artwork for as long as I can remember.
My elementary school art teacher really honed my skills; enrolling me in art shows both in school and outside of the classroom. Without Ms. Brooker-Mills, I don’t know who I’d be today. My parents are also extremely supportive and always told me to follow my artwork. They’ve been my number one supporters since day one.
Once I graduated high school, I fiddled here and there with art, never really sticking with it completely. Then, I applied for a job at a local up-and-coming paint and sip, Painting With a Twist, and just like that my life was engulfed by art.
I started teaching classes, and was rather good at it too! I loved getting on stage, cracking jokes, making people laugh, all while painting and showing everyone my hobby that I’ve held near and dear to me. I started teaching the pet portraits class and immediately fell in love. I could combine my two loves of pets and painting, AND make a living off of it? No way! This Pawsitive Paint was born. I started doing pet portraits on canvases for people.
It started out slow of course, like anything else. When Christmas time came rolling around I thought “why not put a pet portrait on a wooden slab, attach a piece of twine to the back, and make it an ornament?” And those were my BEST sellers. I sold nearly 100 ornaments in my first release. After I got a little bored of pet portraits, I started creating different styles.
I made my galaxy pet portraits, pastel pet portraits, and then just started painting pastel animals/themes. One of my awesome customers gifted me an iPad, and I dove into the digital world. I started creating logos, learning a new trade. It’s been a really fun ride and I can’t wait to see where else it takes me.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When is anything ever smooth? Life always throws you curveballs, just have to learn how to take them after the first few.
My biggest, and worst struggle, was actually losing my dog tragically at the beginning of 2020. It set my depression spiraling: I didn’t paint. I barely functioned. She was my muse and my inspiration for starting this whole journey. Shoot, I was called the “Collective Collie” for a very short time. I still haven’t painted her again since then. It’s also hard to juggle owning a business, being a mother to two boys, and being a good wife. Some days I focus too much on work, and I feel guilty for not paying attention to my family.
It’s a constant juggle. Owning and working from home is not as easy as everyone says it is. It’s a lot of dedication and time put into this to make it an even livable income. Just try your best to make sure you’re putting time away for yourself and your family.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I literally can paint anything! That’s the joy of it. However, my main focus is pet portraits and pastel art.
I absolutely love using bright colors and substituting purple for blacks. I’ve been called the Lisa Frank of pet portraits by multiple people. When I’m painting things on my downtime, they’re normally pastel animals, in pinks and purples and yellows. It’s one of my favorite color palettes that you’ll see repeated in my work.
It’s hard to pick a piece I’m most proud of because each new piece slowly becomes my favorite! I do however really enjoy my “Wynter Wonderland” of my leopard gecko enjoying a stroll between purple mushrooms. It was one of my most popular paintings.
I love to capture the essence of whatever I’m painting. Whether it be a happy, spazz of a cat or a gentle dog, you can really see the character of the animal in my paintings, especially in the eyes. I think I have a pretty unique and established pet portrait style.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I will tell you what, Facebook is your BEST friend when it comes to marketing.
I cross-post from my page to my public art group, then to other public art groups all day and the reach I receive is insane. Thanks to finding Facebook groups that allow me to promote myself, as well as share my work with the world, I have shipped to all 50 states, and internationally to the Philippines, Canada, UK, Italy, Netherlands… it’s insane how much of a business tool social media can turn into.
People fall in love with not only your products but who you are as a person.
Contact Info:
- Email: Pawsitive.paints@gmail.com
- Website: Pawsitivepaints.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/pawsitive.paints
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pawsitive.paints/
