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Creating Art Ever since I was a child, I was drawn to art. Two of my Aunties were artists, and they would help me with the basics of drawing as I grew up. Art was my favourite class in school and I turned almost every assignment into an art project - even in College I found ways to maneuver my school project into an artwork.  I have always been better with colours and images then I was with words. I felt like I was living in a magical realm and that no one understood me.  Being Told It's Not a 'Real Job'.  However, as all kids growing up in the 90's could understand, art was not a 'career'. It was a silly hobby and the best we could hope for ourselves was a 9-5 in an office with 'job security'. Important, yes, but I really believed I could create my way into some kind of business. I recall collecting all my drawings and making a poster for custom drawings, and pinning it to the notice board at the local shops.  Realising that it probably was going to be hard, I did what all creatives did back then - I quit creating, and got a 'real job'. I studied personal training and nutrition, and ended up in the bodybuilding world (a pretty extreme sport where you turn your body into a work of art with weight training and food).  Art Made a Comeback Despite loving my professional choice, the urge to be creative returned. I completed a fashion degree - studying all day and working in the gym in the mornings, evenings and weekends.  In the end I founded a fashion label, Jenifer Aniela, creating hand-painted silk gowns for Miss Universe, Miss World and featuring in local magazines. I was first on the runway in FashFest in 2013, invited to shows in Sydney and New York.  Art Went Away Eventually I burned out, and I was forced to choose. Fitness won. I built a coaching business and helped women all over Australia become fitter, stronger, healthier. This flowed well for a few years until I became unwell - chronic fatigue, allergies, mental health issues. This was the start of my healing journey.  I followed the signs wherever they took me - reiki healing, shamanism, sweat lodges, meditation, America, New Zealand, naturopathy. I then went through a lengthy soul-retrieval process. Art Won. Seemingly out of nowhere in 2022, I found myself with a really strong urge to paint. Not draw this time, but paint. I just didn't know how. So I enrolled in the Milan Art Institute's Mastery Program - and they took me all the way from to launching my art business! In the search for a name I discovered that Jenifer Aniela was was still available, even 13 years later! I took this as a sign. Aniela is Polish for 'Angel', or 'Messenger of God', and although I am not religious in a traditional sense, my healing journey took me to a deeply spiritual place and I don't see things the same way any longer. It feels like the name was meant for me all along.  Now, I want nothing more than to paint the world as I've seen it all these years - magical, complex, beautiful, and filled with colour. Just like I did as a child, only this time I won't believe that it's 'stupid', or 'too much'.  I do still run my health and fitness business and so I split by time between them, but I feel like i've finally found the balance I needed.  I hope you love the paintings as much as I enjoyed creating them.  Jenifer X