If I had to narrow down all the things that inspire me and pick one, I would choose other artists who honor their self-expression.
Honoring self-expression looks different for everyone. Sometimes it means appreciating work without critique, while other times it means just allowing yourself to create freely.
It’s about continually answering the call upon your inner artist’s heart. The ebb and flow of rediscovering your voice and not being afraid to share it with the world. It’s about not getting caught up in calling yourself just a photographer or just a business owner. It’s about continually expanding your borders when you feel comfortable–because that’s where we make work with a purpose. We are all dynamic individuals and that means that sometimes our life just can’t—wait, no, it SHOULDN’T be cohesive. Yikes. In the age of social media where a cohesive feed and, therefore, brand is a major selling point, the pressure to stick to one craft is heavy.
And this was exactly the conversation Kendra and I had during our session. Kendra is a business owner, loving wife, go-happy photographer, painter and many, many things. Anyone who knows Kendra personally or who has had the pleasure of working with her knows that she radiates life and joy without condition. She’s truly a gem.
But like any artist, Kendra is constantly knocking down her own artist’s walls by never settling for unattainable perfection, but always striving towards authenticity. It was out of this that Lilac and Paperie was born.
“Lilac Paperie has been a dream of mine for a long time and I am so grateful to be sharing it with you! It goes much deeper than just some art on a page for me though, it is a way for me to share my heart, struggles, joys, pains, and triumphs with you. I have come to realize over the past few years that life is short, we don’t always get what we want, but God is good and He is calling us to use the passions He has given us for a higher purpose. Whatever that may be, I am excited to begin right here.”
Honoring her artistic curiosity is what makes this creativepreneur such an inspiration. Her work truly speaks for itself and she’s nowhere near the end of her journey,
“My dream is to one day have a brick and mortar shop where I can meet you face to face and we can talk dreams together. You could walk in to smell the sweet aroma of fresh cut lilacs, listen to soothing music and I would offer you a cup of coffee or tea while you browse.”
Kendra Skinner is a local artist and business owner based in Springfield, Missouri. She and her husband, Justin, are owners of Prixel Creative. They specialize in print design, logo design, and commercial and stock photography.
See more of Kendra’s work here.
