My dream job? : Picasso with a twist

What is my dream job? A question I have asked myself an infinite amount of times in the past years. “A doctor!” used to be my answer for as long as I can remember. But when the moment came to choose what I would study, I took a slightly different path.

Few things get me as excited as paint brushes, the smell of a room where oil paint has been drying, and a new canvas. I remember my favorite days were Wednesdays because this was the day we had art class in school. Painting fills me with immense joy, and no other activity gets me into such deep focus. Making art is something I want to do for the rest of my life, and making a living out of it would be an absolute dream. However, in recent years I realized that my dream job would be something where I can combine my passion for art, entrepreneurship, and social purpose.

I am not sure what these combined look like in the “real world”, but some career paths I have thought about include being a creative director, working for a design agency, becoming a brand strategist, or even building a creative agency where art, design, marketing, and communications come together. The truth is, I still don’t know exactly what my dream job is. But I know it would be something where I can express myself through creative outlets and make it possible for me to create things that also inspire and help other people.

Last semester I had the opportunity to do my internship at a Dutch company that is very big and well-known worldwide for its lighting solutions. I learned a lot from this experience, where I got to be an intern in the marketing and business development departments. One thing I learned is that I enjoy working in a dynamic environment, where different projects are being developed at the same time. I also realized that the corporate world is not where I see myself in the future. At least not the traditional concept of it.

There is a person I admire professionally and whose job seems so attractive to me. Her name is Allison James. She is a visual artist, an educator, and a businesswoman. Allison creates not only paintings but also has her podcast and social media platforms, where she built a community of people interested in art, business, and self-development. She also has courses about finding your art identity and making a living as an artist, released a book with the story of her artistic journey, and also collaborates with different brands and galleries. She is not just a painter but she also helps other people by sharing her knowledge and personal experience. This is something that inspires me and a great example of how art, entrepreneurship, and purpose can come together. Those are the three elements my dream job would combine.

Picasso with a twist! That is what I tell people when they ask me what I see myself doing in the future. Until I find what this “dream job” is for me, I plan to focus on finishing my degree in Creative Business, keep working towards developing my artistic identity and skills, and learning as much as possible about all the fields that I am curious about.