Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebeka Phillips.
Hi Rebeka, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been an artist all my life, yet all my life I went against my heart and did everything else but express my passion. It wasn’t till I quit my government job after getting injured at work when I finally realized it doesn’t matter how hard you work for someone, you are always expendable. I quit, became a homemaker and started expressing myself again. It’s all walks of art. I have myself NO limits in how to express myself artistically. I kept hearing to stick to one thing, focus on one thing. That was never me. I’m an eccentric human being and cannot be confined to one thing. I refuse to let society tell me what is right anymore. I started doing photography, graphic art, painting, sowing, clay art, makeup, hair pretty much anything my heart sparks to. That the end of the day, an artistic mind is only satisfied in the chaos of creativity. That is what I have vowed to myself if I was ever getting lost again….it was gonna be in myself whilst creating.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely NOT! My first real struggle came when I was accepted to an art school at the age of 14. After having scored 98% on an exam. I was extremely honored because it was an 18 and over the school. As my lessons continued my father came to me with the worse of news. He wasn’t able to pay for my classes anymore and that he wasn’t too confident in what path you could even take as an artist. That was my first taste of heartache. I couldn’t understand how was it that we couldn’t afford my classes but we were able to pay hundreds of dollars to invest in my brother’s soccer gear, fees and gas to and from every training and game. How was it that my dreams weren’t validated? How was it that his only perception of an artist was wasting your life away doing characters and doodles on the beach for 5 bucks a pop? I have always felt that I put my artistic talents in the back burner to simmer whilst I let my light dim. All for the approval that my career path was just and I was doing the right thing for future financial security. What a load! Never have I felt more free now that I put myself and my passions first. Not even having a civil service job for a federal workplace kept me happy nor did it secure my financial freedom. As soon as I got injured I was thrown to the side like a dirty rag. I was always told I wasn’t enough, that I should focus on other things and that art could never bring me a real career or would it ever make me truly happy. Never have words been so twisted. I am happier now than I ever have been because I believe in myself. I believe in my passions and ever since I started being kind to myself and following my heart have the challenges gotten easier. That’s the key, no matter how many people tell you otherwise you MUST believe in yourself. For you are the key to opening your heart’s passion.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an Eccentric artist with an open sea of creative expression. I don’t limit myself to 1 specific thing. I do it all and I love getting my hands dirty for them all. I paint, I do hair, makeup, photograph, graphic art, draw and sow. What sets me apart is that I listen to my customer. I take in every word, every emotion and interpret that onto whatever creation comes out of it. I put my pride to the side and create what they like not what I think they would like. Which then opens the possibilities to a happy and satisfied customer. That’s what sets me apart when I take in a commission. When I’m creating on my own… there are no boundaries, no rules. Just me and my visions.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is seeing and a bright, glowing smile on a person at the end of a job. Whether it be a boost in confidence or the sheer passion in someone’s eyes as they see a vision come to life. That is what I call Success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Bekera_tha_artist
- Facebook: Bekera_tha_artist
