On Friday Indie Q&A we interviewed artist Maya Galleas. She has a true love for people and their personal journeys as she observed them through social media, she learned she also had something to share with the world with brush and paint. Maya is a beautiful soul that breathes harmony. I believe that is why I was drawn to this woman’s Instagram. Thank you, Maya for being you by filling us up with your poetic words today!
Fear Becomes Smoke, Yesterday’s Cloud
Indie: We love that you are promoting your art on Instagram by showing us your watercolor process. Can you tell us about your experience with doing this and what brought you to the decision to share your art in this way? How has the response been around this kind of share?
Maya: I have always avoided social media in the past. But over time, I wanted to know what it was like to be a social person. I discovered the world of amazing people, learned their wins and failures, how they live and what they dream about.
I saw people on IG who wrote and drew, shared their experiences, or just advice. Watching them, I realized a simple and crazy thing, I also have something to share with people. I was scared to do this, add my first works, read comments and see likes. Sometimes even now it’s difficult for me to do it. But it goes away when I see kind words and words of support for what I am doing.
“But believe me, fears become smoke, yesterday’s cloud when you see and hear how you helped people. How grateful they are to you. This is the actual strength and the reason for my skill to help everyone who is ready to take a brush and paint in their hands to step over the wall of their fear. And I love it.”
Maya Galleas, Artist & Instructor
The True Key
Indie: What kind of advice would you give to an Indie Artist that you wish you had prior to starting on your journey?
Maya: Don’t compare yourself to others. You don’t have the experience and time that other artists have spent painting like this. Compare yourself to your past. Take risks, paint and have fun. It doesn’t have to be an atomic explosion inside you. It should be like a swan floating on the waves. Here is the true key: harmony and smile, happiness, and a lot of practice. Practice makes a beginner to advanced. Remember, if you said to yourself I am an artist then take a brush in your hands, an easel on your knees, and draw everything that you see. A good painting is not a talent or a gift from above. This is practice, a special vision of details, and a love for the path that you have chosen.
“Take risks, paint and have fun. It doesn’t have to be an atomic explosion inside you. It should be like a swan floating on the waves.”
Maya Galleas, Artist & Instructor
Closer to Art, Space, and the Universe
Indie: We’d love to know more about the new platform you are on where you teach people how to paint and how it works. How can people reach you there?
Maya: I spend a lot of time making my tutorials on Pinterest (@mayagalleas). You can find there my large gallery of free tutorials I’m happy to make for you. You can always find me there for another step-by-step painting of a mountain, flower, vegetable, or seascape. I also create and paint tutorials for YouTube if it is easier and more convenient for you to watch and paint with me. I will always be happy to see you on my YouTube channel where you can find tons of useful goodies for yourself.
You can find my complete free mini-course “Fun Colorful Galaxy with Watercolor” at Skillshare. It is an incredible experience of how to draw a beautiful galaxy broken down step by step and with detailed instructions. In fact, you won’t believe how easy it is until you try it and see for yourself.
Now, my plans are to make a huge course with many examples and practices of how to paint cute galaxies, even if only yesterday you bought paints and brushes. This is an incredible adventure that I want to launch soon to teach you how to be a little closer to art, space, and the universe.
***I’ll be happy to see you on any platform that suits you. You can always ask me questions and I will answer them.
Dreams into Reality
Indie: You started a store not too long ago with your designs. Tell us about your decision to do this and how we can find your store!
Maya: Many years ago, I dreamed about my brand with my husband, Cass Galles. We made plans, came up with ideas, and even drew over one drawing and design for our brand. We have postponed this project for a while. All this time my heart kept this idea, and I was looking for how we can still implement it. I was looking for a way to give the world incredibly cute ideas. The solution was Redbubble, and we made our studio Galleas Studio. So there is a store where you can always find the most fun, cute and kind products for yourself and your children.
I also recently opened Fine Art America’s shop with prints. I add my delicious and cute designs and paintings. Bright galaxies, cute landscapes, kind cacti, you can find all this there.
Balancing Act
Indie: How do you find balance day-to-day in order to continue actively working on your art? If you do other things, please share that with us too!
Maya: Balance is always a tightrope balancing act. I paint, make new courses and tutorials, write blog posts and learn new possibilities. I practice and draw with a pencil, learning more and more simple shapes. I always have too much to do in 24 hours. I try to reject the secondary and keep the most important. Bullet journal with its convenient planning and creative possibilities help me with my time. It gives me mega control and helps me keep my balance. Of course, if I am too tired or lose my mood, I can change my goals and move on. I enjoy drawing, writing, and being creative. It gives me goals, desires, and opportunities to keep my life balance and move forward.
One Big Win – SMILE
Indie: What is one big win that you’d like to share with us?
Maya: The biggest win in my life is my smile. I began to smile again, discovered painting as therapy, and, overcoming all the shocks, painted, teach, create and study art. My life has changed significantly since 2013. I was anxious about my husband. Cass was too sick. He tried to get out into the world of the living, and I held his hand. It was an incredible shock in which only the art therapy saved us. We both drew, and it made us more fun. When he recovered, I was no longer drawing so actively. I only returned to watercolor in 2019. This is my great win, smile, passion, desire, and knowledge of my path. I became an artist who knows what she really wants. A smile that brings a dream to others. The dream that you can also learn to draw like me if you believe it is easy.
Shoutout of Faithful Support
Indie: There are so many people that assist us along our artist path. Who would you like to give a shoutout to?
Maya: My biggest gratitude goes to my husband, Cass. He is the only one who always believes in me, supports me in new beginnings. He always finds the right words of encouragement when I start to give up and don’t believe in my strengths and abilities. Cass is my faithful support.
Indie It Press interview of Cass Ark Galleas.
Indie: Where can we find you on social media?
Maya: I’ll be happy to see you on my accounts. Come and say hi to me.
IG: @mayagalleas
FB: @mayagalleas
Twitter: @MayaGalleas
