14 Feb Meet Stephanie Halligan – Cartoonist, Entrepreneur and a SheSays Mini-Scholar

Four years ago, I quit my day job to work for myself as a consultant. At the time, I did it for health reasons: to recover from a stressful startup job and to find a healthier work-life balance. Little did I know how that choice would transform every other piece of my life: mentally, emotionally, spiritually AND professionally.

Little did I know that I would find myself at a similar mental, emotional, spiritual and professional crossroads four years later… right here, right now. I’m doubling down on my journey of becoming a thriving artist. A get-paid-good-money-and-actually-make-a-living-from-your-work kind of artist.

I’m scared and excited and thrilled all at the same time.

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Since I was a kid, I’ve been a cartoonist and a writer. And even in the past few years, I’ve dedicated a lot of time and energy to my craft. I’ve developed an art brand online that I’m really proud of (www.arttoself.com), I’ve self-published multiple books and I’ve sold my work directly to my audience for the past few years.

And yet, it was still a side hustle. The income I earned was nice to have but nothing substantial enough to pay the bills consistently.

This is the year that the side hustle becomes something more.

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Winning the Mini-Scholarship from SheSays and the Boulder Digital Arts could not have come at a more opportune time. After four years of consulting work, I’m ready to turn this long-time art side-hustle into my full-time business.

While I’ve “gotten by” with my digital software expertise until now, I’m ready to take my illustration skills to the next level. This mini-scholarship will help me boost my skills and portfolio, helping me create higher-quality work that will open up a world of possibilities for publishing and collaboration.

I have been looking for hands-on support and courses to help me build my skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Becoming proficient in these two digital tools will give me the foundation I need to produce more dynamic illustrations and pursue bigger publishing deals. I’m a self-taught digital illustrator, with very basic proficiency in digital graphic applications. By taking classes through BDA, I’ll now be able to bring my illustrations to life and open the door for new possibilities for what my work looks like and where it goes.

I’m so excited to take my work to the next level and to embark on this next chapter of my life. And I am so grateful to SheSays and Boulder Digital Arts for this opportunity and the generous support!