When Jess Keeli first dived into the world of watercolour painting in 2017, she never anticipated her hobby would transform into a thriving small business. What started as a mindful way to unwind from her pharmaceutical chemistry degree suddenly catapulted her into online fame after a Facebook post on her page saw a sudden spike in engagements in July 2020. As the orders rolled in by the hundreds, Jess soon realised she had a budding business on her hands.

Now, five years into her journey, Jess has not only strengthened her skills as an artist, but has launched online art school Jess Keeli Academy to teach others how to paint with watercolours. She was also awarded the Emerging and Energised Award at the 2023 Bendigo Business Excellence Awards. Jess is now working behind the scenes to make her art more accessible for international customers and has started a digital marketing course.

Though her sights are firmly set on the future of her business, she looks back on her journey to share her tips on everything from developing your artistic style to maintaining mindfulness in the creative process. 

SEE ALSO: Celebrating the Creative Process with Mulga the Artist

A close-up of Jess Keeli’s hands holding a watercolour pad, brush and paint palette, ready to paint in a field of tall grass. 

Practise Art Your Way 

“My creative process definitely changed as I figured out what I did and didn’t enjoy. When I started out, I would watch YouTube tutorials, but I would end up frustrated because [I couldn’t replicate] what was happening in the videos. It made me realise I needed to focus more on playing around with what I had at my disposal. That's when I shifted my focus to different techniques and playing around to see what the paints could do.”

Experiment With Your Art 

“I use a scientific method in my exploration of creativity. I’ll often wonder, ‘What would happen if I did this?’, whether it’s trying a new medium or mixing things together, and then taking those results for future experiments. Creative play is something we’re really encouraged to do as kids to explore and learn. Adults need to give into the same curiosity and wonder.”

A close-up of Jess Keeli’s hands holding up her watercolour painting of a wattle branch with yellow flowers and green leaves.

Let Your Style Develop Naturally

“A roadblock for me early on was figuring out what my own unique style was. So many people say, ‘Oh, you’ve got to find your style’, but how do you even find that? Once I let go of trying to find it, that’s when it started to develop, because I was creating whatever I felt like. After a while my style became apparent; it just kind of uncovered itself once I stopped focusing on it.”

SEE ALSO: Celebrating the Creative Process With Zowie Baumgart‍

A collection of eight small watercolor paintings and an inspirational quote on a wall. The paintings include landscapes, seascapes and a whale shark.

Focus In to Find Your Spark‍

“For me, the biggest source of my inspiration [has always been nature], whether it’s animals, flowers, different views or unique colours and textures. When looking to find what inspires you, you need to slow down and start observing everything around you more intently. If you can be more observant, you’ll start to recognise what really catches your eye. Then ask yourself, what about it has caught your eye, what makes you feel happy when you look at it? Ultimately, if it’s caught your eye, it’s created that emotion and it’s obviously inspiring you.”

‍Just Start Creating

“I know it’s the most cliché advice ever, but you really just need to start. Stop putting it off. You’ve just got to start it, whether it’s trying a pottery class, writing some poetry, starting a herb garden or joining a local dance studio. I also think most people have this idea that creativity looks a certain way and it can be really hard to recognise it in other ways. We just need to expand that understanding of what creativity looks and feels like. Try everything and see what you enjoy and see what sticks.”‍

Jess Keeli standing in a kitchen setting surrounded by her watercolour paintings of Australian flora and fauna.

Remove Barriers to Your Creative Flow

“When setting up your own creative space, it’s important to set everything up based on how it is when you're actually using it. If you’ve got this massive setup process, getting all your supplies and clearing out a space, that’s already such a barrier to entry. You might even lose the inspiration by the time you’re done and we don’t want that. If you can remove that barrier then you’re more likely to actually take action when inspiration hits.” 

Maintain Mindfulness in the Creative Process

“As the business grew, I started putting a bit too much pressure on my painting, which meant I wasn’t feeling as inspired to paint. I’ve really been trying to focus on painting what inspires me, rather than what might look good on my website. Focusing on my mindset, making sure that I’m not putting too much pressure on myself means painting still feels mindful.” 

SEE ALSO: Celebrating the Creative Process With Anna Blatman

A close-up of Jess Keeli’s hand painting a watercolor of a blue and black bird, surrounded by paints, brushes and watercolour samples.

Create a Go-To Art Kit

“[When you’re first starting out], don’t go crazy getting all of the different materials that you think you’re going to need; just start with the basics. [For paints], I love the Micador Brilliant watercolour sets; I’ve used them my entire watercolour journey. They’re really nice, but they’re also so affordable and easy to access. I also use Uni-Ball Signo White Gel pens for highlights and details. They work well over the dry paint, but they can also tolerate damp paper. 

“Then, a simple set of brushes; you don’t need every single shape. I find with watercolours, round brushes are versatile enough to start with and to see how you go. Seek out watercolour paper, specifically because not all paper can handle water, so you’ve got to make sure it’s specifically for watercolour paints. And finally, I like to use a palette, to help you practise mixing colours and control the vibrancy of the paint, and a painting towel to dry your brushes and blot your paints.”

What to Try: