Holley Van Benthuyse Of Bella Colore Art: The Power of Flexibility; How I Was Able To Pivot To A New Exciting Opportunity Because Of The Pandemic

You will get hate comments; some might not like your work, some don’t support your opinions, concepts, or ideas. It can be disheartening, especially when you look too much into the negativity of those around you. But the key is to be true to yourself because being authentic is the best gift you can give your community.

The COVID19 pandemic has disrupted all of our lives. But sometimes disruptions can be times of opportunity. Many people’s livelihoods have been hurt by the pandemic. But some saw this as an opportune time to take their lives in a new direction.

As a part of this series called “How I Was Able To Pivot To A New Exciting Opportunity Because Of The Pandemic”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Holley Van Benthuysen.

Holley VanBenthuysen is an abstract artist and entrepreneur. After 20 years in Radiology and Cardiology, she made a bold move to pivot and started her creative business. Holley infuses her colorful paintings with vibrant energy and a love of nature that deeply connects with her audience so that they may find beauty in the ordinary.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

For me, art reflects my past that is imprinted in my present. I grew up in a small southern town where our social activities were painting, making stained glass, and quilting. One of my earliest memories is watching my father craft beautiful stained glass works and quickly becoming interested in taking art lessons from him at nine years old. Unlike other children who spent their time drawing with a 64-pack of crayons, I was more intrigued by watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints. This was the beginning of my love for art, avidly painting with my father. This creative impulse never wavered throughout my life. To this day, I have some of my childhood paintings in my garage. This is the beauty in the artistic life cycle–having the opportunity to reflect on the act of making art while understanding the actual artwork will grow as your skills and desires change. Allowing my childhood works of art to be inspirational snippets creates a common bond to how I paint today. My father is 86 years old and still has his watercolor station set up in his office when there is a window of time to sit down and enjoy what was once an everyday love. Looking back, the art of my past crafted nearly a quarter-century ago, and the memories shared with my father is a cathartic and fruitful way to trace my trajectory into becoming an artist and entrepreneur.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

The saying “Dance like nobody’s watching; love as you’ve never been hurt. Sing like nobody’s listening; live like its heaven on earth” by Mark Twain is a quote I choose to live by every day. Life is precious, and it is short. Throughout my life, this quote reminds me not to worry about the opinions of others but to follow my heart and live my life full of joy. It also means to be present. This is especially true amidst the current environment and learning to continue pursuing my passion in art even though there is much uncertainty and hurt going on in the world. When I was painting during the pandemic, I started creating works of art full of color. When you walk into a room and see bright, colorful artwork on the wall, it will bring a smile to your face. People kept telling me to tone the painting down because no one will buy a vibrant piece anymore–they only want neutral palettes. After hearing this, there were two ways to take my art: first, adapt to what others want, pivot towards neutral paints, or push through the negativity and craft paintings that make my heart full. I chose the latter; if my heart is whole after completing a piece, my customers will feel the same way once it is in their homes.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The movie “Chef” involves a successful chef who becomes discontent after being forced to compromise his vision and creativity for the restaurant. Disillusioned, he looks at his complacency and realizes working in his current job isn’t satisfying and fulfilling anymore. To reclaim his passion and creative promise, he buys a food truck and ultimately reconnects with his family while creating a new path full of freedom, happiness, and loving his career as a chef. Some say it is a parable about the director’s journey. For me, this experience is almost parallel. During 2020, I found myself to be complacent and disillusioned. I was in a routine, stuck in a place that barely brought any happiness or creativity. I decided to refocus my energy on what I loved most growing up– painting. At the pandemic’s beginning, I started Bella Colore Art by Holley to rediscover what I once enjoyed daily. My art is the Chef’s food truck. I learned that following your passion is more than technique; it involves tenacity and creativity to make the dream a reality. In much the same way as the Chef, I created a new path full of gratitude and found a more profound connection in my life and family.

Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Can you tell our readers about your career experience before the Pandemic began?

Sometimes, when painting, nothing can be more intimidating than staring at a big white blank canvas. Underpainting is a common technique used as the first layer to build a foundation for future color placement and establish certain tones/vibes. Ultimately it can invigorate something that was once mundane or uniform. I was the first one in my family to receive a college degree and worked in healthcare for twenty years. For 5 of those years, I was a Hospital Administrator over Cardiovascular services at a large hospital. I built a foundation and checked off the boxes of what society would deem the right path to success. But, like underpainting, I knew there was more to my story that would add more vibrance to my life: being an entrepreneur, and an artist, is what helped bring the mundane to life.

What did you do to pivot as a result of the Pandemic?

It all began with a shift in mindset to pivot during the pandemic. Many looked towards the news, the negativity, the brokenness all around us because we were scared, and rightfully so. The most important thing is to surround yourself with a community of people during unprecedented times and provide social connection amongst isolation. Painting became my connection to the world around me. I utilized the power of community through social media platforms and quickly started sharing pieces of art I created during the pandemic. This is when I saw the ability to pivot. Interacting with communities of like-minded individuals who are also starting on an unprecedented journey and constantly learning new techniques brought this sense of community and calmed my anxiety-driven life. In many ways, the pandemic gave me the freedom and the desire to pursue a dream that otherwise might not have ever happened!

Can you tell us about the specific “Aha moment” that gave you the idea to start this new path?

There was much time to spend with my family during the stay-at-home order. One day I decided to pull out my art supplies with my daughter and see what we could create. It felt like the perfect escape that brought together memories of painting with my dad while finding peace and creativity once again. At this moment, I questioned why I don’t paint more often, and I couldn’t find an answer. Life is too short and too valuable not to do what one is passionate about, and for me, this aha moment made me realize that I can make my love of art a business. It truly brought everything full circle and allowed me to dive deeper into what I once thought was only a hobby. Painting, whether with those I love or by myself, allows me to cherish intuition and uncertainty as I constantly search for new ideas. While we were all isolated from the world, painting reconnected me to what is most important in life and continues to leave a strong impression every time I create a new piece of work.

How are things going with this new initiative?

I love what I am doing! I have the opportunity to connect with amazing people from across the world and realize the true impact social media can have on a small business. I didn’t have a single idea about various platforms or website development when I first started. All I knew was that I simply wanted to paint and bring life to the world around me. Now, I am grateful that I have a significant social media following and have learned valuable lessons about beginning again–whether in business or my journey. Recently I completed a new series, “Live Life in Full Bloom,” to represent the transformational period Bella Colore Art has had in my life. In addition, the next series I am currently working on is “The Road Back Home” to indeed encompass how anyone has the opportunity and ability to return to their roots and discover what one loves all over again. I recognize that I could not have done this alone, and I can not thank my family and fellow artists enough for their love and support. This is why I plan to launch free art tutorials and license my work soon to help bring those in the creative ecosystem who are looking to start on a new path closer together.

Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My parents’ support, love, and guidance have helped me become the person I am today. I used to resent the long hours of work on my father’s farm, the seemingly endless hours of studying for exams, or the fact that growing up in a small town meant that everyone knew everything. I felt like I didn’t have any space to do what I wanted–paint. Looking back, I now recognize the value of what my parents taught me during those times when everything seemed to be going the opposite of how I planned. To succeed, we need to work through the small obstacles and persevere even if motivation is hard to find. I thought I knew everything at eighteen and couldn’t quite figure out why my dad had me waking up before the sun to take care of the animals. But, there is always room for improvement, and I am still learning that. Even when nothing seems to be going right or how you have it planned, you can always find time to do what you love and be surrounded by those who support your personal growth. I can see now that my parents’ lessons were much more than taking care of what is essential to our family or trying to be more successful. Thanks to them, I am a better artist, wife, friend, and community member.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started in this new direction?

Using social media has long become a part of my everyday life since becoming a full-time artist and business owner. In all honesty, I never saw the impact or positive side of using social platforms as a way to sell a product or put myself out there. I thought the old-school route of having a website and a newsletter would be sufficient in growing my business. However, social media is influencing not just the marketing aspect of a company but also the way art is exhibited, the process of start to finish, the energy brought forth from the artist, the process of a piece. So, I decided to dive headfirst into the world that I never thought I would understand. A couple of weeks ago, I reached 10,000 followers on my Instagram. To some, this might seem like a ridiculous milestone to celebrate, but for me, this helped me prove to myself that it is okay to learn new things and not be afraid to take a chance on something that seems beyond understanding.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my organization” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

The first thing is to know your why, your purpose, and the outcome you want to achieve. Start with the end product or idea in mind and work backward. When I started this, my thoughts and beliefs were all over the place, and at times it was frustrating. Finally, I began to focus my energy on what I wanted my brand and company to look like at the finish line. I would ask myself what impact my art has on those around me and why I am making art a business instead of keeping it tucked away as a hobby. I put a lot of emphasis on the community because art has the power to change anyone’s perspective at a simple glance. I knew this was my “why” for starting Bella Colore Art, and it helped guide me during the entire process. The second is about flexibility. This is key-when speed bumps, or roadblocks happen, and they will happen. I didn’t see my first sale until six months into starting my business. I was confused about why everyone said they loved my art, yet the numbers were not adding up. At this point, it was easy to get frustrated and give up. However, I was willing to assess, move and shift strategies to look at how I can adjust my pricing/design/marketing to serve better the customers I want to attract. Third, critical thinking and finding accurate resources are crucial to success in your organization. In the beginning, I didn’t know anyone else who was an artist or even trying to start their own business. I needed to find the information to support the development of my creation and recognized that there were areas I needed help in strengthening to get this to where I knew it could be in the future. But it was a matter of critically assessing my strengths and weaknesses, then going back to my Facebook community groups, my family members, my friends and asking them for help in the areas I needed it most. Because at the end of the day, you can’t do it alone. Fourth, mindset is essential and powerful. By understanding, adapting, and shifting our attitude, we can decrease stress and become more resilient to daily challenges. Creating your own business is very rewarding and challenging. It has aspects that can quickly bring you down where you question your ability. Without a positive and steady mindset, I would have never succeeded. Trust me, there were days where I didn’t even want to paint, or I couldn’t paint because life brings its challenges. But being able to return to why I wanted this in the first place and shifting my attitude to I can do this, brings you into a space where the possibilities are endless. Finally, I learned that visibility takes vulnerability. I had no idea that being more visible would create so much vulnerability. This was probably one of my most challenging discoveries. To be on social media platforms where thousands of strangers are looking at your work is very personal. You will get hate comments; some might not like your work, some don’t support your opinions, concepts, or ideas. It can be disheartening, especially when you look too much into the negativity of those around you. But the key is to be true to yourself because being authentic is the best gift you can give your community.

So many of us have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. Can you share the strategies that you have used to optimize your mental wellness during this stressful period?

To optimize my mental wellness during this stressful period, I take a step back from anything giving me anxiety. This could be from watching the news, staring at a blank canvas, not liking what I am currently painting, traveling somewhere, etc. Amidst the current news cycle, the anxious imagination is at an all-time high. I found that it works the best to refocus my energy on something else whenever I find anxiety creeping around the corner. If I am watching the news and every segment is terrible, horrible, no good news filling my thoughts, I turn the tv off and go to my art studio for a break. I constantly prioritize my mental wellness by speaking positive affirmations, journaling, and painting. This allows me to refocus my energy, and creating art is a healing process. The most important thing to remember is not to let your mind manage you; you are the one in control of your thoughts, and a simple break with time away from anything giving you anxious thoughts can make a significant difference.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

To bring the most good to the most number of people, I would encourage all organizations to allow their employees an hour of mindfulness every day. Life throws all kinds of curveballs, and everyone is going through a different stage of life at any moment. With virtual work, uncertainty during the pandemic, and overall anxiety at an all-time high, taking an hour every day to do what you love and bringing more serotonin into your body can immensely impact the degree of work produced. As a hospital administrator, there was always something going on that needed immediate attention and can quickly become overwhelming. However, when this happened, I would take an hour to be by myself and do an activity that brought me joy–writing or meditating. I would love the opportunity to teach art for an hour to those who choose the creative path as their hour of activity to themselves. This is how joy is spread when focusing on and engaging with your community members who need it most.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

Brene Brown has always been an inspiration in my life! Not only is she an adorable, honest, southern woman who already steals my heart. But, every single time I read her books or watch her talks (which I continue to do over and over again), it feels like she is personally rooting for me. Her stories are real and helped me be daring on my journey as an artist. She repeatedly mentions that it doesn’t matter how much got done and left undone. The only thing that matters is telling yourself that I am enough every day. My paintings are enough; my business is enough; my lifestyle, family, and friends are enough. Brene Brown is an inspiration to find joy in every activity because we should not be afraid of the unknown pain awaiting in our future. It would be an honor to meet her, as she has significantly impacted how I live my life daily and how I choose to share my art with the world.

How can our readers follow you online?

Instagram: @Bellacoloreart https://www.instagram.com/bellacoloreart/

Facebook: @BellaColoreArt

Website: www.bellacoloreart.com

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!