We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Najera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
That all artists end up becoming teachers. I remember getting this question all the time when I first decided to start my business. I remember so many people telling me – well you need to go to school to learn how to teach! You’ll end up doing that anyways. This is entirely untrue and one of my life goals is to inspire other artists to realize their potential beyond teaching. There are so many things I have learned you can do with my creativity and it does NOT end at teaching.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I definitely grew into my business, it was very natural because it was something that I did on a regular basis anyways. Something I did without even the thought of being able to share or sell. I absolutely loved creating things for people already, so when I started charging it was a big deal. Any artist knows – what to charge is the hardest part! I struggled with this for a very long time, but as my skills progressed it started feeling easier. I think you really have to know your worth as an artist to not feel drained, especially if you want it to be a full time job! I’ve learned that if I feel resentful after a piece or during the middle of it feel stressed instead of excited – that I didn’t charge enough. How you feel about your prices is so much more important than what you think people will think of your prices. My business is a creative service. When I can paint a piece pulled from someone else’s vision, it is such a special experience. Seeing a buyers reaction to their piece when I first show them is my absolute favorite thing, especially when it is one of their fur babies! I am an extreme dog lover! I am always thinking of them throughout the process. I am always looking for personal touches I can add for them, that’s how my business started. By creating something that would only resonate with that specific person, and nobody else.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Fort Worth so much, there are so many hidden gems. I would definitely recommend downtown. The buildings are beautiful as well. I worked as a server there for a very long time at Little Red Wasp and learned so much about the restaurants and perfect little dive bars there. Please go to Little Red Wasp (I’m not biased – their food is the perfect explanation of comfort food) and for a super special date night – Grace. Phenomenal food! If you’re looking for a night out Houston Street is absolutely perfect for bar hopping. They all have so much of their own vibe, anyone can find their new regular spot there. Thomson’s is a must but one of my other favorites is Winchesters. Of course magnolia would be the next favorite, especially for an artsier feel. There a tons of murals, patios and one of my favorite things – small business shopping! The creative feel there is a mood. And then a little farther down off Montgomery you hit The Modern, which has so many different kinds of art. You can go multiple times and still not take in everything. Fort Works Art is another one of my favorite galleries in that area! They are always doing different exhibitions, a lot of them supporting emerging artists as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Every single one of my friends and family. When I decided to create MLNart, all I got was support. Everyone was so encouraging. It was a massive leap to start sharing and I could not have done it without them standing behind me. They pushed me and always said go for it, they are and still are a lot of my clientele. They are always recommending me and shouting me out, my business would not be what it is without them. I also want to shout out ArtsGoggle for being one of the very first shows I ever did. They accept every type of work, emerging or professional. Styles and vibes. As a brand new artist the Fort Worth area, being accepted into that large scale of a show was a big deal for me and gave me the confidence to continue forward. It showed me that you didn’t have to have a big name, price work at 1000s of dollars or even know what you were doing yet to have a shot or to appreciate the relationship between your work and the public.

Website: mlnart.wixsite.com
Instagram: instagram.com/meganleighnajeraart
Facebook: facebook.com/meganleighnajeraart

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.