Making Lemons out of Lemonade

Guest blogger Monika Agic is a contemporary artist living in Urbandale who grew up in Bosnia but has made Iowa her home since 1995. After a successful financial services career lasting 9 years, she found herself unemployed and started exploring her creative passion which lead to the creation of the Art by Magic studio. Monika provides free in-home art consultations and designs custom one-of-a-kind paintings that capture the personality, sense of style, wants and needs of each person or group she works with. To see her portfolio, visit http://www.artbymagic.com .
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Suzanne, thank you for inviting me to be your guest blogger. You are doing a wonderful job with unemployed in Des Moines blog that provides multitude of great information and networking opportunities.

I met Suzanne at one of the events organized by the Kaplan university. Suzanne had a bad cold, was dressed up really nice, and for one reason or another, we connected. Sure enough, both Suzanne and I have found strong passions to pursue our natural talents and provide service to others.

I was laid off from the Principal Financial Group back in December 2008. The event was nothing unusual for the state of the economy, and the first reaction was one of disorientation. Perhaps loosing a job that you were so good at for 9 years is not as hard as taking that next step. And weather we want to admit it or not, life goes on, we are the only ones who can make it different. Looking back to January and February it is amazing to think that I did not know that I'd be a business owner and create custom artwork for people only a few short months in the future. I've owned the Art by Magic domain name for almost 3 years, and my unemployment situation allowed me more time to paint. I always had the idea but never had the time. Apart from my love of art, it was also therapeutic and meditative to paint and process my new life situation. In April, I registered the trade name, and today I have clients; there are newspaper articles about me, and I even have a fan page on the Facebook. Wow, what a transformation in only a few short months!

Had I allowed my past career to define me, I would not be able to see past my CLU (chartered life underwriter) designation. Initially, at least in January and February, I thought all I can be is an insurance agent. However, after some soul- searching, I knew that I could do anything, even art!

Since it happened so quickly, I am not sure if Art by Magic is destiny or my own choice. I have realized that being a small business owner, trying to create the product and launch it in the marketplace takes a whole array of skills and is much more complicated than having a corporate job. I must give myself kudos for that kind of growth! Not only I am now more skilled, I am also in a better spiritual and emotional place than I have ever been before.

While art is hardly a profession with which one can make a living, it is something I am dedicated to pursuing long-term. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the happy face of a client whose home is now suddenly enhanced with the beautiful custom art they'll be able to brag about to their friends and family. Yet, I'd really like to have a good paying job, like I was used having. Someday, I'll be doing both. While in search - it is Art by Magic all the way.

Art by Magic web site http://www.artbymagic.com
Art by Magic on twitter http://www.twitter.com/artbymagic
Art by Magic on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Magic/62182248814?sid=076fdd20e52bd242b2ff0aa2b6d3aac0&ref=search
Des Moines Register article http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090618/NEWS/906180314/1131
Monika Agic linkedin profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/monikaagic
Art by Magic upcoming events / also listed on the web site:
July 18th - Art Sale in front of the Art Store - 9:00 - 5:00
July 21st - Jazz in July at the Roosevelt Cultural District 6:00 - 8:00
Aug 1st - Waukee Art Fest 2:00 - 7:00
Sep 24th - Art Sale and Free Class 3:00 - 7:30