Hey there! Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me a little bit.
I always struggle when telling people about myself, because I feel like I have to put myself into a specific box based on what I do or what I love. I have decided to stop limiting myself by a description (or a niche, career, focus, whatever you want to call it) and allow myself to just be me, whatever that means at the moment.
So this is me…
My name is Erica Gilliam. I have lived on this Earth for a mere 27 years. My husband of 9 years, Kendall, and I have a beautiful 6-year-old daughter, Marie. Over my time as an adult, I feel like I have been in a constant state of decisions and changes, new pursuits, and trying to find peace and happiness. I have changed my mind more times than I can count, and I have forced myself into every bubble I think I could possibly fit into. I have given up, run away, and hidden from my passions out of fear and uncertainty. And yet, every misstep and changed mind has brought me closer and closer to a version of myself that I believe in and looks more and more recognizable to me.
I started blogging in 2010, mostly about my life or to share tips I learned along the way. This introduced me to the idea of making a living online and began an obsession with freedom and flexibility that I can only reach if I work for myself, online. I started blindly pursuing this lifestyle. I became a chronic researcher. I would spend hours researching, learning, with the hopes that it would trigger some magic corner in myself that would know what to do. I tried blogging about so many niches, but it never felt right. Everything I tried felt inauthentic and it took me 8 years to realize that it was. I spend the first half of my 20s trying to fit into other people’s versions of who I was “supposed to be”. I slowly began to release these expectations and embrace the person I truly am.
My journey has definitely been slow. It has been filled with moments that have led to other moments closer to where I want to be. All of that has led me to the place I am at currently. I have created space in my work to allow for my creativity, my desire for variety, and all the little pieces of who I am. I believe in telling the whole story, not just the highlights. I believe in being transparent, open, and honest about life, art, and business.
So I guess I never really told you all that much about who I am or what I am passionate about. So if you came here for more details, here is what you may have been looking for.
I am a watercolor artist. Art has always been a constant in my life and yet, I ran hard from it for several years. It wasn’t until nearly 2 years ago that I finally embraced that art was something I needed to pursue. Then in January 2018, I made the decision to pursue creating art full-time. My whimsical style combines my love of nature with a little extra magic. I create a combination of botanical illustrations and the fantastical worlds of my mind. Most of my work includes gold details and even pressed flowers to create a deep surreal effect.
I have been consumed with Wanderlust my entire life. Ever since I can remember, I have had the drive to travel. This was something I struggled with frequently, but as of September 2018, our family will be traveling full-time combining camping, housesitting, and more to pursue our dreams of seeing the world and introducing it to our daughter.
I am obsessed with films and television shows. Seriously. I will drive hours to see an indie film or binge watch Netflix like it is my job. I really enjoy small indie films, foreign films, and anything that speaks to social issues and equality. I have also been known to enjoy the occasional cheesy, hallmark style, romance movie. Lately, I have been consumed by Skam, Sense8, Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, and more!
I am a huge fantasy fan. From books, video games, and tv/movies, I have a deep love of fantasy worlds! I love playing RPG (Role-Playing Games) and open world games, such as Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. I also love sandbox games like Minecraft. I love reading and watching anything fantasy related. Some of my favorite fantasy authors are George RR Martin, Tolkien, Marie Brennan, and many, many more! We also enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons as a family, which has been great.
I am a wife and mother. I married my best friend right after we graduated from high school. I had my daughter earlier than I had planned, but it was a welcome blessing. She challenges me, brings me joy, and inspires me. She is also the only child I will have. My husband and I have chosen to only have one child and we are both grateful that we could agree so completely about something. Part of this is just preference and part of it is due to my extremely complicated and potentially life-threatening pregnancy.
I am a dreamer. This is something that has been a complete constant for me. I dream of all our travel adventures. I am always making up stories and imagining different lives. Sometimes, this is a positive thing in my life, other times this is a negative. But I have learned to truly embrace this part of myself!
Who I am is always changing. My passions change, my interests change, the way I do things changes, and I believe that is completely okay. I think that is human.
You can change your mind.
You can change what you do.
You can change you.