We’re looking forward to introducing you to Megan Najera. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Megan, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I feel like lately my business has been calling me to support organizations that are dear to me. I’ve never felt like I was in a position to give, but lately I truly have been feeling pulled to do so. When I imagine this, the ideas that come to mind are doing a mural at a children’s hospital and organizing a way for the kids to get to come help me paint, or working with a local animal shelter and creating a painting event that calls to gather supplies and donations for the animals there, and the last one is working with teen behavioral centers that allow me to create a mural that draws out their creativity and inspires them to use it to cope with their struggles as I have. My work desires to be a powerful message, but I also can be very introverted and zoned in when I’m working on projects. The scenario feels scary to put out in the world! But it is important enough to me to face that fear and bring some good into this world the way I know how.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Megan Najera, this year I turned 31! I’m a local artist and muralist based of the DFW area. My journey towards being a full time artist started in 2012 after I had my son shortly after turning 18. I had always been creative, I can remember it all the way back to kindergarten. I had always been told if you want to do art, you had to be an art teacher and I believed that for a long time. It wasn’t until I had my son that I realized that wasn’t true, that I could make my business be exactly what I wanted it to be with the right motivation. Which truly was so I could present the way I wanted to be. It took me 10 years, but I can proudly say I have no been a full time artist/muralist since 2021!!
Through all of the experiences in my life, a lot of my struggles and hard moments came from truly being defined by my anxiety and constantly trying to maintain or numb it. If you see my work now, you’ll see that reflected. The main message my work speaks about is to use nature as a way to healthily handle mental health battles, and my goal is to share this with my audience.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents. At some point in my life I finally realized both of my parents were self-employed. When I was little I never questioned their schedule, or how they were able to pick me up from school or take me to practices or to work with them, etc. It wasn’t until I had my son and had to start working a 9-5 for company, that I realized what they had built. I had been learning the pros and cons of working for yourself my entire life, I just didn’t know it. When I decided to start my art business, and very intensely when I started muraling, I constantly was looking to them to guide me on what I needed to do to make this a long term and growing lifestyle. I am SO grateful to have my parents be the ultimate example that I could make this happen for myself as well. I’m truly a sponge and will always take their advice.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
That the success will never feel as powerful without overcoming the suffering. Your light is only as bright as your darks, (which is a term I learned in lighting composition, but it applies to life too lol)
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes!! Social media is the public version of me, as it is for everyone. But if you know me, you know I am the first person to post about my bad days as much as my winning days. Transparency is SO important to me, and only seeing someones wins on social media can be so defeating. I do not want to be the person that makes someone else feel that way. I want you to look at me, my business and my work and see all of the ups and downs so that it can truly be relatable and example that anything you want is achievable.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Praise is the cherry on top that the server sometimes forgets to put there. You cannot always count on someone to praise you, compliment you and gas you up. You HAVE to be able to do that for yourself. So yes, any project I approach I give it my best. Another point to be made here is, if you don’t give it your best because no one is coming to praise you, the only person that will have that knowledge is you – so you have to decide if you can live with that or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mlnart.shop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganleighnajeraart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganleighnajeraart
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/meganleighnajeraart
Image Credits
Markita Canipe, The Wildflower House Productions
