We have a brand NEW Inner Circle small-group mentoring intensive starting next spring, on Monday, February 1st!
One of the amazing things about Inner Circle is how personalized it is. There’s no set curriculum: instead, the exact content is customized exactly to the needs and wants of the specific group of just 12 participants.
Lilla realized early on during the very first Inner Circle that what worked best was to give each student a personalized assignment every week. Last week, we shared how the mini assignments that Lilla created for Pallak Shah helped her to overcome her anxiety around creating full-page spreads, but that’s not all this highly-focused, individual guidance and support can do: it can also help you gain focus on your own career and discover what really matters to you, and what you want to concentrate on.
This week, we meet another Inner Circle participant who did just that, unlocking her passion to clarify her dream art gig – because once you know where you want to go, creating the map to get there is that much easier. Read more below.
Ready to sign up for Inner Circle, to get six weeks of personal, customized guidance and support from an industry expert with decades of wisdom? Don’t miss out – find out more and sign up here.
Colee Wilkinson
Colee in her beloved garden (left) and the cover of her handmade garden journal (right).
Colee told us: “Inner Circle ended up being a real catalyst for a direction that has continued to unfold for me since the program, so I’d love to share a little about where it has led.”
Some of the art which Colee worked on with Lilla during Inner Circle. Getting personalized focus and support helped her to clarify the direction she wanted to take going forward.
She continued: “One of the biggest things I discovered through Inner Circle was how strongly I wanted to focus my work around flowers. Lilla helped me tremendously while I was developing a book proposal about painting flowers, and the pitch received a surprisingly quick and very encouraging response from a publisher. Although the project ultimately didn’t make it through all of the publisher’s internal hurdles, the experience gave me a great deal of confidence in the work and helped clarify what I wanted to pursue next.”
Another piece of art which Colee worked on with Lilla during Inner Circle.
Colee continued: “Over time, that evolved into something slightly different. Rather than primarily looking for ways to place my artwork with other companies, I found myself wanting to create my own products drawn directly from the garden I grow and paint.”
She told us: “That has led to the project I’m most excited about right now: Ode to the Pansy, a large silk scarf inspired by my own seed-grown pansies from my garden. I’ve recently completed the first prototype and am now working toward production. It feels like the beginning of a new direction for my work — bringing together the garden, painting, and thoughtfully designed objects in a much more complete way.”
The gorgeous prototype for Colee’s passion project: a beautiful silk scarf inspired by the seed-grown pansies from her own garden. Sign up on Colee’s website for details on when it will be available!
Colee told us: “Looking back, I can see much more clearly how important Lilla’s guidance through the Inner Circle was in helping set this direction in motion.”
See more of Colee’s art – including how you can buy Ode to the Pansy when it’s available – on her website and Instagram.
Do you want to get expert, personalized guidance from a former top art agent and beloved educator, who will lead you step-by-step through your work with enthusiasm, humor, and detailed, actionable tips? Then don’t miss out – sign up now!
Lilla says: “I hope you’ll join me for Inner Circle. I’d be honored to help you refine your style, gain clarity and direction, and tune into who you are—so I can offer tailored advice drawn from my decades as a former art agent. All while you enjoy the camaraderie of a close-knit group of creatives for friendship and support.”
Discover what can happen when Lilla mentors you. Don’t miss out on this amazing and rare opportunity – find out more and sign up here.
- Lilla’s small-group mentorship intensive, Inner Circle, is BACK in spring 2027! Places are strictly limited to just 12 participants – don’t miss out, grab your spot here.
- Do you want to learn how to use your portfolio and social media to attract more jobs? Lilla’s self-paced Portfolio Review course is back for a limited time only. Sign up now to make the most of the LIVE Zoom with Lilla on November 6th – find out more and sign up here.
Lots of love
The Make Art That Sells team xxx
