Why Creativity Should Always Be About Fun and Discovery |Kelly Rossetti, Francesca Tesoriere, and Namira Basit
What happens when you stop worrying about doing things the “right” way and start making art just because it feels good? That’s something Kelly Rossetti, Francesca Tesoriere, and Namira Basit have all leaned into—each in their way. In this article, we hear from three women who came to art through different doors: a career change, a return to painting after years of illustration, and a self-taught path that turned into a fun business.
They discuss trusting their instincts, letting go of labels, and cultivating a creative life that aligns with who they are, rather than what is expected of them. Whether it’s Kelly painting across styles without needing to choose one, Francesca drawing energy from trees and quiet moments in nature, or Namira letting colour lead the way to joy, their stories are full of honest moments, small shifts, and immense courage.
What we learn from them is simple but real: art doesn’t need to be boxed in to matter. It can start with play. It can grow through practice. And it often appears when we stop waiting to be ready and simply begin.
Kelly Rossetti on Switching Careers and Saying Yes to Exploration
Kelly Rossetti didn’t start as a painter. For 13 years, she worked in the fashion industry before something inside her nudged her in a completely different direction. She hadn’t touched a paintbrush since high school, but something about the idea of painting again felt exciting—and surprisingly possible.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” she says. “But I had this strange confidence that one day, I could actually call myself an artist.”
Kelly now works out of her studio in Bridgeport, CT, painting large-scale figurative pieces, abstracted landscapes, and everything in between. Her style? She describes it as loose, spontaneous, and—most importantly—not stuck in one place.
“I used to think I had to pick one style or one way of working,” she explains. “But I’ve learned that I need the freedom to shift from one idea to another. That’s what keeps it exciting.”
One turning point in her creative path was studying at a small atelier in New York City, where her teacher, Leah Lopez, modelled what it looked like to live a quiet, focused life centred around painting. “The space smelled like oil paint, had heavy drapes to control the light, and still-life set-ups everywhere. It felt like magic. I wanted my life to feel like that.”
Today, Kelly’s advice to emerging artists is simple yet powerful: keep showing up, don’t be afraid to create bad paintings, and let your curiosity lead the way.
In all of my work, I aim to evoke and capture emotions that resonate upon viewing. My goal is for each encounter with my work to reveal new details and nuances that may have escaped initial observation.
To learn more about Kelly, click on the links below.
Francesca Tesoriere on Finding Energy and Patience in Nature
From Palermo, Sicily, Francesca Tesoriere creates work that feels like a love letter to the natural world. Her pieces are full of flowing lines and organic forms—trees, branches, and abstract shapes that seem to pulse with energy.
Her journey to painting came after more than a decade of working as a freelance illustrator. When she became an art teacher, she began painting again for herself. Her background in architecture and illustration shows up in her structured yet expressive compositions.
Francesca paints trees like they’re living maps of connection—branches becoming veins, lines stretching toward the sky, backgrounds left open and light. Her work doesn’t aim to mimic nature exactly, but instead pulls out the rhythm and movement she feels when she’s among plants and trees.
“Art, like life, presents challenges,” she shares. “Sometimes it’s about making hard decisions. Sometimes, it’s about waiting for things to make sense.”
That mindset—of patience and observation—shapes her process. Her paintings are meditative, inviting the viewer to slow down, notice small details, and reconnect with the world beyond screens.
Through her work, Francesca invites us to reconnect with a slower pace, where even a simple tree can remind us we’re part of something larger and alive.
My love for nature and the natural environment is what I hope to be remembered for in my art.
To learn more about Francesca, visit the links below.
Namira Basit on Colour, Joy, and Building a Life Around What Feels Good
Namira Basit’s studio is based in Dubai, but her art is a full-on celebration of nature, colour, and emotion. Her path didn’t begin in galleries or art schools—in fact, she holds a Master’s in Marketing and once worked in graphic design. But when she started painting again, something clicked.
“Colour is my love language,” Namira says. “When I see a good palette, it immediately sets something off in me—I start building compositions in my head.”
Flowers are the heart of her practice, not just for their beauty but for the feelings they evoke: joy, connection, memory, and healing. After the birth of her daughter Lily, her relationship with flowers deepened. “She’s my daily reminder of why I paint them,” Namira shares.
Entirely self-taught, she’s also deeply intentional about her business. She began selling her art online in 2019 and now runs her studio with a mission to spread happiness. Using colour psychology and intuitive colour palettes, she aims to evoke a sense of uplift in viewers simply by looking.
Namira’s story is a reminder that formal degrees don’t define what it means to be a working artist. What matters is care, consistency, and knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing.
I want my art to boost serotonin levels and bring joy to others, spreading that happiness just like flowers in full bloom.
To learn more about Namira, click on the links below.
All three artists—Kelly, Francesca, and Namira—share something that goes beyond medium or subject. They’ve all made space for discovery. For not knowing all the answers. For letting their art grow with them.
Kelly reminds us that it’s okay not to have one clear “style.” Francesca shows how nature can teach us to slow down and pay attention. And Namira shows us that joy isn’t just a feeling—it can be a starting point, a practice, and a purpose.
Whether you’re just starting or feeling stuck in your creative life, these stories carry a message worth remembering: make things that feel true to you, even if it doesn’t fit into a neat category. Stay curious. Let yourself play. And above all—enjoy the ride.
Stay tuned to the Women in Arts Network for more stories amplifying diverse, powerful contemporary art voices. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram.
