Daily Inspiration: Meet Erin Mallen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Mallen

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always had a creative side, even as a child, and I owe a lot of that to my family. I remember when I was little, my mom would get rolls of butcher paper and let me go wild with markers, crayons, and paint. My grandma also had a big influence on my creativity. When I was young, we’d spend weeks at her house during the summer, and she had this large dresser with drawers full of crafting supplies. I would make window clings, sock puppets, pipe cleaner sculptures—you name it.

In grade school, art classes were always my favorite, no matter what the project was. I spent a lot of my free time drawing comics of myself and my friends, mimicking the styles of popular cartoons. Eventually, I began experimenting with more realistic portraits. This really took off when I entered high school and could take art classes as electives, giving me more freedom to explore my creativity.

Around that same time, my sister gifted me an art easel and brushes, and that’s when I discovered my love for painting. For a long time, I painted just for fun, never thinking my work was good enough to sell. Still, I decided to create a Facebook page to showcase my paintings. While I was working with other mediums, painting was the one I continued to pursue the most.

A few years ago, a friend from school reached out to me. She had a small business and was organizing a pop-up sale for local businesses, and she invited me to join. At first, I was hesitant—I didn’t feel like my work was “talented” enough to sell. But I decided to give it a shot, and I’m so glad I did!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wish I could say it’s always been butterflies and rainbows, but the unfortunate truth is that my biggest obstacle on this journey has been my own mental health. I’ve struggled with PTSD, depression, and anxiety since I was very young. There have been times when I went weeks, months, even years, without creating anything.

There are moments when picking up a paintbrush—or even a pencil—feels overwhelming. Some days, my mind is too clouded, too foggy to think about painting at all. At other times, I feel stuck, as though even if I manage to pick up a brush, nothing worthwhile will come out of it.

Another challenge I’ve faced is becoming a mother. My children are the absolute light of my life, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t create some obstacles when it comes to finding free time. I’ve had to learn how to balance my art with my responsibilities as a mother and a wife. There are still days when the juggling act feels overwhelming, but I do my best to make it all work.

Despite these ongoing struggles, learning to embrace creativity as a source of healing has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. It’s not always easy, and I still have days when I struggle, but I’ve learned that art can express what words often can’t. It’s become not only a passion but also a form of therapy—a way to reconnect with myself and find moments of peace amidst the chaos in my mind.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Over the years, I’ve explored various forms of media, but I always find myself returning to painting. My primary medium is acrylic paint, though I also enjoy experimenting with watercolors and gouache.

The subjects of my paintings vary widely. I went through a period where I focused on plants and nature, often featuring houseplants as the central subject in bright, cheerful compositions. More recently, I’ve embraced a dark academia theme, with deep, moody backgrounds that highlight leafy ferns, flowers, and other diverse subjects.

Occasionally, I create holiday-themed pieces, but I like to add my own personal flair to those, making them unique to my style.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I would love to come across as an intellectual and recommend resource after resource for refining your skills, but the best I can offer is my advice to follow fellow artists on social media. I love to watch their videos and learn from their skills. It almost never fails that I’ll be struggling with something, like painting hands, and I’ll stumble across a video of someone giving tips on how to paint hands. It can be easy to get lost on critiquing your own work but sometimes taking a moment to appreciate someone else’s can help shift your perspective and open your eyes to new possibilities.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embersandashesshoppe/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/embersandashesshoppe
• Other: https://embersandashesus.etsy.com