Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Beard.
Hi Alyssa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Howdy! My name is Alyssa Beard and I am an independent artist and dance performer. I grew up pretty impoverished, living with my single dad in Glen Burnie Maryland, eating ice chips for a snack. We didn’t have much, and the things we did have were due to my dads work benefits. With his electrician benefits, we had access to cable and tv shows. I’d spend sooooo many nights watching anime on adult swim until 5 am. This probably explains why I’m so short. I had always been someone in love with art. Pencil and paper didn’t cost much. And watching anime really got me hooked into improving my skills. I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, but with family pointing out the financial burden that would bring, I often pushed that idea to the side and instead studied science. I spent my later years studying to be a physical therapist getting my B.S. in Athletic Medicine, focused on providing for my family. Though, I still stayed completely engulfed in the arts and creative side of life. You see, my grandma (dads mom) was a dancer (and I recently found out my dad was too). I clubbed almost 5 days a week in San Antonio and did art in between. There was a different type of music for each night so I did it all. People would ask me what I wanted to do in life and what made me happy and all I could think to say was “I just want to dance, travel the world, and do art.”
I moved to San Antonio to help my mom raise my little brother when I was 11. I was in such a depressed place in college – I went to UT Austin and had to transfer back to UTSA due to finances. I worked 3 jobs at a time, living on my own and putting myself through school. I worked service industry jobs that really drained me. (please be nice to your service workers y’all). I was struggling with depression, undiagnosed mental illness, and finding purpose. And I still found the time to dance and make art. I had so much energy back then lol.
One day I found a groupon for swing dance classes, and went on a whim. The instructors there made me feel wanted and cared for, they felt safe because they recognized the history of the dance. (These are the same people who opened Bright Coffee and Nofi in San Antonio- Hana Buck and Rolando Almaraz). I was hooked. Lindy hop and Vernacular Jazz are black American dance forms that started in the 1930s and 40s. It felt like exactly what I needed to feel grounded and connected to my culture again. I was immediately hooked and started dancing right before pandemic. But alas, pandemic. Dancing was on hold, and I had all the time in the world. So I sat with my art again. I fostered kittens. I started a twitch stream, and began painting on stream along with gaming. I started doing art markets when they came back. I started an etsy page and website. I was inspired by light and contrast, often painting night scenes with city lights. Bottles with light shining off of them. I started doing art full time.
When dancing came back, I started dancing again too. I began traveling, dancing, and painting. Just like I said I wanted to do. My friends at Bright Coffee, the ones who taught me to dance (Hana Buck and Rolando Almaraz), really supported this dream of mine. Being the first place I ever showed my work other an artist market. They are brilliant and caring people who really take care of their community and created a space for me to grow into the person I am now, even though I was still young and dumb at the time.
Eventually, I thought “how can i do this and still make money?” and I did a UI/UX Design bootcamp. I worked in Design, allowing myself time to dance and make art. I realized creative opportunities were what’s best for me. People started seeing my work, and began requesting commissions. I did one small commission, then book illustrations, and it began to snowball. Same for teaching. I eventually transitioned into Graphic Design. I now, do digital and traditional art. Logos and marketing for clients. And teach at dance events nationally and internationally, sharing knowledge about my Black American history and culture as much as I can.
I was so distraught about what I was going to do in life. And sometimes the things just find you. Every time I was presented with a scary opportunity, I took it. It was always a good chance to grow and learn. And I’m still learning and still progressing my passions. I am finally updating and starting a new studio to offer design and art. While also continuing my passion for dance. And even though I’m not the big money maker (yet, fingers crossed), my family supports me in these decisions.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
-grew up impoverished with my single dad in Maryland, would often rely on neighbors for food (great community in the hood)
-Then provided care for my single mother in Texas when my brother was born when I was 11
-I lost contact with my dad due to a parental dispute. He had full custody of me so he could have filed a claim but he is such a gentle and kind man, he would never do something like that to hurt my mother. He was trying to reach me for years but my mom wouldn’t give him any information. So I sadly lost connection to my dad until I was about 21-22
-this was especially rough because my mom is white and I grew up with my black family, so I felt disconnected from my culture
-I had to move out at 17 (due to my only family -mom and brother- moving away after my mom remarried when i went to college)
-this left me in poverty (my mother wasn’t one to help at the time, her husband disliked me, and I knew my dad wasn’t well off so I avoided asking him for help) I would have no more than $50 a month for anything after bills so I’d usually get a case of beer and drink one a night before bed to fill my stomach. Leading to a drinking problem in my early 20s. It was to the point where I got sent home from work for struggling with bronchitis for months eventually turning into walking pneumonia. And the manager wouldn’t let me come back without a doctors note which would be $40 that I didn’t have. So I’d have to borrow money from someone just to go to a doctor so I could work again.
-the last year I had to pay out of pocket for college ($14k) because I couldn’t get a loan due to my debt to income ratio being so bad. I opened 5 credit cards and paid my tuition that way.
-I worked 3 jobs at a time, played college soccer, and clubbed at night
-I definitely ended up with an alcohol problem for a bit there because I was so depressed. So I was a bit of a mess in my early/mid twenties and could have been a better friend.
-I had a professor come up to me in college saying he was worries about the signs I was presenting in class. He had a student with undiagnosed depression and ADHD who took their life and I reminded him of them. So I tried to get help.
-It took me 3 years (23yo) to go to a NP in San Antonio for a referral to see a therapist, then to see a psychiatrist. I was profiled and the NP accused me of being anorexic and just wanting the meds to be skinny because I’m only 105 lbs and because I graduated college. I am 4’10” so yes I don’t weight a lot but I was buff at the time due to soccer and the gym lol and I struggled with college due to the lack of schedule. (I was a top 4% student in high school but that’s because I had a strict schedule with cross country, track and soccer). Anyway, that scared me enough to not get diagnosed for another 4 years (27yo)
-I finally got diagnosed with chronic depression, panic disorder, adhd, and bipolar disorder when I finally got help.
-I reconnected with my dad, and rekindled my friendship with my mom after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. And I am finally making ends meet in an unexpected way
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an artist/graphic designer and a dance instructor. Digitally, I specialize in illustration and logo design and traditionally I use acrylic on canvas or wood. I teach Black American swing dance styles such as Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz. I focus on the history and culture that makes up our dance community and the dance continuum that is derived from it. I’m known for Solo Vernacular Jazz, and designing marketing for dance events. I think what sets me apart is my focus on illustration for the graphic designs. I use illustration to bring a brand to life, giving them all the graphic design assets they need based on the storytelling in the illustration.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I love to rescue kittens. I have rescued 50 kittens in San Antonio, bottle feeding them, fostering them, and eventually getting them adopted (1 being a baby raccoon, who is ultimately just a dumpster kitten).
People also don’t know I twitch stream as I work throughout the week. Or that I played soccer for 27 years.
Pricing:
- Illustration commisions starting at $200
- Logo, branding commissions starting at $500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://okrasoupstudio.com
- Instagram: @okrasoupstudio
- Twitter: @okrasoupstudio
- Other: https://okrasoupstudio.etsy.com
