From Zero Experience to Full-Time Artist
Finding My Purpose Through Painting
When I started the Mastery Program, I had no previous experience in painting. Today, I am a full-time professional artist and coach for Milan Art Institute. I graduated from the Mastery Program last July. It took me 15 months to complete, and shortly after, I became a coach for the program. Since then, I’ve had two solo exhibitions, participated in multiple group shows, and I’m currently preparing for a third solo show this October.
Looking back, it still feels surreal how much can change when you finally say yes to the thing that’s been calling you all along.
A Creative Childhood — and a Long Search for Direction
I loved drawing as a child. One of my first conscious memories is drawing with my father. As an only child, art became a world of my own, a place where I could disappear for hours in complete joy and focus.
My first great passion, however, was ballet. For a long time, I believed it would become my career. But when I was around 20 years old, I realized I wasn’t going to become a professional ballerina, and honestly, it sent me into an identity crisis.
I had spent my whole life pursuing a passion and striving toward a clear goal. Suddenly, I felt completely lost.
I explored other creative outlets like theatre and show dancing while continuing my academic studies. I eventually studied French, Pedagogical Studies, and Art History at the University of Helsinki and later worked at the French Embassy in Finland. After ten years in French public administration, I felt ready for a deeper, more meaningful path and retrained as an Occupational Therapist, working first with psychiatric patients and later with the elderly.
But throughout all those years, there was always this quiet inner voice whispering to me:
“You should be a painter.”
The Moment Everything Changed
Everything shifted during a work team-building event at a local art school.
One of the activities was painting.
The moment I sat down with the paintbrush in my hand, something inside me woke up again. It felt exactly like the feeling I used to have while dancing ballet—completely alive, fully connected, deeply present.
After the class, the headmistress of the art school approached me and encouraged me to pursue painting further. That conversation stayed with me.
Soon after, I started researching art schools both locally and online, and that’s when I found Milan Art Institute.
I enrolled in the Mastery Program and never looked back.
For the first time in many years, I felt like I had finally found my purpose and calling.
Learning to Paint from Scratch
Since I had only experimented with watercolor briefly in school many years earlier, I can honestly say I started with almost no painting experience.
I knew how to draw, but painting felt like learning an entirely new language.
At the same time, I was still working as an Occupational Therapist, first full-time, and later part-time after negotiating reduced hours so I could dedicate more energy to art.
I painted every evening after work.
Living in Finland meant long, dark winters where daylight disappeared by 3:30 PM, so creating a proper studio setup and good lighting became essential. Many evenings I felt exhausted after work, but the moment I began drawing or painting, I would enter a flow state that gave me energy instead of draining it.
One of the most rewarding parts of the process was seeing my skills evolve over time. Because I didn’t have years of previous painting habits, I found it surprisingly easy to embrace the methods and processes taught inside the Mastery Program.
I also took full advantage of the coaching opportunities.
I attended group coaching calls, actively sought feedback, and immersed myself in practice. I became especially interested in portrait painting and completed multiple Monster Portraits while practicing extensively on my own.
Over time, my artistic style naturally evolved. Today, I work more abstractly, creating botanical and floral abstract series, although I still deeply love painting the human form and know I’ll return to figurative work again in the future.
From Part 2 onward, I also worked closely with a mentor, which became incredibly valuable. Because she understood both my artistic goals and my emerging style, she was able to guide me in a direction that truly elevated my work.
Building the Life I Dreamed About
As my technical skills grew, I became more capable of expressing what I had been carrying inside me creatively for so many years.
From the very beginning, I felt this fire in my belly, a creative energy that had built up through all those years of searching for purpose. That fire pushed me forward even on difficult days.
I completed the Mastery Program in 15 months, not because I had set a strict timeline, but because the momentum and passion carried me naturally through the process.
Toward the end of the program, I realized how profoundly the coaching and mentoring had impacted me. Since I already had a background in teaching, I started imagining a future where I could both create art professionally and help guide other artists on their journeys.
That dream became reality shortly after graduation when I became a coach for the Milan Art Institute.
It’s truly one of the most fulfilling parts of my life.
Being able to help others move toward their own calling as artists feels like an incredible privilege.
At the same time, I also focused on building my career as a professional exhibiting artist. I actively participated in group shows, hosted two solo exhibitions, and am currently preparing for my third solo show this October, where I’ll be presenting new abstract works.
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s this:
It’s never too late to pivot and follow your dreams.
Small changes made consistently over time can completely transform your life.
Being open about your dreams and sharing your work with others can feel terrifying at times, but visibility is necessary for growth and opportunity. The more you allow yourself to be seen, the more doors begin to open.
I truly believe that if you feel called to be an artist, there’s a reason for it.
You have something unique inside you that the world needs to experience.
The journey of becoming an artist is lifelong. Your skills continue to grow, your voice continues to evolve, and patience and perseverance are essential. But it is one of the most rewarding journeys imaginable.
We are all created to create, but not everyone answers the call.
If you feel that call, trust it.
Let yourself be seen.
Explore My Work
Website: www.ninnijuuti.com
Instagram: @ninnijuutiart
Facebook: Ninni Juuti Art
Interested in Starting Your Own Artistic Journey?
The Milan Art Institute Mastery Program helped me transform my life, discover my purpose, and build a professional career as an artist. If you’ve been dreaming about taking your art seriously, this may be the path that helps you finally step into your calling.
