We had the good fortune of connecting with Claire Sinelli and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Claire, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’m a person who wouldn’t be happy in life without a creative job. I know even in a more mundane job I always end up finding and choosing to prioritize any tasks I can be imaginative with.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At the end of the day no career is going to be easy and neither is the journey to get there. But I always go back to just following what makes me happy. Anytime I’m not sure what the right decision in my life is I just figure out what I truly want and find a way to make it happen and make it make money for me. It’s very hard work to get there but discerning that and running with it is what will make a career worth pursuing long term.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would probably just spend time with that person and take them to different restaurants and cafes, maybe parks. I like quiet places where I can just enjoy the presence of the other person without distraction. I like being able to walk around and chat about our lives and goals, not particularly about places and sights and things. If I was to show them my town I’d probably have a whole list of coffee shops… I’m from Ann Arbor so I suppose Lab Cafe, Shinola, and Dixboro House to start. Maybe a walk through the diag or the arb, definitely a trip downtown Detroit and we’d stop at Le Labo and eat at Townhouse. Something cozy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Andrew Sinelli, has helped me the most. He and I inspire each other and motivate each other creatively all the time. When one of us has a slow season the other picks up the slack. We both do creative jobs, he’s a tattoo artist, and there are times when we need to take leaps. We both push each other for sure. We are tough critics and very competitive in our fields.

Website: cvaire.com

Instagram: instagram.com/cvaire

Image Credits
Claire Sinelli

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