Some artists uncover their identity through a series of small moments that eventually lead to a bigger truth. For Meital, that truth arrived unexpectedly, in the form of a maintenance worker who looked at a handmade piece on her door and simply said, “So you’re an artist.”
That single sentence unlocked everything she had been quietly building for years.
Today, Meital is a coffee artist whose sepia-toned portraits and animal-human compositions have captured a global audience. From Etsy shops to commissions to teaching artists how to create and sell prints, her journey is a testament to curiosity, courage, and following the inner voice that refuses to quiet down.
Q: When did your creative journey begin?
I was always creative since I was a little girl, but I never considered myself as an artist. I always thought artists should be in their studio painting all day, wearing a French hat with a feather. That was my imagination of an artist.
Years later, I already had two Etsy shops selling jewelry and nursery art, but I still didn’t think of myself as an artist. One day the gas company guy came for yearly maintenance. He asked me to open the side gate, and as we were walking he pointed at the mezuzah on my door and said, “Wow, this is beautiful.”
I told him, “Thank you, I made the cover,” and he replied, “So you’re an artist.”
I just stared at him. So many thoughts went through my head. And then I said yes.
I’ve thought about that moment so many times. That random guy I’d never seen before identified me in a way I had never allowed myself to. Since that day, whenever someone asked what I do, I said I’m an artist.
I took an online watercolor course and one of the lessons was coffee art. It was very basic, but I got completely hooked. I love coffee, I think it connects people in conversation and the cozy sepia tones, using just one earthy color, really drew me in.
From that moment, I started painting only with coffee.
Q: At what point did you start taking art more seriously?
My mom and grandma painted at home, but it was always as a hobby. In my house, the conversation was more like: you should be an engineer, a lawyer. Pick a profession that makes money.
So even though I was creating and even selling crafts on Etsy (greeting cards, jewelry, baby caddies) I didn’t think of myself as an artist. In my mind, engineering was the thing that brings money, and I held onto it.
For years it felt like a constant war in my head: do I let go or stay safe?
But another year passed, then another, and three years in I realized: I need to focus. This is what I want to do. My soul feels whole when I create. There’s no going back.
Q: How did you find your art style?
I decided to combine an elephant with a portrait. I showed it to a friend and she was amazed. She talked about how interesting the combination was, how well it was composed even though it was only one color.
That moment clicked.
I realized this was more interesting than anything I had done before — more than just an animal or just a portrait. It created a story inside the painting. That’s when things started to shift.
Q: For artists who have finished pieces and want to start selling, where should they begin?
Build a community of people who love art, artists and collectors, and create an email list. An email list is number one for me. It’s the easiest way to share your art, your tips, and your journey with people who already want to hear from you.
Social media is nice, but the algorithm changes constantly. Likes are not sales.
If you’re introverted like me, start with small in-person events (farmers markets, little community shows) just to build confidence talking to people.
Q: What sales avenues have worked best for your business?
Prints help you understand what people are most attracted to. You can see what sells, what gets attention, and what people keep coming back to.
In the last couple of years things flipped, now around seventy percent of my revenue is commissions. People want custom portraits, pets, personal stories. The rest is prints.
I also stopped selling low-value products. They brought people into my booth, but they didn’t bring real income, and heavy art collectors often avoided booths filled with small items. It was a learning curve.
Q: What print-on-demand company do you use?
I use Gelato. My website and Etsy are connected to it, so when someone makes a purchase it automatically prints and ships from the location closest to the customer. That makes it easier for people around the world to buy my art and pay less for shipping.
Q: How do you handle the photography and editing for your prints?
I do everything myself — taking photos, editing them, creating high-quality files, and uploading them. Every step I had to learn on my own, and now I teach it in my course Art to Print.
Q: For in-person shows and markets, is it competitive to get a booth?
It depends. If you start small, there’s usually no competition and the booth fees are low. As you grow into fine art shows, yes, it becomes competitive. You need strong technique, professionalism, and sometimes a style that stands out from the crowd.
There’s usually a small application fee, thirty to fifty dollars and booth fees can range from five hundred to several thousand. But I don’t judge a show only by sales. Even in a slow show you meet new people, collect emails, and sometimes get sales or commissions later. Never judge it by one attempt.
Q: What are the top mistakes artists make?
I think the first mistake is selling low-value products. They attract attention but not income. And serious collectors may overlook your booth entirely.
Another mistake is trying to sell everything to everyone. Creatives want to explore, which is beautiful but too much variety makes it hard to build a recognizable style.
Pick one or two things, and then niche down to one.
Q: What advice would you give to someone moving from hobbyist to professional?
Experiment with everything you love, ceramics, embroidery, painting, and then choose the niche people compliment you on the most or the one you enjoy doing the most.
Improve your technique in that niche.
Next, learn how to market your art and build a website. You need a website to sell your art from.
And show yourself, even if you’re introverted, even if it scares you. Talking about your art is part of selling your art. The more you take courses and invest in learning, the more confident you’ll be in sharing your work.
Q: Was there ever a moment you felt like you couldn't do this?
A lot of moments. I pivoted so many times when I first started. I had disappointments, doubts, and thoughts of going back to engineering.
But then you get a sale and you’re happy again.
You hear a podcast telling you to hang in there.
You show up even when it’s frustrating.
Creative people want to try everything, but to grow you need to narrow down what you focus on. So keep showing up, even at a neighborhood party, talk about your art. You never know where the next sale comes from.
Q: How do artists find their style?
Lay all your paintings on the floor and look for something common, it can be colors, shapes, strokes, themes. You’ll start seeing that you already have a style.
If you’re not sure, ask a friend what they see in common. If you don’t have many paintings yet, keep creating. Style comes from volume.
I also have a freebie on my website, a workbook on how to find your art style.
Q: When did you realize art was more than a hobby?
Definitely the moment I told the gas company guy, “Yes, I’m an artist.” That changed how I saw myself.
Also every time someone connects deeply with my work.
Once, a woman at a show asked if I had a hummingbird painting. I didn’t. She looked through my prints and found one of my earliest coffee paintings — a portrait of a girl with spilled coffee at the bottom.
She said, “This is a hummingbird,” and she started crying. She told me hummingbirds are a sign of connection to the past world, and her husband had passed away. She said the girl crying was her.
I didn’t create the painting with that meaning, but she saw her own story in it.
Moments like that signal that I’m doing the right thing. That I should keep going.
🔑 Key Takeaways
Your unique medium or style will reveal itself when you follow your curiosity.
Meital did not plan to become a coffee artist. It came from one simple lesson in an online watercolor course. By leaning into what felt fun and interesting, she uncovered a medium that expressed her personality, culture, and voice more naturally than anything she had tried before. Artists do not always “choose” their medium. Sometimes the medium chooses them.
Community and email marketing give artists long term stability.
While social media can be helpful, Meital’s strongest results came from building an email list and nurturing a community of people who care about her art. Direct connection is more powerful than chasing algorithms. Email lists create consistency, trust, and a foundation that social media alone cannot provide.
In person events build confidence and open doors that digital platforms cannot.
Even as an introvert, Meital pushed herself to show up at small markets and art events. Those experiences strengthened her confidence and gave her priceless insight into how people experienced her work. Showing up in person, even when it feels uncomfortable, sharpens your voice and builds real relationships.
Stop selling low value items if you want to attract serious collectors.
Meital learned firsthand that filling your booth with mugs and stickers draws crowds but not buyers of original art. Serious collectors look for artists with a clear style and polished presentation. Elevating your offerings changes how people perceive your work.
Finding your style requires both introspection and outside perspective.
Your artistic voice often exists before you even recognize it. Meital suggests laying out all your pieces together and looking for shared colors, themes, shapes, or mood. Ask others what stands out to them. Your style becomes clearer when you see your work as a whole.
📢 Check Out the Full Interview
Watch the full interview with Meital Regev below or youtube @ainahcommunity
Explore Meital's work:
