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

Hi Courtney, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to stand apart from the crowd. Yet, for so long, I was afraid of being in the spotlight. I had this fear of rejection and failure that kept me from pursuing my real dreams, so I did things the way I felt others wanted me to. However, when we all went into lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020, I finally got to tune into my passions of creating art, making music, and pursuing beauty and fashion. These endeavors have always made me feel so alive and unique. That is when I decided that I was going to spend my life engaging in these types of activities that made me feel like the truest version of myself and ultimately that meant turning my lifestyle into a career!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
While I am still fairly new in my artistic path, I would consider myself an online content creator who makes aesthetically pleasing collages & digital art and also dabbles in beauty, fashion, and music. Yes, I know it’s a lot! However, I have always been interested in partaking in many different forms of self-expression. In 2022, I will be putting more of my collage art and creative content up online, as I will be graduating from university in the spring!

It took me a while to finally step out of my shell and put myself out there. It was very scary to be vulnerable enough to share my creations, but it was very well-received and that was extremely comforting. I am now at a point in my life where I am confident enough to not need external validation in my crafts and because of that, I feel more secure taking the risk of building a brand online.

My brand is me, Courtney Arabella, and it is about living as authentically as possible and showing up for yourself in whatever way you can, whether it be through your art, through your voice, or through your photography. One day, I hope I can inspire other people who were like me, scared to be themselves, so I can show them that that does not always have to be the case. You can build your dream life, just by showing up as yourself!! Authentically & wholly, you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First, I would take them out to lunch at Kuroshio Sushi Bar & Grille. They have amazing sushi! Then we would go visit Phoenix & Dragon Bookstore. I am a spiritual person so that is the perfect place to get my fill of insightful books and beautiful crystals. Over the week, I would take them to several different food spots I would find online because I love trying new cuisines. For entertainment, I would probably go to Andretti’s, Dave & Busters, or Ponce City Market. After all of the excitement, I would want to have some quiet time to just chat with my friend so a nice park or chilling at the house would be ideal.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I want to thank you all for choosing to feature me in your magazine!! Secondly, I want to shout out my loving boyfriend, Justin, and my mom and sister for supporting me on whatever path I choose to go on, even when it may seem a bit unconventional. Also shoutout to my gorgeous girlfriends, Zaria, Jada, & Tiondra for being there for me and giving me that extra assurance when I was first talking to them about all of my artistic dreams and goals before I even stating making them a reality!

Instagram: @CourtneyArabella

Image Credits
Juicy Couture Logo, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Bratz, PlayBoy Logo, Jada Walker

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.