Meet Megan Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Walker. 

Hi Megan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved art. I remember being about 7 or 8 and winning an art contest at school. We got to go to a special breakfast with our parent, where the winning artwork was displayed. Pretty sure my mom still has that drawing. I was so proud of it. My dream life was to grow up and be a fashion designer, graphic designer, or a chef. Any true creative will tell you it’s so hard to pick just one way to express yourself. 

Once I hit middle school, I took on music and learned to play the violin. I was first chair in my school’s orchestra. There really wasn’t a creative avenue that I was not good at. By the time high school came along, I took every art class possible. I remember one of my art teachers absolutely hated me, but when it was time to grade my work, she had nothing but great things to say. I was able to take independent study art, which is when you are basically unsupervised and left to do whatever you want for your assignments. I would try my hand at pottery, oil painting, even jewelry making. Watercolors were hard but fun. 

College really showed me all the options I had when it came to my creativity. It felt so amazing to be surrounded by other individuals who appreciated what art and creatives contributed to the world. I remember opening a textbook in my sculpture class to see a famous sculpture located right here in Grand Rapids. Calder plaza holds a beautiful sculpture created by Alexander Calder called La Grande Vitesse. It’s become the symbol of Grand Rapids. That’s when I knew that there was a place right here to follow my dreams. 

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?
Nothing in life has been “smooth” for me. But that’s the fun part, not knowing what’s going to happen next. The creative talent always came easy but finding the perfect way to channel it has not. The purchase of my first home, along with postpartum depression after having my 2nd son is what inspired me to start my blog, The Walker Haven. I needed a place to freely share my projects I was working on around the house. Every day I was up to something new. When my son would take his afternoon nap, I would roll out an old sheet and start painting whatever I could. I painted cabinets, furniture, the deck, a random wall. Anything I could get away with during nap time. I would post what I was working on to my Instagram and soon my page started growing with others who were inspired by my DIY projects. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My website/ Instagram brand has become my main focus right now. It truly covers everything I enjoy. I am so happy to bring more representation to the table for black women in blogging and influencer roles. 

Photography has been a solid passion of mine throughout the years. After purchasing my first DSLR camera about 9 years ago, a Canon T3i, I watched so many YouTube tutorials. I literally taught myself on my lunch breaks how to shoot in manual. Who knew how much that would come in handy in this visual world we live in now? Because of photography, I am able to share my current projects and connect with so many amazing individuals through social media. 

At one point I did abandon my blog completely. I went through some huge life changes over the last few years. Between getting divorced and then suddenly being diagnosed with a seizure disorder and having a stroke, I really thought no one would want to follow along on my journey if I no longer had this picture-perfect life and family. Boy, was I wrong. I get messages all the time from people thanking me for sharing, and for being transparent about my life. I am SO proud of myself for pushing through that tough time and finding what brings me joy again. I’m also grateful for those who have cheered me on along the way and helped me when I didn’t know if I was going to live to see the end of the year. God has truly blessed me. 

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
In my opinion, success to me means inner happiness and peace. Some of the most successful people I know followed their hearts and focused on joy. I know that a lot of times success is linked with being rich however, I think you can be successful in life and not be rich with physical things. As long as my kids are well taken care of and I make them proud, I was successful. 

Contact Info:

• Website: Thewalkerhaven.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmeganwalker_/?hl=en
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewalkerhaven