Tree is Building a Career that Grows with Her Son

Tree, Artisttree on Fiverr, is a freelance photographer, artist and graphic designer with more than 10 years of experience. She has worked for Disney, Warner Bros and Cirque du Soleil, and her work has been exhibited around the world from Japan, to the UK, to New York’s Times Square. She’s also the mother of a 20-month-old whirlwind name Jack. When Tree became a parent, she had to figure out how to balance being a mother and a professional.Here's her story.

My Background

I graduated university from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama specializing in scenic artistry, costumes and props. I went straight to work in the West End theatre district in London as a wardrobe technician. At the same time, I gained an apprenticeship, a year placement at the English National Opera in the props department. This led to numerous film jobs, most notably Harry Potter, followed by Batman Begins, where I was part of the team that created the Batsuit. After that, I had a short career at sea as the head of props for one of the Disney Cruise Line ships. Then things got a little crazier when I ran away and joined the circus as a props technician! My time with Cirque du Soleil was an incredible adventure. I made some amazing lifelong friends who are now my second family. I saw the world and met my wonderful husband. I also pursued my sideline business as a photographer and painter. With amazing performers, acrobats and locations, such as Japan and Thailand, I had access to a beautiful world, created an eclectic portfolio, and eventually had my work shown in various galleries and publications. Around this time, I really got into Photoshop and photo editing.

Finding a New Path

When Jack was born, I wanted to stay home, but I didn’t want to give up my creative life, so I began looking for a way to use my skills that would allow me to work from home on a flexible schedule. I heard about Fiverr through another seller who was in entertainment. I loved that it was an unconventional route, and with my change in lifestyle and becoming a parent, it seemed like the perfect fit. It was! I was able to start slow, work on Gigs® to a very high standard, satisfy my buyers, and still set my own hours so I could be there for Jack.My clients range from fine artists, who need an assistant to help retouch their images, to marketing companies needing product touch-ups for websites, and everything between. I work with an aerial photographer, an artist archiving material from the 50’s, swimsuit models, actors and actresses, and photographers. I assist in reconstructing photos of loved ones who have passed away. I’m also very good at removing exes from family photos! I love, love, love my eBook clients. They are always so passionate about their work that it’s infectious, and I love it when collaboration gets it just right. There is something so wonderful about being able to help someone realize their dream!

Now I Am All in on Fiverr

As my son gets older and goes to preschool and then elementary school, I can devote more time to my work and grow my presence within the site. I am planning on building on the foundation I have created by offering more services and have plans for a flyers and brochures Gig, as well as an album covers Gig. That’s what is so wonderful about Fiverr. There is no limit! The impact of Fiverr on my life has been huge and the potential for the future is enormous. The ability to work from anywhere means my family can do just that! I love to travel. Also living in the U.S. and having all my family in the UK can be tricky, so having the ability to take my work with me to visit is worth everything to me. The flexibility of Fiverr is giving me the ability to raise my son while still doing creative work and staying current with what is happening in the industry, which keeps me sane. For all of this, I feel truly blessed.My career has always been about grasping opportunity with both hands and seeing where the adventure takes me. I feel that learning, reinvention and new possibilities are what really drive me. Fiverr has added a new dimension to that. I love the fact that the possibilities are endless. I never know what the next project will be, and I get to meet amazing new people with each order, all while working from home. You don’t get much more wonderful than that!For more on Tree and how she balances parenting and work, listen to this podcast:

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