Well, I have always enjoyed identifying my art businesses with a fun, catchy theme so when it came time to rebuild and rebrand my art business I went with one of my favorite emojis- the PEACH. During the hard moments of the pandemic years, I would use the peach emoji to help myself stay focused on practicing “self love and body positivity”. It’s one of my favorite colors and I love the cute shape of a peach, so it felt perfect for this new art chapter.
EARLY YEARS
I grew up in Rockford, Illinois as the oldest of four and a girl growing up in the 80’s and 90’s. I began drawing and creating at a very young age and having an aunt who was a professional artist helped my parents discover my talents right away. It was never a question that I wanted to be a famous artist when I grew up.
By middle school, I was painting one-of-a-kind items to sell at my mother’s craft shows. She was my first glimpse into the life of a small business owner and I think I took to it right away. By high school, I had become the go-to Homecoming T-shirt and play program designer. It was a very common thing to hear “hey, I was curious if you could make me something?” and I love it!
MY ROARING TWENTIES
Within a few months of settling into a brand new environment, my dad’s boss had asked if I would be interested in painting a mural in his teenage daughter’s bedroom. I of course said “yes!” and dove right into painting my first tropical sunset scene and tried to figure out how to charge a client for my mural work. From there my mural business grew by word of mouth and referrals. I named it the SODAPOPSHOP and I continued to mural through my twenties as a side hustle.
By the time affordable, temporary wall decals started to gain popularity, my mural business began to slow down. A friend recommended I try out a brand new website made for artists and crafters called Etsy. I decided to open a shop and sell painted glassware as a full time artist and rename my business the Fizzy Artist. 2010 was my first full year as an Etsy shop owner and my painted glassware took off!
THIRTY AND THRIVING
By my early thirties, I had a successful online art storefront with fun features like a guest spotlight on the TwinCities Live TV program and also a feature of my glassware in the Mpls St.Paul Magazine. But during those years, I also decided to pursue my passion for performing dance by entering fitness competitions. Things evolved and my interests began to shift. Slowly my love for dance took over and the roller coaster called life brought me to new things like becoming a ballroom instructor for Arthur Murray in Edina, MN. I closed my etsy shop, packed away my paint brushes and started a new journey where everyday felt exactly like an episode of Dancing With the Stars.
THE BIG 4 - O
I spent 7 years living in a ballroom bubble: counting 8 counts to a CHA CHA, teaching engaged couples their wedding dance, practicing with my own professional partner and laughing everyday with my students. It was fun, it was tough and it consumed me. By my late 30’s I began to manifest my owning my very own studio one day. But it started to become obvious that I did not have the support I would need to accomplish that goal within the company. So after some major bumps in the road, I decided that it was time for a change and seek new opportunities.
I left Arthur Murray with the thought that I would still pursue having a dance business one day. But with only a few months of officially being outside the “bubble” I started to feel that ART ITCH again. I had a part time job and began painting on the side just like the “old days”. Before I knew it I had a concept for a new Etsy Shop and art business brand. I decided to try out custom denim jackets and call myself the Peachy Painter. That was the summer of 2023 and by the end of the year I had sold a few custom pieces and landed my first mural gig for an AIRBNB.
By the spring of 2024, I decided to go full time into my business, which might have been too soon, but I’m a bit delusional and overly optimistic so I went for it because I am truly my happiest when I am my own boss. Fast forward to today, with over a few hundred jackets sold, 20 murals painted and even two out of state clients for the books!
Peachy Samples of my artwork
