Meet Gwendolyn Jones | Artist and Small Business Owner

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

Hi Gwendolyn, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I always keep a strengths based perspective on my mind when it comes to my business. It can be difficult to see other creators making sales and creating fun new things and being more successful than I am. But each person has their own success. Everyone has their own struggles behind the scenes that we don’t get to see on social media. So this perspective allows me to feel confident about the things I have created and feel successful about every sale and visit to my etsy shop. I may not have 100 sales, but I remember that for every sale, someone wanted something I made because it made them happy. I also remember that I have grown so much on the last few months, and my business has improved and evolved into something better, and its still growing! I am proud of what I have accomplished so far, and I look forward to what I will accomplish tomorrow.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I currently run an etsy shop that sells stickers and small prints! I hope to add mini canvases to my listings, and right now my main content consists of animals and puns! I love both of those things and creating illustrated puns like Tea Rexes and Cat-cuses makes me very happy. I started my shop during quarantine, where I was inspired by other small business that sold a myriad of items. I have been doing art for the past 15+ years, but I only started digitally creating at the end of 2020. It was not easy to learn how to draw on a screen and I’m still learning the ins and outs of art apps! I have learned a lot about my own creativity and what I can push my mind to create, which is always new and exciting for me! I still love to sketch on paper and paint on canvases with oils and acrylics, but I am glad to have been able to add to my little art resume the skill of creating digitally. I want everyone to know that I truly appreciate every like, comment, view and sale, and I am so happy that people like my art! Every time I send off a package it makes me feel nice to think of someone owning a little sticker or print I created.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the little aquarium on the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier because I love aquatic animals! I think it is a nice little walk down past the shops to see eels and starfish. I also like going to parks and bringing my dog along with me and we always run into other dogs! The food in LA is great everywhere, but I love smoothie places so I am always looking for a new drink spot! I also love the California Science Center and Natural History Museum. I could make a day out of going to each location and exploring everything inside.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wan to thank Skylar and Megan Klembith for recommending me! They run an awesome account on Instagram called Klembetch Foodies and they have a YouTube channel! I am very grateful for the support they have shown me from the beginning, along with all of my other friends and family members that have liked my content, bought my creations, and spread the word about my business!

Website: gwensstudioshop.etsy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwenpaintsandstuff/