Welcome to our new guest blog feature, Inspirational Women in Business. Today we bring you the very talented young female entrepreneur Jessy Veale from Wavey Art. In her own words, you’ll find out where what motivated her to take Wavey Art from a hobby into a fully-fledged business. And what her plans are for the future.  

This is an inspirational story that involves facing a huge barrier, Covid-19 and lockdown, and turning it into a creative endeavour that has completely changed the direction of Jessy’s life. 

We loved having you in the studio Jessy, you were a natural in front of the camera and your products are beautiful!

Now, we’ll hand it over to Jessy.

Wavey Art: The Beginning

Hi everyone. My name is Jessy Veale. I’m 23 years old and live in Plymouth. After coming out of a really challenging chapter of my life, I needed to focus on something new. Something that would bring happiness to me again. I grew up by the sea where I’ve spent most of my life in and around the ocean. It’s always been my happy place.

However, through the various lockdowns, I couldn’t do the things I enjoyed the most. This was very frustrating for me like it must have been for so many other people. It led me to find something new to explore. I was almost immediately drawn toward my love of the ocean. I felt a creative urge. There was something about the movement of the waves that stood out – it inspired me.

So I took inspiration from the waves and the sea and began to create some artwork.

If I couldn’t go and enjoy the ocean because of the restrictions,  then I was going to find a way to bring it to me!

Developing a Business: Etsy Shop

I never expected this to happen. It wasn’t about developing a business, I was making art for my own enjoyment. This was a tool to help with my mental health during lockdown but after a while, I saw potential. Do you know that feeling when you want to swim in the sea but it’s been a while? You dip your toe into the water to see how cold it is and yes, it’s just what you thought, freezing! But you get in anyway because you know it’s amazing once you’ve overcome that first barrier.

Well, that’s what it felt like when I decided to show my work to the world. But I’m so glad I did. I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in having some original pieces for themselves. I began to spread the word about my art by starting my own Etsy Shop, Facebook Page and Instagram Profile to get as much attention for my artwork as possible. It’s all been one massive learning curve.

Since then, I’ve had orders from all around the world! Most of my customers have moved away from the coast and really wanted something in their home which reminded them of their roots – just like I did!

My whole reason for creating the art was to help me feel closer to the water and it’s amazing how others have connected with my work. Knowing this has brought me a lot of joy and I continue to appreciate the messages I receive from customers from all around the world.

Expanding my Reach: Plymouth Market

After pushing my work online and making orders over social media, Etsy and other avenues, it’s time to begin expanding my reach. I have begun creating my own website from scratch. This is something I have never attempted before but I’m learning with each challenge that comes my way.

It’s amazing taking online orders, however, I do love to see people’s true reactions to my work. In the future, I hope my artwork can be displayed in exhibitions around Plymouth and the UK so that I’m able to receive further feedback and reach a wider community. I believe this will help me understand what kind of pieces I should design next and push me to try new things.

When people truly appreciate my art and find their own personal stories attached to it, it gives me an overwhelming sense of happiness.

I hope to open up my own shop somewhere in the near future or have my art sold in as many different shops around the UK as possible. For now, my focus remains on my online community where I continue to connect with so many amazing people! I don’t see this as a job. It’s a way of expressing myself while providing art for so many different types of people from around the world who also share my love of the ocean. Especially the wavey bits!

Contact details and Social Media Link:

Facebook

Etsy Shop

Instagram

Social Media for Business

We hope you enjoyed getting to know one of Plymouths up and coming inspirational women in business. Subscribe to our blog to ensure you don’t miss next months inspirational guest. How is your business doing? Are you reaching your ideal clients on social media? We specialise in helping you reach your marketing goals through developing strategies and producing creative content that will connect your business with the online community. Contact us today to find out more about our bespoke social media packages and check out more of our brand photography.