Ready to take on the world! But where to start?
Having just earned my MA degree in #Textile #Design from Chelsea College of Art in #London, I was ready to take on the world! But to be honest, I had no idea how to get started. With previous experience in modelling, retail, and fashion design, it seems that the possibilities were endless and somewhat scary!
Getting in the Market (Literally)!
While working in retail, my amazing hubby encouraged me to take the plunge and start my #creative #business. Thinking about my #artwork, which was mostly Kenya-inspired artwork which was #colourful and #fun (yet very abstract), I knew my artwork needed some direction if I was doing to reach larger audiences. So, I decided to start market #trading!
Trading in Greenwich Market was a fun experience! We set up our stall, came up with a #business name, and start producing #products. It was definitely an adventure!
My hubby and I learned a lot of valuable life and business lessons trading at Greenwich Market. Among all of the lessons that I learned, I made one very important discovery: Londoners love London! Though Greenwich Market attract numerous tourists throughout the year, most of the customers are #local #Londoners that are looking for amazing #artwork. Though, here's the catch: these die-hard Londoners wanted art of their #local area! Illustrations of local London scenes for local Londoners! I had my 'Eureka' moment!
Creating New Illustrations: Local Scenes for Local London Shops!
My hubby and I traveled all over #London, getting inspiration from local areas to design my new illustrations. After approaching several local #shops, we eventually got my work #stocked at Card Bureau in Holland Park and PostMark (in the #Balham and #Chiswick stores). The products were a hit! We had our niche! What started out as sell a few greeting cards branched out to wall art and notecard boxes. Eventually, I created custom-designed #illustrations for PostMark and stocked my work at two of their locations.
Njeri Illustrated is Born!
After some friends saw my #playful, #fun #artstyle applied to local city scenes... one friend said 'Wow Michelle, your work really got illustrated!'. My business name, 'Njeri Illustrated' was born that day and has stuck ever since.
At Njeri Illustrated, we provide eye-catching, custom-designed illustrations of your city. If you are interested in my work and would like me to design something special for you, your business, or a loved one, please feel free to get in touch!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Kindest Regards,
Michelle