I was in 7th grade when my art teacher presented all the students with an 8×8 inch copper plate. He explained to us that as soon as we pressed into the plate the lines would be permanent, so we were to give thought to what we wanted to create before starting.
I loved it, all the students, no matter where they were from, started with the same tools and resources. I believed if I made a mistake I could just move on and make the line into something else. So I pressed my lines into the surface with no worries if they were right or wrong, but only that they were building off the rest.
My relief shaped into a butterfly and it was one chosen to be exhibited at the state capitol which my parents were steadfast in attending. This small 8×8 plate opened my mind to opportunity and confidence. I realized that like that copper plate, every experience in life makes an impression, but it’s what I choose to do with the impression that counts.
I like to start with that anecdote because essentially I’ve been working towards the vision to operate an artistic and social-minded enterprise since I was a youngster. I believed that creativity could take me anywhere, most importantly to a life of choices and resources, and Little Lady Studio is the result of that belief, commitment and persistence.
The path has been windy, but certainly deliberate and focused. I officially registered Little Lady LLC in 2003 while working full time for a marketing company which is where I made my first sale of my unique greeting cards. The women of the office immediately connected with my new brand’s message of empowerment and persistence and placed orders and requests for more. I was eagerly thrilled and have spent every day since navigating to get closer to my vision.
Concurrently, in 2004, I partnered with two dynamic individuals to start a multimedia company. We decided that if we were going to make a leap with a full time start-up that it would be a greater success if we were to combine our talents. So relying on aptitude, passion and our belief, we put everything on the line and started blurredistinction, our multimedia company. It was quite a risk as we literally opened business on a dime, had complex family obligations and knew that any security would require the luxury of time, something we didn’t feel we had, but we persisted. To our advantage the experience provided the opportunity to be immersed in dynamic media, B2B relations, networking, sales, management, service and technology, all key in the growth of business and individuals and resulted in a significant step in building the foundation for Little Lady Studio.
Like most small businesses, I’ve faced unnerving obstacles, but my persistence is founded in my belief of my mission. I know that a little creativity can stretch a long way, so I passionately use my creative skills to assist in accomplishing my mission of using art and design as a catalyst for positive social change. I’ve learned to first build from my strengths and then work to improve my weaknesses, and this combination continues to reinforce Little Lady Studio’s growth.
Through the marriage of my mission and products, I now manage two collections:
Two collections – One purpose
To address some of the contemporary issues that surround the poor by using art and design as a catalyst for positive social change.
Bio
Jessey Jansen a graduate from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has utilized her diverse skills in the fields of Graphic Design, Communications and the Fine Arts. Her professional experience has ranged from Event Coordination to Project Management to Entrepreneur, having served as Co-Owner/Business Manager of the multimedia company blurredistinction. Jansen’s experience and endeavors have always coupled with her building and growing her own brand, Little Lady Studio.
Passionate and determined, Jansen strongly believes that the arts are a profession of insight, rigor and practicality which can be used as an agent for social change. She distills her professional and personal experience to offer WRITTEN and MyPOP, two compelling collections that work to help the lives of others by promoting empowerment, critical thinking and communication.
