Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Correa.
Hi Crystal, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Crystal Correa aka Girl on Arts and I live in Pearland, TX. I am a mom and wife who is currently trying to juggle life while growing a small business and tenacious to do what I love. Let me start from the beginning.
I had an opportunity to go back to school later in life. I was very lost and unsure of what to get a degree in. I attempted a conventional STEM degree but felt out of place. I took a career assessment test with the college counselor, and she confirmed my deep love for art. Going into a creative career felt like finally accepting myself. Still wanting to be on the safe side, I chose graphic design. I realize now that I denied myself this happiness for many years. I regret wasting years of my life not doing what I love or am naturally good at.
I’ve attempted a business a few times. I used to be a Girl on Crafts because I love crafting. After graduating with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in graphic design, I felt like I needed a rebrand. I decided to change my name to Girl on Arts since my interests were much broader now. The name still describes how I feel about what I do. Art and creating are things I’m addicted to. My business is as diverse as my interests. It seems like a series of side hustles that form into one super business.
I’m currently a vendor at Mala Market in Houston. They are a wonderful non-profit shop with over 50 makers and creators that help small business owners like myself have a brick-and-mortar shop. I regularly participate in art markets and have one scheduled at Mala Market for Mother’s Day weekend and am doing my biggest market yet at the NRG Plant Con May 18-21st.
I’m currently taking classes to learn more about surface and pattern design and can’t wait to make a few collections. I will always be pushing my boundaries, growing, and learning!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road and there have been many struggles along the way. I am not a morning person. My internal clock doesn’t do the “normal” 9-5 schedule. When I found myself at a Monday-Friday job working those hours with little say-so on my design, I knew I needed to find something better. I knew I needed to find a way to balance my work and family life.
Being my own boss has allowed me to set my own hours and boundaries. Being creative on a daily basis is important for me and my mental health. When there are too many rules or monotony it kills my creativity and I’m left feeling sad and empty. Now I’m able to choose work that excites me and brings me happiness.
There are physical or mental struggles that arise. Trying to run a business while having ADD makes it hard to focus and follow through. I try to work on the less fun things first like emails, inventory, and marketing, and reward myself by letting myself create to make sure important things get done.
Trying to predict what is going to be trending or popular is a struggle. There are different products I’ve attempted to sell through the years. Every time I’m risking time and money. I invest in the product just to see how people respond to it. It’s a bit of a gamble. I have spent many years learning and tweaking, often coming out empty-handed and with no sales.
When moments like these happen, it can be hard to quiet that little voice of doubt that questions my self-worth or talent. It’s hard not to get yourself wrapped in your work like this. When I succeed though, it’s an incredible, addictive feeling. Something I have been struggling with lately is having a work-life balance. It’s very important to me, and it is something that I am still figuring out. It is one of the reasons I wanted my own business so that I can be available for my family when they need me.
At the same time, trying to grow a business takes a lot of time and dedication. I have been trying to implement more of a routine which includes giving myself working hours and days off. I often work in bursts throughout the day and my life is interspersed between. You’ll often find me working on things while watching garbage TV or working while hanging out with a friend and/or family.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m known for my vintage crochet art frames that are filled with oddities such as food or dessert, and my crochet flower bouquet bar that I offer which allows the customer to be a part of the process of putting together their own unique eternal bouquet. I love a good pun or play on words and love making conversation pieces with my art. I don’t always like to take art so seriously and love to push boundaries. I want anyone to feel comfortable with owning art.
I crochet a variety of things such as berets, plants, plushies, and whatever catches my eye. I’ve loved crochet for many years now ever since I got my first pair of crocheted slippers. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed some artists do not price their crochet work for what it’s worth. Consumers sometimes don’t realize that crochet takes lots of practice and many hours of labor. It can’t be replicated by a machine and each piece is handmade. In order to get people to stop and take notice, I wanted to make crochet into art.
Putting the crochet product in a vintage frame suddenly turns what would be something that isn’t seen for much value into art you can hang on the wall for everyone to enjoy. I love mixed media, texture, pattern, color, and my crochet art frames are a perfect example of that.
As far as illustrating is concerned, I’ve found it natural to draw animals. We own four animals of our own. (A reason why I crochet plants vs trying to keep live ones.) You can find some of our pets on my website as examples of my pet portraits. That morphed into me finding a market for doing pet commissions which felt natural since it played to my strengths of drawing digitally and drawing animals.
The variety keeps my job fun and allows me to continue learning. I want to follow through on a goal I have had since I was a teenager and do something in fashion and/or interior design. I want to be a surface designer and have my own line and see my designs on clothing and home décor.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Houston’s art scene. There’s the MFAH, The Menil is always free, plus a handful of galleries. The Hobby Center is a perfect place to see a cool musical. There are always neat things to do or see at Discovery Green or The Miller Outdoor Theatre. You can find so many cool places in Montrose and that surrounding area. There are places to eat and shop.
Anyone that knows me, knows how much I like to shop! I’m always down for IKEA. I would recommend The Guild Shop, Mala Market, Space Montrose, and Leopard Lounge. My friends and I have gone to Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar and House of Blues. Hungry Like the Wolf is a cool place to eat with ‘80s decor. Down South near Webster, there’s Nobi’s Public House which has delicious food and drinks and an arcade place called The Game Preserve that is really fun. I love karaoke and definitely recommend Soho 7.
My dislike (especially in Pearland) is the lack of things to do. There are mostly big-name brand chains open in this area and I would prefer smaller chains for a variety. The traffic is bad in Pearland and in Houston and the drivers can be pretty nuts. I wish there were more transportation options to reduce pollution, and traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.girlonarts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlonarts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlonarts
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUmCSH3frtrUqIJU3YXoJw
Image Credits
Estefany Sarai Sanchez
