We recently connected with Kenz Warfield and have shared our conversation below.

Kenz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

While I have always been painting and creating since I was little, it wasn’t until college that I really decided to look at it from a different perspective. I think the timing was perfect honestly when I opened my small art business officially in school. It was the ideal time to test out and learn if I could even balance my art hobby as a business with college (now my career). My small business journey started through opening an Etsy shop while I was attending college in 2018, pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in the Sciences. My husband (boyfriend at the time) actually was the one to encourage me to start selling on Etsy and helped me believe in myself and my art. I truly didn’t think anyone would like my creations, let alone buy it. Creating art was my therapeutic outlet from the daily stress of my college coursework. If I wasn’t painting, I was listening to my favorite records in my dorm room to relax. This is actually how my business got started. As a vinyl record lover and collector, I became frustrated when I encountered damaged or scratched records no longer to be played. I discovered that records can’t be recycled under normal common methods due to their chemical composition, and tossing them into the trash to end up in the landfill felt like such a waste. With a combined love for art, music, and a growing awareness of the need to reduce waste in our world, I started Kreativity by Kenz. I realized that art could be a powerful way to repurpose materials, share a love for music, and inspire others to see beauty in the unconventional.

If I had started later once I had my career in the Sciences after college, I think it would have felt more daunting and I don’t know if I would have felt that drive to create like I did in college. I think I was mature enough to handle it from a small business perspective in college, and would have been too young to handle it in high school. So the timing looking back was great and truly felt right as it was both vital to my mental health and I was making a difference. A win-win!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Kenz, the artist behind Kreativity by Kenz, where I focus on crafting sustainable art and decor that blends creativity with environmental responsibility. After learning that you can’t recycle vinyl records, and that you have to toss them into the trash if damaged, I knew I needed to get creative. With a combined love for art, music, and a growing awareness of the need to reduce waste in our world, I started Kreativity by Kenz. I focus on painting unique, vibrant, fun, and funky hand-painted upcycled creations like damaged vinyl records, along with other sustainable home decor items.

What sets Kreativity by Kenz apart is the intention behind every piece. Each creation is a reminder that art and sustainability can coexist beautifully, and that sustainable decor doesn’t have to be boring. I aim to solve the problem of mass-produced, wasteful decor by offering meaningful alternatives that benefit the environment by repurposing what already exists. Big-box stores are notorious for creating decor that’s not only mass-produced, but also low quality, generic, and bad for the environment. My products are all individually painted by me, resulting in high quality products with stellar attention to detail. Every purchase made with Kreativity by Kenz is another item saved from pilling up in the landfill.

I’m most proud of the connections I’ve built with customers who appreciate not only the visual look of my work but also the mission behind it. To me, it’s about more than art, it’s about fostering a community of people who value creativity, sustainability, and self-expression. Due to this support, I’ve been able to save over 1,000 damaged records from the landfill through my upcycling! I’m also proud that I’m able to work a full-time job in the Sciences while also balancing Kreativity by Kenz on the side. I am passionate about both Science and Art to being able to have both in my life is very important and finding a healthy balance is something I’m proud of.

If there’s one thing I’d want potential clients and followers to know, it’s this: When you choose Kreativity by Kenz, you’re not just getting a unique piece of art, you’re supporting a movement toward more thoughtful, sustainable living. Remember, supporting small businesses and independent creatives directly changes lives!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Upon discovering that the U.S. generates an insane amount of waste (around 268 million tons of waste) annually, I knew I didn’t want to contribute to that further with my art. Surprisingly, over 75% of this waste can be repurposed or recycled into something new but often ends up in landfills. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem. That’s why I always choose second-hand and damaged items as my canvas in order to create art that makes a meaningful difference. I don’t just paint on damaged records, rather any existing item can become my canvas, from bowls, to frames, to a random sign on the thrift store shelf.

I also feel that there is a stigma in our society regarding items that are damaged, broken, imperfect, or just no longer able to be used for their intended purpose. They almost always get tossed into the trash without a second thought. With some creativity, and modifications, these once imperfect items can be repurposed into something with a new life and function. By painting my vibrant designs on these items, it visually helps people see past the imperfect canvas and alters their perception of the once forgotten item in a new, fresh, light.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Don’t create for others or to get sales, create with yourself in mind.

I started by selling one-off, original painted records on Etsy back in 2018. As each sold, I’d add a few more and wait for them to sell. I quickly learned that a “Made-to-Order” style was a better use of my time. That meant I needed to start creating a large volume of designs to fill my Etsy shop. I initially found myself researching and focusing on what was trending in home decor, art, and overall in culture to base my designs around to try to get more sales. While this was helpful for a time, I discovered just how quickly trends change and how much I wasn’t enjoying what I was creating. I ultimately became so focused on what I thought would sell and what people would want, that the designs just didn’t feel like me anymore. I felt lost and began to lose interest in my small business and art. I then pivoted and took time to focus on creating art for myself, and painting things I loved and found fun and cool! I stopped focusing on what was trending or what I thought would sell. My designs started coming to life more and had more energy and passion to them. I’d rather have fewer sales if I truly feel proud of the pieces I’m creating. This lesson I had to unlearn and pivot from truly helped get me back on track and loving what I’m doing!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kreativity-by-kenz.square.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kreativitybykenz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kreativitybykenz
• Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/kreativitybykenz
• Other: https://kreativitybykenz.etsy.com