We were lucky to catch up with Abigail Tjaden recently and have shared our conversation below.
Abigail, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
My initials spell ART. And this is what I love doing. Perfect! Thanks parents!
Upon picking a business name, I was advised that by using your actual name, it helps people remember you better. I decided to sandwich my first and middle name initials to my full last name: ARTJADEN was born. What is wild is that people ask me all the time if my name is Jaden, that is must be ‘ART by Jaden’. I chuckle a little and smile, letting them know I am Abigail. I think if I were to pick a different name for my business I would go for something more creative, but then again, you can’t go wrong with being an artist, having the initials A. R. T. :)
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am Abigail Renola Tjaden, an illustrator, designer, professor, and entrepreneur. Originally from Minnesota, I have been calling Portland, Oregon home for the past twelve years. I have my MFA and BFA in fine arts, as well as a BS degree in secondary education. Currently, I am an adjunct professor at Portland State University, teaching digital tools and silkscreening in the graphic design department. Fun to note, I was a finalist for an award in Women in Excellence and Creative Entrepreneurship at Elevate, a women’s conference.
In 2013, after a transformative trip to Tunisia, North Africa, I started my own business: ARTJADEN. Back in Portland, at a house called Fort Awesome, I began hand printing apparel and illustrating greeting cards. I have collaborated and illustrated for numerous brands, a featured artist in markets coast to coast. My work can be found in local shops around the country.
Notable experiences include painting a mural at a non-profit in Costa Rica, juried into two international art residency programs called SÍM in Reykjavík, Iceland, and HANGAR in Lisbon, Portugal, a featured exhibitor twice at The National Stationery Show in New York City, and creating visual journaling sessions for Instrument, a Portland-New York business creative agency.
Recently I added “Author” to my portfolio, as I just published my first book called Rest Your Weary Mind: Humorously Rewriting the Narrative From Within.
Illustrations from my sketchbook become designs for all products which include: silkscreened apparel, greeting cards, fine art prints, vinyl stickers, embroidered patches, etc.
Services I provide are: freelance illustration, branding and logo design, marketing and promotional materials, mural work, and original fine art pieces. The focus is always on visual storytelling through my signature illustrative style no matter the project! With my teaching background and work at the university, I enjoy facilitating workshops, teaching courses, and speaking and presenting,
My business tagline is “Joy is Juicy”. At ARTJADEN, we believe joy seeps into everything. With this heartbeat, we spread joy and kindness, notice beauty, encourage connection, and embrace playfulness. These core values are the difference between working with ARTJADEN over another brand.
Also fun fast facts: I have been taking hip hop dance classes twice a week for the past 8 years. I make some pretty good homemade cinnamon rolls. When I am not teaching you can find me traveling and adventuring to that next destination.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
One might think this would be social media, but in actuality and in practically speaking it is through in-person connections. I find myself drawing at a cafe, and I get to talking to folks around me who are curious as to what I am doing. Then before you know it, we are exchanging contact information. I will explain this a little more.
During the pandemic, there was a juice shop near where I live. I would stop in each week to support this small business, letting the owner know I loved her products. Week after week, I just showed up. I noticed that she didn’t have a logo and I decided to draw up some illustrations of her drinks. One afternoon I shared with her these drawings. Soon thereafter she asked me if I would be willing to do some other illustration work. At the time she couldn’t afford to pay me but said she would always share when ever she posted about these drawings. I kept coming back week after week, buying more juice and smoothie drinks- noticing that cute new sticker I had designed. I was consistently showing up to support the places that I valued. Cut to this year and she has become such a dear friend, connecting me with other events, her contacts, and future collaborations are in the works. One connection like this has brought me lots of new clients.
Yes having a social media presence is important, but I have found that being consistent in what you do, showing up into the places around you, and being present can offer you way more than any advertisement or fancy website.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
After grad school I moved to Portland, Oregon, to pursue art and love people. It was to be that simple. I needed to find work so I could start paying my bills, so I landed a job at the famous Salt & Straw ice cream shop. They were opening a second location at the time and hired on a bunch of us. During my eight months of slagging scoops of ice cream, I was learning more about the people and the culture in the Pacific Northwest. Visiting the Portland Saturday Market a few times, the seed was planted that maybe I could make a living at selling my art.
I moved into a house called Fort Awesome, which was filled with creative housemates. I started my business in the heart of Southeast Portlandia, teaching myself how to silkscreen onto apparel. I set up string to hang shirts like pennant flags.
I took the leap of faith to start my own business, with applying and being accepted in The Portland Saturday Market along Portland’s waterfront downtown. Over the next ten years I grew my business with the firm foundation of this selling avenue. Tourists flocked to this area, grabbing their Voodoo Doughnuts and getting their caffeine fix, all the while shopping the market.
I recall one spring where I was biking around in my neighborhood, saying to myself how much I loved where I lived. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano that can be seen from everywhere in the city. So biking and riding around it came to me: Love From The Hood! I drew a sketch of Mt Hood and put the phrase with it and BOOM, it put me on the map! I trademarked the phrase and couldn’t keep this design stocked in my booth.
In 2019 I was accepted into The National Stationery Show at the Javits Center in New York City. I was thrilled to be exhibiting in the emerging artists section, meeting people from all over the world. My products were going to be wholesaled and this was a game changer. I ended up going back and exhibiting again in 2020 to reconnect with my retailers and continue to build my wholesale client base.
There have been other numerous in person markets that I have been juried into, which has helped grow my audience.
Because of these markets, meeting so many amazing individuals, I am still shocked at the connections still being made.
Back in January I was nominated and became a finalist for an award at Elevate, a women’s conference in Women in Excellence and Creative Entrepreneurship. Not knowing who nominated me, I decided to attend this event. Flying across the country, I arrived at the first gathering and immediately fell in love with everyone that I met. This conference opened my eyes and heart to a new community and how to rewrite the narrative for my business. It propelled me forward to take on new challenges and invest into myself.
And on November 10th, I published my first book! A dream project for over two decades came to fruition. This is something I am so proud of and know will open up new opportunities for me.
Milestones come in many different ways and places. Most of my BIG ones have come from the steps I took consistently over the days, months, and years. Putting in the hard work when nobody was looking, talking many walks to decompress, and the fun trips to vision cast and treat myself. All of it has been so worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.artjaden.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artjadendesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARTJADENDESIGNS
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-tjaden-22658190/
- Other: https://faire.com/direct/artjaden https://www.etsy.com/shop/ARTJADEN
Image Credits
Ash Perlberg- headshot