Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chantel Denetz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Chantel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to do art with my life, whatever that looked like, I wanted to be creative, and make beautiful things. But my parents encouraged me to get “a real job” a go to school because they believed that there’s no money in art. But it didn’t make me give up on my dream. And I eventually would see it come true. for years I made art as gifts and so many people encouraged me to try and sell my pieces and see what would happen. So I did here and there. but once I left my job of 6 years in 2017, that I thought would be my life, and getting into a hard season wondering what my purpose was. I realized there was no better time than to go for it and see where it goes! and there have been seasons where I had to take a break, but Its always been with me and given me joy!

Chantel , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always been passionate about art, and interested in all forms of art. ever since i can remember, I loved to draw and color and paint. I think i’ve always had the entrepreneur trait as well. I remember making little tie pillows to sell at my family’s garage sale when I was 8! As the years went on, I grew into loving and trying all forms of art! If there’s a medium i haven’t tried yet, i’ll get there eventually! I do anything from acrylic and water color painting, to wood burning, wood working, jewelry making and lots more, i’ve been known to be a jack of all trades, I want to do it all! But the thing I love the most about what I do is the process of making personalized pieces for clients. Being able to help people take their creative ideas and make them a reality brings me so much joy! Whether it’s for a wedding, a birthday or holiday gift, or an in loving memory piece. The joy i get from being able to make peoples ideas come to life is unmatched!

My business sort of started on accident, I was always making gifts and projects for people that I loved as gifts, but never really tried making money off of them. In the summer of 2016 my sisters and i went to Colorado where i was able to see mountains for the first time (grew up in the flat lands of Michigan) and i instantly fell in love! At the gift shop i saw these beautiful agate stone slices and i had the idea to make necklaces for all my close friends out of them as souvenirs, so i bought 4, made the necklaces, and a couple weeks later getting a bunch of messages asking if i would sell them, I wasn’t planning on it, but i decided why not! So I found an online store that sells them in bulk. I bought 25 of them, posted them on instagram and they ALL sold within 9 hours! Most of my business really just started out of me making something for a friend as a favor or they would pay me and word got around and back to me asking if i can make them one too!

My little business doesn’t have a linear story, it’s pretty much all over the place. much like my brain! It’s had some ups and downs, and some seasons i’m more active than others, but I always find my way back to find something new to create and try out!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to see the reactions and the looks on peoples faces when they see their custom/ personalized piece for the first time. getting messages and texts saying it was better than they could’ve imagined it. And also knowing that I brought value into their life because of what I was able to create for them.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have had to pivot in my business and life quite a bit, and currently in a season of transition that has been quite a challenge. I started my business when I lived in Rockford IL, i lived there for 12 years, and my business grew immensely there because i was connected to an amazing and large community that would basically sell my art and products for me, and I was able to get involved in craft fairs and have some of my art in local stores! Then covid hit, and I actually moved back to my parents house for 3 months and was able to continue my art business there, and honestly, it was the best it had been in a while during that time.

A couple years later, in 2022 I moved to Milwaukee Wisconsin to plan my wedding, and due to lack of space where i lived before i got married and the demands of wedding planning, and to get used to all the new changes happening, I had to take a break from my art and my business. It took a toll on me, and I am just starting to get back to a place where i feel like i can create again, life has settled a bit, and I am excited to get into the community and see what the city has to offer this small business owner!      

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Chansdesigns
• Facebook: ChansDesigns

Image Credits
@ElladelePhotography