We were lucky to catch up with Christelyn Nash recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christelyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Choosing to name my company Christeland was one of the best decisions I made when I began to build my business because the name continues to inspire me to this day. Christeland is a fusion of my birth name, Christelyn, and the word “wonderland.”The term wonderland refers to an imaginary place of magical charm that excites admiration and wonder.

Growing up in the 90s with fairy tale novels and fantasy films like Thumbelina, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland strongly influenced the work that I do today. Every story portrayed different variations of a wonderland with unique characters and ethereal environments. One summer day in the early 2000s, after bugging my mom to play princess castle with me, she said I would eventually need to learn how to play alone, so I dreamt up a fantasy world just for me, and thus Christeland came to be.

My mother’s first name is Crystal, and my parents named me after her. My name is correctly pronounced like the word Crystalline, which means having the structure and form of crystals. Crystals are a diverse phenomenon found in nature, from diamonds to snowflakes, and each crystal exists in a world of its own. This reference is the secret ingredient behind the name of my company.

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 started my photography business in 2015 while living with my parents, attending university, and working in retail. While pursuing my BFA in photography and digital media at the University of Houston, I was required to develop a comprehensive portfolio for my senior thesis project. Doing so was very challenging because I did not have a private studio space to produce work nor enough money to buy art supplies, which led me to begin a side hustle doing commercial photoshoots.

I offered senior photo sessions, engagement shoots, and family portraits to begin saving money for photo paper, matte boards, and frames I would need for school. I found myself not only developing my fine art portfolio but also my entrepreneurial skills and my network.

Fast forward to 2018, a year after graduation, I had finally saved up enough money to lease a studio space where I could further expand my skills. For my first six months in the studio, I created self-portraits and allowed myself to build Christeland in a physical setting. Shortly afterward, I opened my studio doors to the public, inviting young artists to collaborate with me and host exhibitions showcasing their work. That is when I found my calling.

The Christeland Studio is in Northwest Houston, Texas. There are hundreds of artists who live and work in the area, with very few opportunities to showcase their work. My business provides the space, guidance, and support for upcoming artists to begin developing their professional creative careers. The studio also hosts quarterly thematic pop-up events that allow local creators to sell their products and expand their network. I am very proud of the connections I have made in my community. The main thing I want potential clients/followers/fans to know about my work is that a safe space to create is essential to bringing your best ideas to life. Many of my clients have gone on to be featured on the cover of magazines, have their work shown in galleries, and even start their own businesses. I think a little inspiration can go a long way.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my business faced significant financial challenges. In December 2020, after losing nearly all my clients and facing penalties for gathering in large numbers, I had to close down The Christeland Studio. People were uncomfortable sharing such an intimate space while the virus was around with no vaccine yet available. I was heartbroken that my dream had been taken away from me by something entirely beyond my control.

I went two years without having a studio and began working with other local spaces and venues, but it was never the same. I did not have the same creative freedom that I needed. When the vaccine finally became available to the public, I was determined to use my time wisely and create a plan to reopen my studio.

I never gave up on my dream because it still lived within me and my name. I drafted a new business plan and incorporated online sales for a clothing brand to earn more revenue. I took up a gig traveling with an art curator to photograph artists’ work in their studios and began to rebuild my network. Slowly I created a system that allowed me to continue the work of uplifting artists while discovering new ways to make earned income. Finally, in September 2022, I had again saved up enough money to reopen The Christeland Studio.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn was that artists and business owners need to “niche down”. I’m not too fond of that logic now. Yes, having a niche can help one set clear intentions about the work they wish to create, but it can also cause limitations in your creative practice and professional expansion. At the beginning of my career, I would only associate with local artists who created similar work. I quickly realized I needed to incorporate something different to help us evolve as artists.

After traveling and visiting studios across the state, my eyes were opened to many new possibilities. I saw collaborations between scientists and sculptors, painters, and fashion designers, there was so much mix and match! I began researching different collaborations throughout history and found myself inspired by the more tremendous implications of combining “niches” and mediums. Now I encourage artists to explore skills that may be unorthodox to push the boundaries of what is considered innovative.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.christeland.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/christeland.studio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christelyn-nash/

Image Credits
Photo of Christelyn in purple dress taken by Asaeda Badat