We were lucky to catch up with Coleen Hebert recently and have shared our conversation below.

Coleen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful projects I work on are always custom designs. Customers will send in their wedding flowers or funeral flowers to me to create special pieces to remember their special day or loved ones. It is always fun getting to collaborate with them to create a design around their specific flowers.

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?

My name is Coleen, and I have been designing botanical jewelry for about 3 years now. I was born and raised in South Louisiana and moved to the great city of Knoxville, TN in May 2018. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been chasing different dreams and creating all sorts of things. I’m always trying new DIY projects and learning new skills. Two things that I’ve always loved and keep coming back to are plants and jewelry. So when I discovered how to combine the two, I knew I found the perfect match! My favorite part about making botanical jewelry is the opportunity to wear real pieces of nature as accessories with your favorite outfit.
When I originally started making jewelry using plants and resin, I knew very little about it all. It took lots of trial and error to figure out the tricks that worked well. I never imagined that the business would grow to where it has in just three years! This has shown me the importance of discipline and persevering through doubts and setbacks. Running this business has been an incredible experience!

When I started my business, I wanted the name I chose to have personal meaning for me. My mom and I have always shared a passion for jewelry, so I loved the idea of including her somehow in the name of my business. When I was a kid, my mom gave me the nickname Lucy and has called me that ever since. Using Lucy in the name gave me the opportunity to share this with my mom.
The word Lieu is french like my roots and means “instead of.” This word is a reminder to me to choose Jesus in lieu of the world, truth in lieu of comfort, faith in lieu of fear, and love in lieu of judgment. My desire for Lucy Lieu Company is to spread love and light to others on this planet, two things we can never have enough of.

Each piece I design is handmade with lots of time and love. I make every effort to create original designs while using the beauty of nature as inspiration. There is beauty all around us!

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

A rewarding aspect of being an artist is when you take a design that you can see in your head and bring it to life with your hands. This part will truly never get old! My brain is constantly spinning with new ideas and being inspired by everything around me.

Another rewarding part of it all is when I get to see others get excited about the designs at markets! When I design something I like, it’s always a risk not knowing if others will like it as well. When people get excited when looking at my pieces, it is so special!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Well first off, I don’t think “non-creatives” exist. I think creativity can take many different forms and everyone has a different one. When we really sit with ourselves and figure out how we are wired and what excites us, that’s when creativity blossoms. There are obvious artists such as painters, potters, and jewelry designers. But then when I look at the things engineers build or the spreadsheets that accountants build, I’m amazed and definitely could not do what they do. No matter what you believe about yourself, you are creative. You just have to find out how!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lucylieucompany.com
• Instagram: @lucylieuco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucylieuco
• Other: www.etsy.com/shop/lucylieuco