We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Kurth a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

After 9 years of running my art business out of my home with mostly an online presence, I opened an in person studio/shop in May. The opportunity came out of nowhere when a local interior designer reached out and asked if I’d like to sell my art in her new boutique. That was a no brainer, but that led to another opportunity…opening my own studio in her building. I had spent 9 years telling myself that I couldn’t afford an in person studio and let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier to hide out at home and to not really put yourself out there. I said to my husband, “I don’t know, it’s a big risk.” to which he replied, “Sometimes you have to take risks in life, Emily.” That was just the encouragement/challenge I needed to hear. My studio opened on May 5, 2023 in a building full of other creative women entrepreneurs.

What a blessing this opportunity has been! The connections I’ve made have led to so many new collectors of my art. And, working in a building with other creatives is tons of fun!

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 your artist who never really fit into your typical artist mold. As a kid, my mom and older brother were extraordinary artists. My mom filled our home with modern art full of color. I loved to daydream while gazing at our walls. I tried to draw perfectly like my mom and brother (no lie, their drawings are meticulous), but I always came back to bold paint…all over the place.

Fast forward to college…bachelor’s degree in Elementary Ed, Masters in Reading.
The teacher version of me loved doing art with my students. I loved watching them escape because sadly school is stressful. I let them do what we called “free art” all the time…no rules, no standards….just pick up your tool and escape. Ahhhh.

Fast forward again to stay at home mommin’. Again lots of art projects and outside play because 3 boys! Go, go, go.
Then it happened.
I developed an autoimmune disease called psoriatic arthritis. Here’s what the doctor told me as I sat across from him at the ripe age of 31.

1. There is no cure.

2. You will have to take heavy duty medications with serious side effects including cancer for the rest of your life.

3. This could potentially cripple you.

Room starts spinning, I excuse myself, head to my car, call hubs and cry my eyes out.
At a follow up appointment, the doctor informed me that I MUST learn to control my stress.

And so it began, the journey to live a life of intention. A life full of gratitude and joy. And it hit me, it’s not about fitting a certain mold, it’s about doing what works for you. What lights you up. What brings you joy.

So here we are, all these years later with thousands of clients soaking up the joy.

Filling their homes with joyful art. Blazing through the hard stuff with a steadfast belief that every day is a gift.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As an artist, my brain has a tendency to want to make all the things. To see something and think “I could do that”. But what ended up happening was I had way too many products and no cohesiveness. It was overwhelming and confusing to my customers. I also took a deep dive into my finances and realized I was wasting a lot of money on whims. Now, when I get an idea, I take a good look at it and ask myself, 1. Does this make sense with my brand? 2. Can I make money on this? If the answer is no to either of these questions, I know it’s not right for my business. As I’ve matured in my business, I’ve learned to focus on my style of art. My customers appreciate that and it makes for a more peaceful business.

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

Hands down the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to do what I love for a living. Not many people get that opportunity, so I don’t take that lightly. It’s also so fun to be able to bring joy to my customers’ spaces. I mean, come on, I basically never have to deliver bad news. I get to be a fun part of people’s lives. How ’bout that?!  

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cocoandjune.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocoandjune/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-kurth-4724a323b/