We recently connected with Jacqueline Lakhani and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

A project that I have been doing for two years now and will be entering the third year this fall is designing the logo for a very special Book Fair for a local school. It is one of the ways in which I love to support my local community. This Book Fair is like no other in town. It is a week long event where children can shop for books, visit Santa, and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies in their holiday jammies. The parents at St. Luke’s Day school transform one of their auditoriums into a child’s winter wonderland every holiday season. Each year a book related theme is chosen and from that theme I am honored to create the artwork and branding for the entire event. The joy on the faces of the sweet students is the most precious gift.

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 began my creative business in calligraphy and stationery design as a side business while I was still working as a buyer in corporate retail. In 2020 following the birth of my daughter, and in the height of the pandemic, the company I worked for went bankrupt. I had planned to return to my corporate career so this shift derailed what I had envisioned. As a result, I felt lost. I was a new mom in the pandemic and like all of us had no idea what to expect in the days to come. And so, I dove into art as a vehicle to cope and it morphed into what Lily & Rose Studio is today. Designing, painting, and working with my hands ushered me back to myself. Today I create vibrant, original art pieces and surface pattern designs for textiles.

When a client invests in one of my pieces, it is not lost on me that they have a bounty of choices at their fingertips. To know another human being connected with my art is the most rewarding gift. Additionally, seeing my patterns come to life on products and brands I love is a lifelong dream realized. As a former clothing buyer, it feels like a truly full circle moment. I will always remember the first moment I saw one of my patterns on apparel in store at Bering’s. My daughter was with me and she immediately recognized the pattern as my art, ran up to the dress and flung it from the rack with a huge smile. My heart melted to see how proud she was.

My art is inspired by my experience as a Millenial Woman, my daughter, every day life, and travel. My pieces are meant to bring joy into your home. I want the viewer to see a piece and feel like they have taken a deep breath. Most days you can find me with paint in my hair, running around Houston as my daughter’s personal chaffeur, and spending as much time in our yard as we can until Houston becomes a sauna. We really do love our home in The Heights!

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

You do not need to say yes to everything. When you are just beginning your career, no matter which creative avenue it’s in, it can feel like you need to say yes to everything for the experience. Don’t. Be very intentional with the projects you take on, the partnerships that you build, and the boundaries you set for yourself. You are not for everyone, and everyone is not for you. Make a list of your dream partnerships, projects, goals- and stick to it.

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

Seeing the joy a painting or pattern brings to another person. It is truly the best compliment I could ever receive to see another parent choose to dress their children in an outfit with my art, or to receive an install photo of an art piece in their homes. I recently walked into a fellow creative’s home and they had a piece of mine hung in a beautiful room and it was so rewarding to see in person. Connection with others is what we all strive for, and if I can make another person feel connected, feel like they belong through art then I feel like I have achieved my purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: lilyandrosestudio.com
• Instagram: lilyandrosestudio

Image Credits
All images are my own