We were lucky to catch up with Ninalauren Justiniano recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ninalauren , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I love being a creative person and earning a living by doing things I’m good at, though there are pros and cons to it of course. While owning my own business allows me to make my own hours and my own work, it sometimes lacks consistency which can be stressful financially. There is also much more responsibility that goes into owning your own company but the rewards are also much greater in my opinion.

Ninalauren , 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’m a mom of three and I graduated art school when I was pregnant with my first child. I knew I wanted to be a stay at home mom but I also enjoy earning my own money and being creative on a daily basis. I also knew that whatever i did, i wanted it to be unique.. I started with custom shoes, painting sunflowers and whatever else my customers wanted.. i then went on to make scrunchies, giant ones and satin ones, some made with fuzzy blanket fabric and some with faux furs. In the last year I’ve also added resin trays to my shops, with tarot cards, flowers, and different colored micah powders. It makes me proud to have items that are unique and interesting and I feel accomplished when I see all the customers who love my ideas as much as I do. I love to make items that invoke joy and comfort and things that are beautiful to look at as well.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think some of the best ways to support creative people are to share the creativity, specifically on social media, and simply just to research and purchase items directly from artists. Just like fast fashion, there is mass produced art in many forms, its convenient and sometimes cheaper, but the quality will never compare to what you’ll get when you get it from the artist themselves.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are lots of pros of being a creative person for me, I think we view the world differently, everything can be used as a muse or a form of inspiration which can lead to some really interesting ideas and pieces. But for me personally, the most rewarding is being able to do what I love while also being able to stay home with my children.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.etsy.com/shop/venusrisingresin
• Instagram: The_silkyrose
• Other: Other etsy store is Www.etsy.com/shop/ThesilkyroseCo