Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shonda Caldwell Cipriano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shonda , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
In the year 2000 I was quite bored with my life. One of my sisters went to hobby lobby and got a candle making kit. She tried playing with it for awhile, but never really found interests in the hobby. So when she finally gave up on it she gave it to me. I took that candle kit and started making all kinds of candles. I have always loved candles and bought them all of the time to keep my house smelling good. Although the candles I bought smelled nice the fragrance never really lasted. So I decided to capitalize on the opportunity to make my own candles by telling myself that I wanted to be different and becoming the best standing out amongst all of my competition. The way I decided to own my craft was to make my candles stronger than those I have bought from different companies, so that I can ensure anyone that burns them knows the fragrance will last and last. But you see, I wanted to go beyond the normal jar candles and make the very thing I love the most in the world. Desserts! Who doesn’t love a beautifully crafted dessert candle. My fragrances are super strong and the designs remind you of the real thing. It has gotten to the point that when people come over to our home they have to ask me if my desserts on the counter are real. I always laugh because I know they are candles and not the real thing. But I truly enjoy wowing everyone with my creations. Now I am also including paintings and epoxy resin projects to my repertoire. I want to be the best at all of the artistic creations I make and become a household name. I love to make people’s houses smell good and look good, it is the very passionate gift that God in heaven has given to me. And I am so very proud of myself each time I create something new.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My career started out with a candle making kit my sister gave me from Hobby Lobby. I took that kit and begin making beautiful cakes, pies, cookies and many more beautifully created dessert candles. All of my candles I create look, feel and smell just like the real thing. The resemblance will truly blow you away to know that they are not the real thing. I truly love seeing the expressions on my customers faces when they see and smell my candles. They always say “Wow that’s a Candle?” Which is why I named my candle line “Wow that’s a Candle?” I have been making candles like these since 2000. It is a passion of mine that went from a hobby and making candles for my family and friends. To selling them at Trader’s Village and online. Now I have an actual store at Trader’s Village in Grand Prairie as well as an online store.

When the pandemic started in 2020, it changed things for me when it came down to selling my candles at Trader’s Village. So God saw fit to add to my creative abilities. Now I have added paintings and epoxy resin projects, which are a true passion of mine. I create beautiful keychains, jewelry trays, serving trays, wine holder, pictures for your wall, and home decor. Every single time I create something new I totally WOW myself!

I believe what sets me apart from others is the fact that I have a very determined spirit. I don’t ever give up. Every single time I hit a snag in my creative process, I back up, reassess and try again until I perfect my creation. I am constantly thinking of new creative ideas when I am in my home studio. When I feel as though I have no more left to learn on a certain piece, I just start praying and challenge myself if more. I am always on the search for a new creation to blow people’s mind. I strive to be the best at everything I do, because I want to give back for all that God has given to me.

I most proud of myself for never giving up. Even when things got bad for me and I could not see a way out, I never gave up on my craft. I never gave up on wanting to be the best. I have always desired to have my own store, one that I design myself where I can display all of my work. I know that at times things go extremely well and they are also times when things get really bad. But if you just keep your faith in God, He will see you through. He will open up doors that were closed for whatever reason and set you on the path to true prosperity. That it why I love the saying “if you do what you love the money will come!” That is why I do what I love and I don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has its own problems. Believe in yourself and your abilities no matter your circumstances or what people may say to you or even about you. Just stay the course no matter what because in time every thing will come together.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I believe the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the fact that I can truly express myself. All the ideas my big brain can conjure up no longer has to stay inside my head. I can create them and bring smiles to my customer’s faces. My art brings meaning to my life because it allows me to encourage others and uplift them with my fragrances. My art I create I do my best to include something inspirational because you never know who your next customer may be and where they are in the present life. I always wished back when I first started making candles that I had people around me to constantly inspire me. I understand that people are in different places in their lives and can’t always encourage another person, that is why my Frenshel’s product line is an inspirational journey of projects to brighten someone’s day! It is my joy in life to see people accomplish the goals they have dreamed or set forth in their lives. And if my products can inspire a person to keep going then I am going to work as hard as I can to ensure I am the greatest inspirational artist the world will ever know. I am not trying to cocky by any means, I just want to be able to give back some of the love, joy and inspiration that God has bestowed upon me to someone else. Even if it is only one person’s life I can help change, I will know in my heart I met my God given purpose for my life!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I had to unlearn was to stop giving up even when the going gets tough. I needed to let go of my fear and embrace my faith in God in all things. When the pandemic hit it really changed things for my household. Our finances got hit hard and on top of that I had to have 2 serious surgeries on my cervical spine that shut me down to be able to work a normal job. Usually when I have a spike in my creative juices to get up and try to sell my products, if our finances get hit hard, I shut down and decide to put my art to the side and go get a job. Being that I had surgery I was not able to work, and I am still not able to work, being that the first 2 surgeries failed and now I am facing a 3rd one. I decided this time when I started creating again that no matter what happens in my life going forward, I am done giving up on the gifts that God has given me. I told myself that I either must go BIG or go Home! That is why when I started this time, I was able to add more art to my repertoire and open a brick and mortar at Trader’s Village in Grand Prairie. Even with the new venture, my surgeries have prevented me to keep my store open constantly. But I’ll tell you what I didn’t make me give up, God opened a door for me to be able to sell my products online. So, I am still able to stay in the game. I am always in my studio creating all the time whether I am in pain or not. You know why? Because I believe that this too shall pass, and one day I will be able to run a successful retail business and be able to help people get jobs and give back to my community with everything that God is blessing me with.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aromicexpressions.xyz
• Other: Store Location: Trader’s Village – Grand Prairie 2602 Mayfield Rd., Avenue E 14th Street, Store #1478 Grand Prairie, TX 75052