We recently connected with Steffany Villalobos and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Steffany, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Two years ago, i took the biggest risk of my life and walked away from my corporate job to pursue being an artist full time. I had been juggling both a 40+ hour work week and 20+ hours studio time at night for about 2 years at the time and i knew i had to decide, either I back off oN my side hustle selling my artwork or jump into the self-employment world all together because i was exhausted. I knew the potential i could make if i had more time to create and i had already built up and understood the demand in the space. Then my job announced a restructure and i could either stay or walk away. I felt like it was the perfect time to take the leap. It was honestly the best decision i have ever made. i had no idea what was ahead but i knew that i had to trust myself and that failure was not an option.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

i am 41 years old, currently living in Fort Worth, Texas. I am originally from a small town in Northern Wisconsin. My early primary school years were at a private Catholic school and I spent countless hours surrounded by stained glass windows in the church. I was fascinated with all the colors and the stories they told. I remembered loving how the light changed the images and furthered the story telling. At night, when the inside was all lite up, the story suddenly was told on the outside of the church. at the time i was focused on the colors more than the construction. The idea of how the windows were constructed came later when i witnessed my aunt’s work space in her basement. She made stained glass windows and i was blown away by how rugged her work space was. All the aged tools, metal scrapes, dirty towels and broken glass everywhere. It was tidy but it was very mechanical. I was so intimidated by it all. I spent the next 30+ years talking myself out of the craft. I thought there was no way i could acquire all those elements and i didn’t have a clue where to begin. Flash forward to 2018, i lost my mom to ovarian cancer and I told myself, what are you so afraid of? “Why do i keep talking myself out of hard things. Tons of people make stained glass, surely i can figure this out. i have one shot at this life and i need to at least try” I think now is probably a good time to add that i am a strong Virgo, and being a perfectionist is in my blood. I usually try something, master it and get bored. But i knew glass was going to be an ongoing challenge and i needed to be ready for it. So i bought a book about stained glass and i read it, twice. i started out small and bought a few tools and a few sheets of glass. As soon as i cut my first sheet of glass i was hooked. i started creating small pieces and selling them at craft shows along with my other fabric items i was selling at the time. I was always creating and selling something on the side. From beaded fruit baskets, to wallets, head bands, purses. you name it i’ve tried to make it. i have always loved creating things with my hands, and i believe it all lead me to glass. I started to create pieces that were unique to me, about my experiences, my travels, my life. i started created pieces that represented all the things i love. Birds, nature, colors, textures, memories. I am always evolving and that i my favorite part about this medium. Its endless possibilities and i can continue to push beyond my limits with it.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I used a platform, Etsy, to sell my art from 2010-2022. This was a great tool and stepping stone for my business. It was fluid enough for me to make changes often and still be tapped into a large database of built in customers. I sold many different types of products over the years and it was a great platform. As i started building a stronger customer base and demand i created my own website. i knew i had to focus on building my brand independently to make it work though. I relied heavily on Instagram to help get my brand out there. I do in-person markets frequently as well so the combination has been critical to my growth. i follow artists that inspire me beyond glass art. its important to me that is remains a healthy space mentally. Social Media can be a beast all on its own, i work really hard to keep it about my art. I’m a private, introverted person so you wont often see me opening up on my business account. For me it works best, I support what works for everyone though, no two accounts should be the same. For me its strickely my art, and my creative space to support other artist friends, fellow makers and i try to keep it a positive space for myself. Now, if you have met me at a show though, i can talk all day about art, community, books, travels you name it. Showcasing my art at a public event has created this new world for me to be extroverted in tiny spaces. Crazy what art can do, right?

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

I am a perfectionist and in the world of art that is a tough one to overcome. With glass, i have to tell myself on a regular basis that i structurally have all the proper elements to create a piece. Everything else is the art and its not meant to be perfect. Art is the part that makes it unique and like nothing else in the world. no two pieces will ever be the same. In the beginning i was so worried that someone would come up to my work and point out all the flaws. Then i realized that someone i was scared of was me. We all see the flaws within our work, shoot within ourselves but thats another interview, ha. The important thing to remember is that someone that connects with my art sees the joy and love, not my insecurities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liveoakglassworks.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveoakglassworks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveoakglassworks

Image Credits
Poppy + Blue Photography