Stephanie Jones, studio artist at Arrow Creative and owner of me & mrs. jones, has had a vibrant career in the arts that she says started accidentally. Little did she know, a simple request from her son would soon transform into a passion that would shape her artistic journey.
Q: Can you give me a brief overview of your career in the arts?
A: When we moved into our first home in 1989, I jumped right into projects like painting walls and furniture. When my son was old enough to ask for a ‘big boy’ room, he said he wanted a lot of cowboys and walls that looked like blue jeans. I found a denim glaze at Home Depot and fell in love with the feeling of making one material look like something completely different. Soon after, a friend asked me to do a tiny project for her and thanked me with a Starbucks gift card for $75! That was my first sort-of paycheck. My husband said, “I think you could make a go of this!” He has been so supportive all the way along. Things just kept rolling from there. I freelanced for a long time, building relationships with some terrific interior designers and custom furniture makers in town. I started speaking at garden club meetings and was asked to teach workshops. When the opportunity came to open a shop with teaching space, I jumped on that, and eventually opened two store locations with a staff of twelve. Now, I've slowed down a bit. I love being at Arrow and setting my own hours after years of the shopkeeper’s life.
Q: Have you found any challenges as a woman working in the arts industry? How do you navigate them?
A: The decorative finishing world is chock-full of talented women. I’ve never not been treated as an equal by my peers. A few male clients have been a little less than lovely, may I say? And some of the contractors working on job sites can be a little snide, but mainly teasing when I would pull my station wagon up next to all the trucks and leave at carpool time. Women have amazing talents and skills! If you’ve done your homework and paid your dues, do your job and let stereotypes be their problem. Show up, do your work, and let it speak for you.
Q: What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue a career in the arts?
A: Take every chance you can to improve and challenge yourself. Go to the classes. Take the workshops. If life gives you an educational detour, take that too. Everything unfolds as it should. You have to trust that you’ll get there. Most importantly, seek and find supportive, encouraging, genuine people. They’re out there for you, and you’ll need them.
Experience Stephanie's artistic world firsthand and be inspired to follow your creative passions by visiting her at her studio in Arrow Creative.
"Take every chance you can to improve and challenge yourself. Go to the classes. Take the workshops. If life gives you an educational detour, take that, too. Everything unfolds as it should."