There are very few things that I love more than creativity and passion for one’s craft and Rosie Mitchell, owner of PomPom Paints has both of these things in spades. I caught up with the entrepreneur and all-round calligraphy and painting whizz, to find out her inspirations, her favourite quotes and where she would like PomPom Paints to go in the future.
I first came across Rosie’s beautifully painted artwork when I was looking for a gift for my yoga instructor and wow, was there lots of choice on Rosie’s Etsy store. Since then, I’ve had custom made orders to mark a friend’s engagement, work milestones and family achievements to name a few. Rosie is a firm believer in using creativity and art to channel positive thoughts and I love this message. It’s so important to look after our mental health, to talk about problems or to find an outlet to let stresses and dark thoughts breathe. For me, it’s writing, for others it’s music or dance, for Rosie it’s her art.
Tell me a bit about PomPomPaints and how it all started?
I’ve been painting all my life, and I particularly like water colours and pretty words. I started practising my hand lettering, and having made a few pictures for myself, I decided I’d finally like to see if anybody else was interested. I was shocked when people seemed to actually want to buy my little paintings, so I set up an Etsy store!
Where do you get inspiration for your pieces?
I naturally have a lot of pessimistic, negative voices in my head, and I like to surround myself with happy, uplifting phrases and things to counteract them. This is what inspires me to paint happy phrases that make me feel good! I also live in a little town in Somerset, surrounded by fields, trees and woodland, so I paint a lot of leaves.
What is your favourite print that you’ve made?
“For with each dawn, she found new hope.” – A Cinderella quote. I watched and re-watched Cinderella so much when I was little that my VHS tape barely worked anymore. She always had faith that things would get better! I also experimented with a different style for this piece, which I think came out really nicely.
You use a lot of quotes in your art. What’s your favourite quote of all time?
I think the one that always stands out in my head is a Carl Rogers quote –
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner. I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.” I study psychotherapy, and this is such an eloquent reminder to just accept people, including yourself. We’re all quite lovely, when you get down to it.
If you could make a print for anyone dead or alive, who and what would it be?
Leslie Knope. Yes, she’s fictitious, but she is also my favourite person. I would love to make her a print with one of her quotes on it. She might be a character in a TV show, but she is one of my favourite feminist icons.
What’s the favourite part of your work?
My favourite part is when a customer tells me that their print is a gift for someone they love. I love hearing that they’re giving it to a friend to cheer them up, or that they’re going to surprise their mum with it to wish her a happy birthday. It’s such an honour to be a part of that and to make something really special for someone special.
What are the biggest challenges of running an online business?
For me, it’s time management. I’m also studying for a diploma, planning a wedding and working part time, but I could quite happily spend 24 hours a day obsessing over the business. Sometimes I just need to step away and do something else. It’s one thing to be passionate, but if you never get a break, you’ll start to dislike it.
One piece of business advice to someone starting their own business?
Be patient. It doesn’t just happen by itself, it takes hard work and time. Some days, it feels like it’s not worth it and you might want to give up but always remember to be patient. Sooner or later, all that hard work will be worth it and you’ll get that sale or job you were hoping for!
How do you like to relax and unwind in your spare time?
I love doing yoga and getting fresh air. I go a bit mad if I don’t move around during my down time. That said, at heart, I’m a Netflix and biscuits kind of girl. I do love to marathon episodes of Once Upon A Time with a pack of chocolate Digestives and a cup of tea.
What are your future plans and ambitions for your business?
I’m just starting a blog at www.pompompaints.wordpress.com with tutorials on hand lettering as well as talking about mental health. I think creativity is a great way to look after our mental health and I’m going keep on making prints for people who need a bit of cheering up.
My collection
Here’s a snapshot of my proud collection of Rosie’s prints and I have a feeling that it’s going to continue to grow!
To buy Rosie’s range of prints shop her Etsy store here.