Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Costa.
Hi Wendy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I started my design business in 1987 in upstate New York with a brick of clay and my childhood dream to create an unforgettable design line-showcasing my imagination and talent for hand-painted imagery, and handmade gifts.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has been tough for sure, starting out long before the internet, big commerce, website templates, online suppliers, credit card processors, and social media, made my early business life next to impossible.
All of these services we now take for granted simply did not exist. Being a woman-owned, small business also meant no funding options and very little connection to other entrepreneurs.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started my education in fine art and quickly learned I needed to pay back student loans with my skills, so I started looking at the design world in New York and Philadelphia.
At that time, there was a big movement for handmade the USA items, and stores and galleries would seek out artists that created items that fit that category. I was lucky enough to partner with that first wave of retailers that committed to that ideal. My items are unique in that I hand paint a line of illustration and do the printing and fabrication from my studio, using suppliers from the US only.
My work started to be recognized in the late 1990s by larger companies like Disney, The Hudson Group, The Smithsonian, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom, and then exclusive licensing contracts were created. My images have been licensed by Meri Meri for greeting cards, Sterling Publishing for posters, and Maggie and Co. for needlepoint kits.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I have learned to be true to my original vision, to be happy and content with the incredible freedom and creativity my studio allows me, and the best part is to inspire young artists and children to develop a language within the arts, and to find the right community to cultivate their particular dreams. I came to St. Pete to be a team player in the arts scene, and to uplift the next generation of creative people.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.wendycosta.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendycostastudio/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendycostastudio
