Meet Jessie Kuruc Nunez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Kuruc Nunez.

Jessie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my business completely on accident! I took an intro to watercolor class in college and was a terrible student, so I never went to class (oops), but I did have to complete a few projects, the main one being a triptych of three gem paintings that I chose for no reason other than I thought it might be pretty.

Of course, the class forced me to buy a bunch of watercolor supplies to play around with, and it totally changed my life! I used those supplies to make some little wedding accents for friends, like place cards and table numbers, which eventually lead to the combination of the only thing I ever really painted (gems) and wedding stuff–engagement rings! I did one engagement ring painting about two and a half years ago and have had a crazy wait list ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Surprisingly, yes. I don’t think I took anything too seriously when it came to starting this business, which probably is not recommended, but it did allow me to really roll with the punches and figure things out along the way without the stress of perfection. I really took advantage of the fact that I was still learning and growing, so I didn’t put too much pressure on myself.

The biggest of the struggles was really trying to manage owning and running a business while my personal life was constantly changing. It’s different when you run your own company–you don’t have anyone to pick up the slack when life gets in the way.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I’m a watercolorist specializing in painting fine jewelry and diamonds for brides, jewelers, and anyone who loves a little bit of sparkle.

I’m most known for my engagement ring paintings because I was able to find an untapped market for the sentimental woman. While jewelry renditions have been around forever, they were never marketed as a keepsake or a gift, just as a functional step to the creation of jewelry.

I’m so proud of this niche because it’s a fun gift for the girl who has everything, a sentimental keepsake for the woman whose husband has passed, or a statement of pride for the jeweler who sells their one-of-a-kind designs.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is just about any experience with my dad. He was my best friend and had no concept of normalcy.

One time, in particular, he came to my elementary school and pulled me out of class to drive me to the airport without saying a word.

We took a 45-minute plane ride from Dallas to San Antonio and went to Sea World for an entire day. He is truly the most outrageous person I’ve ever met, and it was a privilege to be his daughter.

Pricing:

• Ring Paintings begin at $200
• Diamond commissions begin at $500

Contact Info:

• Website: jessiekuruc.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/jessiekuruc
• Facebook: facebook.com/jessiekuruc

Image Credit:
Ariele Chapman

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