Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie White.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It was pretty clear from childhood that I was going to be an artist. I would draw or paint with anything I could get my hands on. My Dad is a great artist, and he definitely was a big part of my artistic growth as a kid. In junior high and high school I took every artistic type classes available, from drawing/sketching to ceramics and silk screening. I found huge inspiration in cartoons, comics and horror/sci-fi movies.
As an adult, I started getting a lot of requests for custom artwork from friends and family, then from friends of those friends and family members, and it just kept going from there. I started entering art shows, and contests and I was always on the search for artistic jobs. I’ve done everything from performing at Disneyland to designing and building escape rooms professionally, to illustrating published books.
More recently, I discovered a passion for designing and making jewelry. I started my jewelry company, Fog, And Howl, September of 2018 and I’m working super hard on Fog And Howl’s online shop, coming very soon. I’ll also be taking the shop to a ton of street fairs and conventions. I’ll always be available for art commissions, but Fog And Howl is my main focus right now.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think any artist could say it’s been a smooth road, I think the bumpiness is what truly brings out any artists character! A lot of people told me throughout my life that being an artist isn’t a real job, that I should just keep it as a hobby and find “real” work.
And I did go through a lot of periods in my life where I was totally broke, had no place to stay, but I just kept going, never gave up, kept creating and pushing forward. And of course, I had people tell me I wasn’t good enough or that my stuff was “too weird.”
And that hurts, every time, even to this day. But every time my work makes someone smile or laugh or feel special, every negative comment from the past disappears. I’ll never quit, no matter what, art is everything to me.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Fog And Howl story. Tell us more about the business.
My business is Fog And Howl, I own the business, and I design and make jewelry. I would call it every day wear for adults that never grew up. The jewelry is very whimsical, and every piece is filled with the intention of encouraging people to wear their heart on their sleeve and embrace silliness and adventure and romance.
I’m a person who enjoys getting dressed every day by going through my jewelry and trying to decide if today I’ll be channeling a vampire, or a mermaid, or a safari guide, or anything else imaginable. Then I pick my outfit for the day from there. I want to make pieces that inspire joy and humor and individuality. I specialize in necklaces and bracelets mostly made using rosary bead techniques.
A lot of my work is finding amazing color combinations of beads and gems and incorporating a charm to tie the whole piece together. I’m most proud of the boldness of color combos and using different themes for each piece or collection. I also love the perfect mixture of horror and sci-fi themes, with themes of cuteness and whimsy.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe people make their own luck. Those who work hard, stay positive and who continuously put themselves out there and grab every opportunity they come across, will find all the luck in the world.
Of course, things don’t always work out, but learn from the lesson, be sad about it for a minute, then make light of it and move on to the next thing! Stay positive, keep laughing, and be great to other people. Luck will surely find those who do.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/fogandhowl
Image Credit:
Michelle Parent, Daniel Darter
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