Today we’d like to introduce you to Surzie.
Hi Surzie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all began when I went to my first art class as a kid. Growing up, I had trouble figuring out what my talents were and most importantly, if I enjoyed it. Everybody around me such as my peers, teachers, and other family members always praised me for being so good at what I do but that wasn’t the case for my parents. I grew up in an immigrant family where education always came first. Like every typical Asian traditional parent, they wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer but I knew that wasn’t the path for me.
I grew a very strong passion for art as it was the only thing I loved doing. I joined an art academy in high school and found a good mentor who helped me accomplish everything I ever wanted and needed. I was able to create two amazing portfolios that helped me get into my dream school, Parsons in New York. At first, I majored in fine arts but I later changed my major to fashion design because I also have a passion for clothing. Due to unexpected circumstances in my family, I was not able to go to college.
Fast forward to after high school, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do because I lost hope and motivation in my original plan. But I knew I wanted to do something related to art. As an artistic girl, I loved getting my hair, nails, and make-up done so I was interested in trying out cosmetology school. I attended Paul Mitchell The School and really enjoyed the experience. I received my license in Cosmetology two years later.
When covid hit, everything shut down and I was not able to work in a salon. During this time, I found tooth gems. My friends and I used to get our gems done all the time. When I saw my tooth gem artist offered classes, I decided to try taking the class to see how I feel about it. I ended up loving tooth gems more than hair, make-up, and nails all combined.
The idea of enhancing someone’s smile sparked a great interest so I started to practice on all of my friends. Ever since the day I learned, I fell in love with the craft and furthered my knowledge for teeth. I officially opened my tooth gem business in March of 2022. Slowly, I started seeing more demand within my business and it has been the most amazing experience. Doing tooth gems brings out the joy, happiness, and creativity in me. Los Angeles is a city filled with creatives setting new trends. The idea of being a tooth gem artist inspired me, giving me more hunger for the game than I ever had. Being in LA, it really felt like I was creating a city that slowly sculpted myself into who I am today. I’m Surzie and my medium of art is tooth gems.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely wasn’t the smoothest road but I had the best mentor and support group that helped motivate me. Starting your own business itself is very hard work. Building clientele and finding the right audience is the most difficult part of starting a business in the creative industry. Your work really needs to stand out in order to grab people’s attention and attract the audience you desire. It was one of the major struggles I had when I first started but when you are consistent, keep pushing and never stop believing in yourself, good results show.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a tooth gem artist based in Los Angeles and I specialize in mainly large, colorful, complex designs as well as simple minimalistic designs. I focus on fulfilling all of my client’s wants and needs but I also like to pay attention to their style so I can give them a look that best suits them with the best retention. I’m really proud of my uniqueness in style because from what my clients and other artists have told me when they see my work, they can tell it’s my work which made me really happy to hear!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The most important qualities to my success is:
1. Drive because you have to have the determination to work harder than most and make sure things get done. You drive yourself with purpose and align yourself with excellence.
2. Patience because you have to be willing to be patient, and you understand that, in everything, there are failures and frustrations.
3. Integrity because honesty is the best policy for everything you do; integrity creates character and defines who you are.
4. Passion because if you want to succeed, it’s a passion that will get you there.
5. Confidence because you have to trust yourself. It’s as simple as that.
Pricing:
- Single Swarovski Crystal: $60-$80
- 18kt Gold Gem: $160-$200
- Freestyle Set: $100-$400
- Custom Set: $200-$600
- 1 Hour Teeth Whitening Session: $200
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/the2thfairyla
