Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Leon.
Hi Jenny, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi there, my name is Jenny Leon. I’m a proud Colombian that arrived the United States in 2019 as an Au Pair (or live-in nanny). I came up with the hope of finding better ways, a better financial situation, as well as with the excitement that working in this country would finally allow me to complete my degree in business.
I worked as a nanny for about 5 years with various families who warmly opened their homes and entrusted me to take care of their babies. As I was making my way to find an income, the Covid-19 struck; during the lock-down, my college in Colombia started offering classes virtually. This turned out to be a truly blessing in disguise for me, as it allowed me to complete my final credits and to obtain my degree in Business Administration.
Happy as I could be with my new achievement, I thought scaling upward in my professional life as an immigrant would be easier. Finding job opportunities aligned with my career proved to be riddled with obstacles and paperwork that kept me from starting right away for a while – in fact, they almost made me give up.
Finally made my way back to the office setting – a company finally trusted that I was the right fit for their job opening!
I performed as an Administrative Operations Coordinator at a Training Center in Baltimore for a little longer than a year.
Throughout this process, what emerged was not only a sense of not belonging—of having to navigate a new culture and a new language—but also the struggle to truly “fit in.”
It was precisely during this search – after 6 years of working on places where I didn’t feel my potential wasn’t fully realized- that I decided to start my own creative journey and registered Mola Creative Studio, LLC and with it, the brand Mola Embroidery.
Mola represents more than just a job to me; Mola is part of a process in which I feel welcomed, seen, and heard. Through art, I have found my own way to express myself and to connect with different communities.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Launching a new business has been anything but easy; it has required a great deal of time, money, and effort.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be here today and to have found in the Baltimore Artist Community a great family.
I think all my fellow business owners, makers and artists alike will relate with the idea that at first – we, the owners/creators – must do it all: we handle administrative tasks, marketing, social media, sales, production, and so on. The level of commitment required for one’s brand is often tiresome, at other times requires faith – the confidence and trust that you are doing things right.
All my products and pieces are handmade and demand time, patience, and dedication; the challenge lies in conveying this value to the customer.
I would also add that is really important to understand the market, and, in a sense, coming to terms with some of the dynamics of being part of this industry – contending with artificial intelligence, large-scale manufacturing, and the fast-paced demand.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a self-taught artist of different mediums; however, I have dedicated about 7 years to learn and practice hand embroidery.
Mola Embroidery is a project that flourished from the idea of showing the world how to draw with thread and the extensive usages of embroidery. My creations are known for mixing embroidery with other art forms and to apply threads not only into fabric but to different materials.
I provide clients with an alternative to mass production that celebrates unique intentionality, texture, and provides an up close view to a fading domestic art form – embroidery.
My products have captivated people’s attention to this art form and have inspired others to want to learn embroidery and/or create within a hands-on environment. Hand embroidery is an art form that is shaped under a slow-paced environment and allows for opportunities of connection through a tactile language.
Embroidery is far more than an art form done with threads, especially for women. Historically speaking embroidery represented a source of income, it opened a path for connection and community-building among embroiderers, and even served as a way for women to express feelings, cope with grief, and commemorate impactful milestones like a newborn or a wedding – I am proud of being part of such an extraordinary artistic movement that transforms simple materials into magical creations.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The greatest lesson I have learned is to understand the power of self and how destructive the mind can be!
This beautiful journey has showed me that all the things I feared were just in my head. For many years I struggled with the idea that being an artist was even possible; I always though I wasn’t creative enough, and that my skills weren’t polished enough to share with the public. I used to think my language skills and my accent would be a barrier to interacting with clients, and that being an immigrant would interfiere with my brand image.
I have proven to myself that discipline and a plan, any project can become reality! I now teach embroidery classes, participate in pop-up shows, and my brand has presence in brick-and-mortar stores.
If my past self could see all the things I’ve done and accomplished, she probably wouldn’t believe her eyes!
Pricing:
- Necklaces: $30
- Bookmarks: $30
- Bracelets: $35
- Photo Embroidery: $120+
- Earrings: $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.molaembroidery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mola_embroidery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molaembroidery/
