Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle Zorger.
Hi Arielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started Arielle Zorger Designs as a first time mom trying to find “me” time and happiness in a time where life was very consumed by all things baby + feeling very stuck and unmotivated in my full time job. I worked as a hospitality professional for 13 years and I was ready for a change. I was in search to find something that would make me happy inside + out and make me feel complete.
So one morning, I woke up and simply decided today I am going to paint. So I drove to a local target store, bought my first canvas, some paint colors, a few brushes and thought maybe painting would help me relax + give me something to do once the baby was asleep.
With no professional art training, and no real goal of what this would turn into I really just found that every day all I really wanted to do was paint. I would mostly paint hamsas or just a million brush strokes using all the colors the store had. After my house turned into quite the “art show” my husband said why don’t you post some of these on Etsy and see what happens. You never know maybe someone will buy them. So in May 2019 I opened my Etsy shop and from there the rest is history.
Today, Arielle Zorger Designs is my full time “gig” and there is not a day that I feel like I’m working. I do everything from the painting to the packaging to the marketing! I just love the idea that I am able to do something that I am truly passionate about, and to bring color into my customer’s homes everyday!
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?
No absolutely not a smooth road. I thought it was a great idea to make Arielle Zorger Designs my full time job after I was laid off during Covid. At this time, I just had my second baby, and was trying to navigate zoom school for my oldest while taking care of a newborn. I had absolutely zero idea how to run a small business or how to fund this hobby turned art shop overnight. The only thing that was constant during all this change was I kept doing what made me happy. I never stopped. If there’s a will there is always a way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the owner + artist of Arielle Zorger Designs, but I am really just a Jewish Mom of two trying to share a bit of happiness + color in a world full of chaos.
I am mostly known for my colorful Jewish Art. I turn my art into usable modern Judaica for the holidays + Shabbat.
I am most proud that I started my own business + never gave up after so many people told me that I don’t know what I am doing and I should get a “real” job.
I hand paint all of my original designs in my art studio (aka my daughter’s playroom) and I bring my love for being Jewish into all of my pieces.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I love being able to feel alive when I paint and to be able to show my daughters that you can truly be anything you want in this world as long as your love is behind what you do.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: ariellezorgerdesigns.etsy.com
- Instagram: @ariellezorgerdesigns
