Meet Jessie Keaton | Artist, Hand Letterer & Hand Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessie Keaton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, why did you pursue a creative career?
Originally my small business was just a hobby. It was something I did on the side as a way to decompress after a long day at my 8-5. Eventually, friends and family picked up on it and I started creating custom orders. A few years later I started doing in-person shows and markets and I have been able to connect with people from all over. It’s very much still something I do as a way to decompress after a long day at my 8-5, but I also get so much joy from being a part of people’s special moments and memories. Whether it’s a nursery sign, a wedding sign, or really anything you could imagine, I’m just really grateful that people choose me to be a part of their special moments, day to day home decor, and more!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I started painting I feel like I was trying too hard to make what other makers were making (say that 10 times fast). As I continue to grow in my business, and as a human, I feel like I have less pressure to compete and paint what others are painting, and I paint what I want to paint and what brings me joy. I feel like my art is definitely ‘me’ (you’ll notice a lot of neutrals, florals and greenery) and I have customers that enjoy that and that’s why they come back, I think. But it’s also okay that my vibe is not for everyone and that’s something I took personally when I first started and something I’ve learned not to take personally along the way.

I like to think that what sets me apart from others is the fact that everything I do is hand painted and hand lettered. I don’t use a Cricut, I don’t use stencils. In doing everything by hand that means you don’t necessarily get perfection in my signs but you can be sure that every sign is one of a kind and a lot of work and time goes into it. Another thing that I think sets me apart is that I don’t often make the same sign twice (unless requested as a custom order) so, when you see me at a market, you’ll notice that you won’t see two of the same sign.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re in the market to do some shopping: Check out Bridge + Main Market in DeWitt, MI. They feature unique goodies from over 90 artists and makers. They always have events and pop-ups going on so be sure to check their event schedule (you may see me pop-up at some). They have a shop, as well as a plant studio, and both are so cute I can’t even explain it. You’ll just have to check them out for yourself. Another good store to check out is Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage in Mason, MI. They feature over 100 Michigan artisans and are a great place to get Michigan goodies especially if you’re from out of state.

Now let’s talk food: Some of my personal favorite places are HopCat (East Lansing), Soup Spoon (Lansing), Luckys (Okemos), Cuginos (Grand Ledge), Mitchell’s Fish Market (Lansing) and Barrio (East Lansing)!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give a shoutout to my biggest supporters. There are a handful of people that immediately come to mind that regularly interact with my business on social media, come to basically every single market (and usually buy something!) and just overall support me in every way. That support truly means more than I can say.

I also have to give a very big shout out to my dad. He is usually the person helping me set up and tear down at markets. Even when it’s early, sometimes cold and rainy, and he could be doing a million other things with his weekends, he always shows up. He is happy for me when I have good business days and also encourages me to stick with it when I have less than ideal business days.

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