Michelle, the creative force behind Stryke Vintage, embarked on a remarkable journey of self-discovery and artistic expression following health challenges that led her to step back from her career in the spring of 2022. With the unwavering support of her husband, Michelle immersed herself in gardening, pet care, travel, and art, gradually rediscovering her true self. Her passion for nostalgic pieces, especially matchbooks, inspired her to blend her love for vintage treasures with her artistic talents. Despite facing financial and logistical hurdles, Michelle’s determination and resourcefulness allowed her to build Stryke Vintage from the ground up, creating a unique space for her vintage-inspired assemblage art. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and the willingness to take a leap of faith in pursuit of one's dreams.
Can you share a bit about your personal journey that led you to start Stryke Vintage?
Long story short, after facing some health challenges, and with the support of my husband, I took a step back from working in the spring of 2022. It was an adjustment - especially emotionally, so I threw myself into things I enjoy doing. I spent time gardening, tending to my indoor plants, spending time with my pets, travelling some, cooking nice meals, and got back into being creative with art. I slowly started to feel like "me" again.
What inspired you to combine your love for nostalgic pieces with your passion for creating art?
I have always loved vintage finds - whether it be ceramics, glassware, wood carvings, and ephemera of all sorts. I've picked up matchbooks casually when I came across them, but a few years ago I started to really delve into collecting them. Matchbooks are fascinating, truly tangible pieces of the past that you can hold. I made a piece of matchbook art for myself, and after sharing it with friends on my personal social media with good feedback, I decided to take a leap and try out running my own little shop. It was scary to do, but I'm thankful for past-Michelle and her willingness to try.
What challenges or struggles did you face when starting Stryke Vintage, and how did you overcome them?
The most prevalent challenge was starting off with minimal monetary investment. I had stopped working a few months prior, so my husband and I were already making financial adjustments and attempting to be more mindful with spending. Of course to make art you need to buy supplies - so I spent some money to purchase supplies to make art, but that didn't leave any money left to put towards other business aspects - so things like marketing, social media, branding, etc. were all handled by myself. Was it all great? Absolutely not. I'm certainly not an expert in any of those things, but I tried my best and continue to learn and improve. I like to say I'm stubborn, if it needs to get done, I will figure a way to do it. Thankfully we have so much information at our disposal, so with the help of YouTube or how-to articles, I've been able to learn things like how to vectorize images in Adobe Illustrator or how to set up my website. I am also incredibly fortunate to have a close friend who has marketing experience, she's helped me with important aspects of my business. The name Stryke Vintage and my tagline of "spark something" was thought up by Mari. Her creativity and kindness helped me to launch Stryke Vintage.
Could you share a pivotal moment or lesson learned during your journey with Stryke Vintage?
In the spring of 2023 I started working on more collage type pieces, assemblage art that included more than just matchbooks. The best way to describe it is that my brain exploded with ideas. I have a running list of pieces I have made and still want to make. That really felt like a turning point when I developed my own style and, of course, that is ever evolving. A lesson learned (the hard way) was that I'm not great at making prints. I spent a few hundred dollars to have prints made and they were totally a flop. I'm still very proud of my matchbook map print and have kept that in the shop for the time being. That is okay though, lesson learned. There are some incredible artists out there that make beautiful matchbook prints - Meet Your Matches, The Perfect Match NYC and The Match Concept are some of my faves! Be sure to check them out!
How do you balance creativity and business aspects in running Stryke Vintage?
Oof. Are there any artists out there that are good at balancing these two things? I would say I'm like a seesaw - the balance isn't too great most of the time. I love making art, it's just that everything else is hard and I do have to push myself to get it done. Typically I'll schedule a day where I take care of a specific task - working on the website, photographing products, planning social media posts, admin work or bookkeeping.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists or entrepreneurs who want to turn their passion into a business like yours?
Two things:
1. Just try. Why not just give it a go? If this is really something you want you have to work at it. So many of us hold ourselves back, why not have a little faith and take a leap.
2. Your art is not for everyone. There's that saying "you can be the juiciest, ripest and sweetest peach, and there will still be someone who hates peaches." Don't take it personally (that's hard to do) but just like not every style or type of art is something you enjoy the same holds true about your art and everyone. Focus on the people who do enjoy your art and remember that your art could be sitting on their wishlist and they are just waiting for the day they will finally be able to buy it.
How has your background or location in Charlotte, NC, influenced your work and business approach?
I've been in Charlotte for a decade now and I am extremely grateful that I've been able to have word-of-mouth help me in getting a decent amount of business. I've really enjoyed getting to meet customers in person, especially for custom orders. It is a lot of fun to connect with people face to face and hear the why behind a purchase.
Can you share a memorable experience or achievement related to Stryke Vintage that stands out to you?
My very first sale will always be extremely precious to me. It was a complete stranger. More than that, he very kindly sent a note along with his order and explained why the piece was meaningful to him. Thank you Shawn - I appreciate you so much! Another for good measure - I had the privilege of making a custom piece for another local-to-Charlotte artist. She's a muralist and I've admired her and her work for years, so getting the opportunity to make a piece for her was a real "pinch me" moment.
What future goals or aspirations do you have for Stryke Vintage?
I made a 2024 goal "bingo card" - some big things are to have more local connections in Charlotte, things like selling at a pop-up or market, getting my art in local businesses, connecting with the community. I'd also like to have some meaningful growth on social media, finding people that resonate with my art.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your creative process, especially during challenging times?
I'd say I'm always inspired, even when I'm dealing with challenges, I'm always dreaming up new ideas. Motivation is a fickle thing - when you have it, it's like a fire that can't be extinguished. I've come to understand that I can't push myself when I don't feel the motivation, if I do that, it can lead to disinterest or even resentment. That means at times I have to take a step back from creating, or posting on socials. I realize during those times the only thing I'm losing out on is growth. Social media has twisted our ideas of success in many ways - and I don't need to have the most followers or most likes, etc. If I need a mental break from those things, then I need to honor that and have faith I'll be able to come back to it with a renewed zeal.
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