Written by Ivette Kjelsrud
"What I found was quite remarkable: A community of women, who see each other as a resource and not competition."
Huson, MT (June 1, 2022) - As far as I can remember, my life always revolved around art and design. I was always drawing my favorite cartoons and would borrow my mom's fine silver homewares to decorate my room. In school, I was consistently chosen to head the decorating committee and later developed a knack for transforming the dingiest apartments into posh spaces everybody loved to hang out in. This innate love of surrounding myself and others in beauty ended up manifesting itself mainly in fine art.
After completing my studies, I found myself at a crossroads.
A few years ago, while working as a visual artist, I noticed my passion shifting from pure art to include design. I decided it was time to add interior design studies to my box of tricks. Although I was no stranger to the design world, having decorated in the past and worked with architects in my years living in Israel and Italy, I did not know how to charge customers or run a design business. After completing my studies, I found myself at a crossroads, realizing that just because I have an artistic eye or know how to put a room together, it did not mean I knew how to do it for a living.
No one could have prepared me for the amount of kindness I encountered.
In an effort to learn the business side better, I started to connect with designers from all over the country. It started from a small study group to meeting designers at national markets and in online groups. What I found was quite remarkable: A community of women, who see each other as a resource and not competition, women who enjoy sharing and learning from one another and connecting with fellow designers. No one could have prepared me for the amount of kindness I encountered. Not only did they help me understand the business and run mine, but I also found a tribe of women who offered their time, friendship, encouragement, and a true desire to see others like them succeed.
About Your Neighbor:
Ivette Kjelsrud was born in Bogota, Colombia, and is a visual artist who has traveled the globe. For over a decade Ivette has called Huson, Montana her home. Ivette's education is vast and includes Interior Design from the New York Institute of Art & Design, a B.A. in Fine Art & Geography and Environmental Studies from The University of Haifa, and Multimedia & Web Design from Atid College. From 2015 to 2021 Ivette's work has been displayed at various juried art shows and festivals across the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. Her work is also held in private collections in Italy, Israel, Germany, Guatemala, and in California, Colorado, Louisiana, NYC, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Ivette's services include Interior Design & Decor, Fine Art, and Art Consulting. To learn more about this artist & designer and what she has to offer visit her website Ivezart.com.