Muse no. 6: Arielle, Founder of The Klay Collection
Meet Arielle, the creative artist and entrepreneur behind The Klay Collection, a Vancouver based small business. Read more to learn about Arielle’s artistic and entrepreneurial journey, as well as about our recent clay hair clip collaboration.
Tell us a little about yourself. What is your story?
Hi, I’m Arielle! I moved to Vancouver from Toronto in 2020. My background is in youth and arts education. I came to Vancouver initially to complete my yoga teacher training. Now my time is spent between teaching yoga and working on my business. Outside of making earrings and accessories, yoga and the creative arts are a major part of my life. I am passionate about the arts as a vehicle to inspire change in our world.
What is The Klay Collection? Where did the conception of The Klay Collection come from?
The Klay Collection (Klay as I like to call it), is my polymer clay brand where I showcase all of my handmade earrings and accessories. I began to work with polymer clay when I used to teach art to kids. I loved how versatile the material was and started to play around with some preliminary earring designs. It’s funny to look back on some of my first designs. I am totally self- taught so I really had no idea what I was doing when I started. Once, I started to feel more comfortable with the craft, I began to sell my pieces on Etsy initially and this is how The Klay Collection started…
What is your favourite part about your job?
I love that I can create my own schedule so that I have control over when I choose to devote my time and energy to my craft. Like I mentioned above, my favourite part about my work is that what I do is nourishing for my soul. As an artist, there’s nothing that fills me up more than engaging with my art forms of choice. Being able to support myself with the things that I love the most is a real gift and something that I wish for everyone.
What does your typical day look like?
I wake up early to engage in my personal/ spiritual practices. Not always together and not always in this order, but I will often journal, meditate, and move my body. Once I have had a chance to ground and connect to myself, I then divide my time between Klay and yoga. My work with Klay will look different depending on the time of year, but I am often fulfilling orders, brainstorming/ experimenting with new ideas and tending to social media. My yoga work includes delving into my own personal yoga practice which informs my planning for what I teach that week. I feel so fortunate that my work nourishes me in more ways than one. When I am not working, I love spending time in nature and connecting with loved ones.
In which ways is The Klay Collection sustainable? In what ways would you like to make a positive impact on the environment using your brand’s platform?
Sustainability is a pillar of my business. I have considered sustainability within every step of creating my business. All my packaging is environmentally friendly. My shipping boxes and cards are recyclable and my packing peanuts are dissolvable. I take time to consider the ethics of the businesses that I chose to purchase supplies from, and I reuse clay whenever possible to reduce waste. I also ask my customers to love their pieces for as long as they can and then regift them if they chose to part with them. I think as a business owner and artist, there is a moral responsibility to be taking steps towards caring for our planet.
What advice would you give to others that would like to start their own business?
The biggest piece of wisdom I can offer is to trust in yourself. The greatest obstacle I have faced during my entrepreneurial ventures is imposter syndrome-the instinct to distrust in your competency and second guess yourself. To this I would say, if there is an impulse to put something out into the world, that instinct is something you can trust, and allow yourself to follow and believe in. Chances are your limiting beliefs are just that, limiting beliefs that are not rooted in truth. These beliefs tend to prevent us from reaching our fullest potential. Believe that you are deserving and capable of sharing your gifts with the world.
Shop The Klay Collection x Charlie Paisley hair clips!
We're so excited to announce that our hair clip collaboration with The Klay Collection is now available for purchase on our website. Our collaboration with The Klay Collection features hair clips handmade in Vancouver, Canada from polymer clay. Our new hair clip collection was inspired by seventies styles and trends as well as our own brand colour palette. This collection is limited, so get your hands on these clips before they are gone!
We hope that you enjoyed this read about Arielle and The Klay Collection. Follow The Klay Colleciton on their Instagram account (@theklaycollection)