Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Hanson.
Hi Hannah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I always had an affinity for art, being creative, and often found myself passing time writing poetry, coloring, or playing the piano. During the first year of the pandemic, I was busy with college studies and needed a creative outlook that was restful; thus, I started painting and creating wax seal stamps. As many have experienced, along with myself, the pandemic caused a lack of connectivity and was a hindrance to relationships. People have an innate desire for connection, and I have found that the lost art of writing letters is one way to encourage intentionality within relationships. For each hand-painted letter that I was sending, whether to friends or family, I would add the special touch of a wax seal stamp. Both activities that started out as a hobby have blossomed into my business, Lilia Creatives.
For around two years I continued both activities as just hobbies, I never imagined that I would start a business out of them! A few of my family members casually mentioned that I could sell my work and thus a seed of an idea was planted. It was a several-month process of creating my brand, figuring out what products I wanted to sell, and insuring quality products. I had to experiment with new techniques for wax seals and practice on many books doing fore-edge paintings. With the support of many around me, I was able to open my Etsy shop in September of 2022! Now, I am currently working on fore-edge commissions and am selling at local craft fairs in Minnesota. I am so excited to continue this journey of owning a small business and to creating products that encourage intentionality with others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Creating my own small business has been a long journey, one that I am still on and still learning about. One of my very first roadblocks was figuring out which products I wanted to sell. Not only do I paint and make wax seals, I also bake and do photography. Through discussion with others, I was able to narrow my focus on wax seals and fore-edge. However, I hope in the future to grow my business and include my other passions!
Starting a business was daunting. I was, and still am, worried of failure. There were so many things I was clueless about, like ST-19 forms, product photos, and how to market well. I have to give a shoutout to Raeann, one of my good friends, who has her own small business. She played an important role in Lilia Creatives as she guided me through many of those details and supported my passions. The small business community is amazing and so supportive; I am honored to now be a part of it!
One particular struggle I have encountered has been creating brand content. We live in a world of technology, and it is nearly impossible to get your name out there without creating media. I personally, do not enjoy creating social media content; I would much rather be painting! However, I have been able to find what works well for my schedule and to find balance in creating content. I am thankful that I can use several platforms to show my work!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Right now, I specialize in fore-edge painting and creating wax seal stamps. While I thoroughly enjoy creating both, fore-edge is what I am most proud of. My great-grandma did rosemaling and I am so thankful to continue her legacy of painting. Fore-edge painting is a historical art that was done in the late 17th century in Europe and is the use of watercolor paint to create scenes on the edges of books. It is what I would call a ‘lost art.’ Very few still partake in it! Currently, I have been focusing on painting the Lord of the Rings books, as it is my favorite fantasy series. However, in the next few months, I plan to paint on others such as Jane Austen, Harry Potter, and Narnia!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
One fact that many find surprising is that I am a self-taught painter and only started painting with watercolor doing fore-edge in August of 2022. I started working with acrylic in 2020 painting on cards, however, it was a big learning curve switching paint types!
Contact Info:
- Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/liliacreatives
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilia_creatives/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liliacreatives
