Jeresneyka Rose. Her name itself is intriguing, isn’t it? For Jeresneyka’s entire life, she’s known art. In elementary school she won numerous awards for her raw talent. Friends saw her doodles and often asked for custom birthday cards to draw a Disney character. The Boys and Girls Club was her solace. It was a place she and her friends could go to be together, tap their creativity and stay out of trouble.
She started her professional art journey in 2014 when she picked up a paintbrush and painted her first original canvas—her first ever as an adult. By 2018, ArtbyRizzo was a legally-registered business. Like most entrepreneurs, Jeresneyka worked hard to figure out a lot on her own and was in a good place. In 2020, Jeresneyka registered for a class with the Pikes Peak SBDC taught by senior consultant Cory Arcarese.
“I thought I knew the basics and did everything correctly. Boy, was I wrong,” said Jeresneyka. “It’s so hard to find accurate information, especially on the internet. Cory made things super clear and easy to understand. She took the time to talk to each of us and make sure we were all set up in the best way to make our businesses profitable and successful.”
“I would 10 out of 10 recommend every business owner take a strategic planning class at the SBDC. As long as you’re learning, you’re growing, and I can definitely say my business knowledge has grown.”
With her business restructured as an LLC in 2020, ArtbyRizzo was an established brand that represents Jeresneyka as an artist: her beliefs, ethics, and a mission to create unique and colorful visual art to represent expressions and experiences aiming to engage and empower the community. The challenges extended beyond merely running her business. She faced adversity in a conservative Colorado Springs. But every “no” fuels her to create a “yes.”
“I get overwhelmed. I get sad. I feel disappointment. I doubt myself. I’m human. I just don’t quit,” said Jeresneyka. A true entrepreneur, she continues to move forward with a mission to bring light and voice to hard topics and what her heart believes is right.
Jeresneyka’s short-term goals are to continue to support the community in a positive way. Long-term goals include opening an arts-based community center like the Boys and Girls Club she was once a part of and provide the oppotunity for youth and adults to take part in all forms of art, from dance to painting. The plan to provide for all with an arts-based community center keeps her motivated.
“I want the community to feel empowered and represented through my work. I want the community to feel inspired. I want the community to feel seen. I want the community to feel supported…it’s all about the experiences for me…the connections…that is how I thrive…that is what fills my cup,” said Jeresneyka.
“ArtbyRizzo supports community popup events, exhibitions, private paint parties and more. Support for ArtbyRizzo is more than a purchase; clients support a mission to create art that represents a population that isn’t often featured in local galleries and museums,” said Jeresneyka. “By supporting ArtbyRizzo, you’re supporting a mission to help others know they can create a life as they want it.”
Learn more about Jeresneyka’s original paintings, illustrations, prints, apparel and stickers at ArtbyRizzo.com and on Facebook.
