Interior designer Crystal J. Robinson was searching for a better way to express her creativity, and she ended up creating a side business.
Robinson sews pillows and decorates them using the French Serti silk painting technique she learned at Virginia Commonwealth University. Now the Chesterfield resident designs and sells the crystal j. line of hand-painted goods.
"Interior design is so technical. I felt like I was not being an artist anymore. I felt like I was losing that part of me. I wanted to do something creative," Robinson says.
Since turning to the Internet, Robinson has sold her accessories as far away as New Zealand.
She sells standard pieces, as well as commissioned work. Her art is often found in local boutiques or at regional craft shows. For more information, visit crrysstall.etsy.com.