Today we’d like to introduce you to Balqees El-Tawekgi.
Hi Balqees, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up as a child, arts and crafts took up all of my free time. From drawing images from my imagination to illustrating books that I created, art has always been a large part of my identity. Along with this passion, I had always envisioned having my own business, whether it was a clothing boutique or art shop. The idea of sharing something with others and having it appreciated by others brought me joy. So like many others during the pandemic, I had a lot of free time and realized it was the perfect opportunity to just go for it. I started drawing phone wallpapers to sell digitally and then eventually expanded onto custom cards and t-shirts with custom designs. I would describe Glazedflowah’s start as a random act, but deep down this was always something that had been a passion that just needed a little push. Since then, I have partnered with other small businesses such as Orlando Picnic and Lorray&Co, has work commissioned for establishments such as the Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, and launched my first collection featuring original designs in March 2021. And it hasn’t been a year yet. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have accomplished and I wouldn’t have had it without my support system and persistence.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Glazedflowah was a very pleasant journey but it certainly had a few challenges. The biggest challenge I had faced was the difficulty to balance owning a small business while being a college student and working a full-time job. I found myself having to choose one thing over the other and most of the time, it was more attention on work and school. Rather than working on Glazedflowah and looking at ways, I could accomplish more. Maintaining a business is already a job in itself and so having three full-time jobs was a little chaotic. To this day, I am always looking at ways to incorporate balance and schedule time where I can just focus on one thing at a time. People seem to undermine small business owners, they never realize that they are the definition of “all purpose”. Doing everything from communications to marketing to being the seller and manufacturer. But in the end, it is so satisfying to see how much your hard work pays off in the end. And for me, that’s when I see my flowahs enjoying their GF art.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Glazedflowah is a fun and innovative brand that specializes in creating art that captures the essence of one’s self. This is achieved by leaving the eyes and nose of the figure’s face blank, leaving the remains of everything else. Therefore, leaving the viewers to only appreciate the other physical attributes of a person. Glazedflowah is known for its custom greeting cards, commissioned art, stickers, and apparel. For commissions, I give two options for the design styles. One being ‘doodle’, where colorful and excessive doodles are drawn over the original photo (which is actually my favorite because it’s so much fun to do!). And the other option, being the realistic image, where I recreate the image but as a drawing without the face. I am really proud of my art and what it does for others. The moment I send over the completed images/art, it fills me with happiness when I see the reactions of my flowahs.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I actually don’t believe in luck at all, but I do believe in persistence and seeing it do its thing in the end as a result. The more you put into your business, energy and time-wise, the more satisfied you will be in the end.
Pricing:
- T-Shirts w/ original designs: $15,90
- Sweatshirts w/ original designs: $25,90
- Stickers: $2.50
- Commission: one person image: $15
- Commission: two people image: $25
Contact Info:
- Email: Balqees@glazedflowah.com
- Website: www.Glazedflowah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glazedflowah/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glazedflowah/
Image Credits
Picnic images: @orlandopicnic. Grand Bohemain image w/card: @davidsmanor. Summ~Her: @lorrayco.
