Today, we toast our glasses to artist extraordinaire Tanya ScruggsFord, Owner of Kingston James & Co. Tanya is an artist who wanted to break the traditions of being just an artist showcasing her work on canvas. And she did just that. The Black mind always amazes but doesn’t surprise me with how creative we are as a people. She intentionally wanted to break the artist mold, so she came up with the idea to transfer her artwork on Jenga game pieces, then create jewelry from it. Brilliant and beautiful! I have never seen anything like it. In the video, she goes more in depth with how she conjured this ingenious idea.
Growing up in Chicago gave Tanya the city background but even as a child she recognized her unique attentiveness in eccentric colors and patterns. They were attributed to her familial relationships. She was raised in a family of masons known for their handcrafted work. Her mom was a seamstress, her father, of Jamaican descent, was a carpenter and painter, and her grandfather was a tailor. She grew up in living color! That just goes to show you the richness of our heritage. Tanya was destined to live a life in the arts. Just as her family had influenced her creativity, she also paid homage to her loved ones in naming her company.
Kingston James and Co, as Tanya describes gets its name from a combination of names that represent who she is. Kingston is her son, James is representative of her spouse, and the company is herself.
As an artist, Tanya wanted to expand the awareness of her work but as an entrepreneur who truly cares for her customers, she wanted more people to own her artwork at a more affordable price. She explains how she now had to find balance in creating artwork and accessories. One of her biggest challenges is consistency. Often times we find being a one-person team, especially as an artist, it cripples our ability to work in areas that require just as much time as the artwork we create.
Luckily, Tanya has been blessed with a customer base who genuinely loves her pieces. They want to see her win. Many of her sales have been made by word of mouth. Her jewelry and her story is so unique that they become conversation-starters, then transpires into a new customer. She has definitely made a customer in me!
Tanya’s future goals are to provide spaces for the Black culture where we can meet and create together. She leaves behind a tip for the culture that in order to build generational wealth as an entrepreneur, we must make sure to do a few things:
- Pay yourself.
- As you’re paying yourself, be sure to save. It doesn’t have to be a large amount, set something aside each time.
- Educate our kids and adults on how to obtain generational wealth.
Tanya has sold her pieces in several locations including a boutique in Jamaica and in Chicago at the DuSable Museum.
You can meet, greet, and support Tanya of Kingston James & Co at this next event:
June 5th & 6th, 2021
Hyde Park Community Art Fair
Bixler Park Chicago (Google maps recognizes this location)
Patrons: Parking is available on the street or at the multi-level parking lot at 55th & University.
If you can’t make it, check out Kingston James & Company’s website below for their next event.
Kingston James & Company
Tanya Scruggs Ford
kingstonjamesandcompany@gmail.com
https://kingstonjamesandcompany.com/
