Rising Stars: Meet Elena Clark

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elena Clark. 

Hi Elena, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Uh, I guess I am not really sure when this all started for me. I feel like that most of my life that I have been surrounded by creatives, artists, lover of the arts, and hard workers. My parents were both extremely talented in all the things. Some of my fondest memories come from hanging out and watching my dad take apart cars or fix something- Or sneaking out to sit next to him even when it would wreck my pretty dresses. I have always loved the smell of grease, oil, paint, and sawdust essentially the smells of my papa. The older I got the more I would call him to bounce off questions, ideas, talk about tools and ask for help. My dad was a jack of all trades and loved to help me create when he would visit, granted we would cuss like sailors at times yet they are my most cherished memories. My mom was a phenomenal nurse and was a huge advocate for anything to do with the arts. Most don’t know that she was a writer, baker, cake decorator, candy maker, singer and a musician. She was truly independent in being able to do all the things from plumbing to most anything creative. She and I never really saw eye to eye in most things yet she did encourage the love of arts in my life. My mom loved all things feminine and I loved all the things that created messes. Unbeknown to her she taught me how to be an independent thinker and woman. Another memory that sticks with me is my favorite neighbors that had a woodworking shop in their basement. I loved going over there as it had this amazing smell of fresh-cut wood and paint. I was in awe of the smells, the creations, tools, and talent that was lain before me. I could go on and on about the people in my life that are inspirations to me yet that is for another day. Fast forward a lot of years and here is where I meet my mother-in-law who once again has an endless amount of talents. At first, I could never understand her need to want to craft or create as I really had no patience or desire to sit still. Yet after a while, I started to get hare-brained ideas and would instantly know who my partner in crime would be for that project. She has always inspired and cheered for me since day one of creating Brown Girl Creations. I am very lucky to have so much talent in friends and I love that they allow me to share space with them. You name it and I bet I can name at least one person who can create or do whatever project you are needing created. I love the humans around me and their talents. I have been a stay-at-home mom now for almost 20 years and really haven’t worked to much out the home due to the challenges of having a traveling husband and three very busy children… that I can’t imagine life without. I have always needed to feel that I was contributing to our family in some way. I would do side jobs ranging from nannying to climbing instructor, Spin instructor, a stint as a barista, and admin work from home. I tried to work outside of the home yet life always threw so many curve balls that I would eventually quit and go back to the drawing board. At first, I tried the MLM gigs and found some success yet I am not a salesperson and more often than not would fizzle out. Then the world created Pinterest and I kept seeing all these amazing ideas and thought to myself I think I could do this. So, I tried my hand at it and found that I had a knack with power tools, wood, and paint. So, I started small by doing things for myself, and then I would post it on FB and soon started getting people asking me to create or help them create their projects. At that point in my it was an outlet that I started to see potential earnings that would align with my goal to help pay for competitive sports, Christmas, and fun activities for my family. Plus, I had the ability to stay home, work my own hours, and include my kids at times with projects and orders. It also gave me the opportunity to teach them to use power tools, create, design, and paint as well. I grew quicker than I thought and was pleasantly surprised to be able to provide gifts for local businesses and business owners on top doing custom orders. At any given moment I could be working with 12 different accounts each month, a long list of custom orders, teaching classes, and doing signs for the upcoming holiday seasons or gifts. I soon realized that what started as a hobby was becoming a pleasant way to release my excess energy, give back and have some extra money for my family. I have gone from doing the occasional crafts to doing huge custom signs for local businesses, weddings, client gifts for realtors/brokers, parties, gifts, customs pieces, CO flags, flags, auctions, and even a few small woodworking pieces. I do most of the cuts, the shopping for the perfect piece of wood (love the resource center for unique wood), design, paint, sand, distress, burn and seal. Most everything I do is self-taught through lots of trial and errors, tears, questions, cuss words, and a few injuries here and there. Life has a funny way of playing out and in many ways, I feel like I am at square one with my business as I slowly navigate the ins and outs of building a brand that encompasses who I am and what I am striving for with Brown Girl Creations. Nine years later and I still love working with my hands… it is really that simple for me. There is something so satisfying knowing that I failed or succeed with my own two hands. 

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?
Truth be told is that I felt I had a successful business for myself for the first little while and then life happened. I got busier and busier with clients, husband traveled more and my kiddos were busy being kids and I had no idea how to say no to anyone… I guess this is where I choose to be vulnerable as hell. I lost my pops in 2018 and that was the straw that broke my back. From 2016 on I fought hard to do my part to keep him healthy and alive. I can’t even start to convey the depth of grief and pain I felt we when lost him. 

I am no stranger to loss or trauma yet this was different. He had always been my tether in life since the moment I was adopted into my family. As I mentioned before my mom and I struggled more often than not. Where my dad was my safe and loving place. He had this way of knowing how to calm my fears and to have this unshakeable belief in me. His love is something that held all my broken shards together. So, when my life felt unsteady and I felt unloved or unseen I always knew he would gently love me through the hard and ugly. He was not perfect nor did we have a perfect relationship yet he was the only one in my eyes that could make me feel less alone in this big world. After losing him my already fragile life became unbearably harder, lonelier, overwhelmingly painful and all I wanted to do was to stop the hurt. I started to get even more behind in my business and then I just stopped creating one day. As everything hurt too much… from using the power tools that my pops helped me get or sitting in my office and looking at the things we had built or created together. in my private life things were unraveling from my marriage, other relationships, my mental health, and feeling like I was failing as a mom and for me being a mom was the only thing I knew how to be. 

So, without the gentle reminders from my pops, I soon started to believe in all the worst things that were ever told to me starting from a young age, old traumas resurfaced with a vengeance and I was alone in my own personal hell. I know this is heavy as my heart is hurting as I relive some of the pain as I write yet bear with me… 

I lost my dad in June 2018 and by the time Feb. 2019 rolled around I had plummeted and hit my rock bottom. With very little notice to anyone, I left my whole life behind me to find some much-needed mental health help and healing. I left CO and returned to where the beginning of the end of me started my home state of UT. I know that for my most of my life I had ran and never looked back yet my past finally caught me and it was all too much. Long story short is that you can’t run a business from an inpatient facility… Here I was 40 years old in a Recovery center hoping to find the Mental health services and healing that I had no idea I needed. Out of all the things in my life this was the hardest decision I have ever made. Finding Mental Health services without addiction is a very hard thing to do as most places would not take me as I had no addictions. So, here I was sitting in Mapleton, UT missing my kids and my life. Yet I knew that I could no longer run from myself. I did four months inpatient and then did another four months of intensive outpatient programs, I went to groups for CODA and NAMI, I did my alumni group, I did step work, and worked really hard to recognize that my depression and anxiety were a part of me. The thing that I missed the most of all was being a mom to my kids… I can’t even with that statement. Husband and I continue to fight hard for ourselves, each other, and our family. I have been home and in recovery as they say for almost three years. There is not a day that goes by that I am not humbled to be here breathing and living my life with those that I love most. Granted I struggle yet I am full of hope and more often than not this sense of peace of being me. 

I can’t ever thank my family, my brother, and my little tribe that has helped my family and I. So, maybe that isn’t the correct answer yet that is my truth and I am really proud of how far I have come. 

As of now, I am slowly rebuilding back my clientele, creativity, talents, and confidence. I went from doing holidays shows, craft classes, monthly accounts, and a waitlist that was in truth untouchable as it got so long and overwhelming. So, now I am overdoing my best to be aware of what projects I take on and I allow myself a lot of grace and wiggle room. I am in constant awe of the world and all I really want to do is create a little beauty and happy in this big messy world. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Well, I am mainly a wood sign shop specializing in custom handmade signs, holiday signs, repurposing old pieces of wood or doors, or I have done a few local businesses signs as well to giant custom wall art with maybe your love song or beautiful trees. I make all sorts of flags, porch signs, home decor, and anything that you can Pinterest while using power tools and paint. 

When you order from my shop, you will get a handmade one-of-a-kind creation in some ways. No matter how hard I try, I can never recreate the same piece twice. The cool thing that I say I do well is being meticulous about each sign that I make. I will take my time with each sign making sure that they come out as perfect as possible. If I loathe it, I will start from the beginning and do it until it’s darn near perfect… I remember one time recreating one sign six times because I didn’t love it, and I refuse to send any products that aren’t to my standards. So, attention to the littlest detail is super important to me… I can always look at anything I create and see what I could have done better. Honestly, there isn’t one thing that I have ever made that I absolutely love as I am constantly second-guessing myself every step of the way. The time that I put into each sign would surprise many… When I do my huge American flags, the hours total up to 40 hours or more by the time my client picks it up. There probably is an easier or better way out, yet I really pour all of me into each sign. And I think that is why I feel so vulnerable when I create anything at all. As I know people will be looking at it and judging… And I tend to think can they see the tears or hurt or the fear that seeps out of me at times? For me creating anything shows a side of my heart… yet the client doesn’t know that I just lost my uncle and when I created their piece that I sobbed as I painted as the colors or design reminded me of him or when I make a CO flag that I think of my birthday auction, my dad and my past. So, for me, painting is soothing as it is a release for me, and by the time I have gone through the rollercoaster of emotions, I have found solace in knowing I have given it my all 

Granted, my measuring tactics might be questionable when it comes to laying down the stencil (if one is needed) so far though it has proven over and over the way to go. For true life, though…I start by talking with my customer and asking them what their vision is, or some will send me an inspo picture and let me take full creative power, or at times I will have the client come over. We sit down and chat about what they envision, and they can help me pick out fonts and shapes or a quote that they love. I have fun doing custom orders as it lets me use my artistic side a little more each time. I then start the process of picking out the wood or door or cabinets or whatever is needed on the docket. When I first started, I would take old vintage doors from the local resource centers or off the street and create a picture display or a coat rack. I love to use different textiles and materials all at once. Or I love working with old cabinet doors and creating flags, sayings, or attaching a fun wreath to spruce it up. I love to use resourced material as it helps with our fragile environment, and it often gives it the one-of-a-kind feel. And truthfully, I think creating something beautiful from a piece of scrap brings my heart some healing each time. As I often think that when we aren’t able to see our worth, someone else can…It is the reason I buy the fresh dying flowers at the stores… no one should be alone in their hardest moments or be alone when dying. I know it sounds so silly, yet I can’t help but think that is what others have done for me, and it’s such a small thing to do to create beauty amid despair. Yet I digress… 

After getting measurements or any final details needed for their order, I go onto the designing side, and more often than not, they are mine that I create versus the ones you can buy and paint. Even though I make those as well when asked for more batch items. I have no background in designing, so I kinda do the shut my eyes and jump approach… and so far, I am doing pretty well for not knowing what I am doing. As I mentioned earlier, I do 99.9% of all the cuts, sanding, building, distressing, and sealing. My family steps in when I am behind or need an extra hand for cuts or drilling holes. I do think there is healing power for me in the process from start to finish, especially when the creation is more complicated than hell or way out of my comfort zone. I often am taken back when those pieces turn out well, as I am my own worst critic. 

What am I known for?? I would say it would depend on the day…Some say my name signs, and some say my attention to details, some say my donations of flags to local causes and auctions, some say the one-of-a-kind pieces that create or some say the small details of distressing, and some say my style. I tend to think that my top three signs are as follows: Name Signs, CO Flags, and any American Flag style. I enjoy making any flag and last year alone made around 75 CO flags ranging in all sizes. I have found they are great graduation gifts and are the most requested items for silent auctions or raffles. Okay, bye now, you might be asking what a name sign is? It’s simply the last name of a couple or person and an important date… I do these a lot for closing and new homeowner gifts, weddings or anniversaries, or Christmas. I make them in all shapes, colors, and sizes. 

What sets me apart is when you work with me, you will receive a piece that is genuinely made from the heart with my own two hands. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I mean by now if you have stuck it out this far, I would like to say thank you for reading and allowing me some space to share some of me with you. I want to touch base on my business name and my birthday auction as they are important to me and hopefully will let you into the inner workings of me. So, my business name is a tribute to the heritage and culture that was taken from me at a very young age. Being adopted from El Salvador into a biracial family had great opportunities for myself and brother yet also, had downfalls as well. We were not allowed to speak our native language or let others know we were Spanish. I literally, had no Idea I was Spanish until HS even though I knew I was adopted. My mom had me convinced that once I was adopted that piece of me was gone… she went as far as changing my birth name into something more socially acceptable… granted she attempted calling me different names yet I refused to answer to any of them. So, I am told we compromised with changing my middle and last name instead. Growing up I always got some sort of comment on my skin, hair or body and I soon learned that I was not the right brown, brown enough, as well as the fact I was not white or white enough. I never knew where I truly fit in. So, it made me feel like I failed my birth parents in a way. The older I got the more comfortable I got in my brown skin. Meeting my husband helped me realize that it was okay to be brown and so, I soon started to poke fun at myself as a way to find happy in a world where race is a thing yet I never really thought it mattered. The world has shown me that I am an Oreo, brown on the outside and white on the inside. So, for me Brown Girl Creations encompasses a lot of pain and happiness all at once. Lastly, I want to mention the opportunity to give back to the community by having my business has been the best thing ever. I am able to donate to various events and charities that are important to my family and I. I love being asked to donate to the school auctions, local sport teams, non-profits, or giveaways for local businesses. Most years I do an auction for my birthday in April in which I raise money for two causes near and dear to my heart (Suicide awareness/prevention and sexual abuse/assault) here in CO. I gather items to auction off from local artists, businesses, and friends. My first year I had 25 items and felt so giddy with the money we raised. Then over the years I have at times had over a 100 items to bid on- It has everything you can think of ranging from gift baskets to home goods, custom tables, custom signs, party packages, spa services, date nights, jewelry, clothes and so much more. I am always blown away with the items donated and the money raised and look forward to it every year. Thank you for allowing me to share or babble either way, thank you! 

You are Magic, You are Loved, and You Freaking Matter in this world. Never forget that and if you do hit me up and I will remind you that you are not alone. I am always rooting for you dear readers and remember even on your darkest days you have had a 100% success rate! 

Much love from heart to yours, 

Brown Girl Creations 

Contact Info:

• Email: browngirlcreations@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browngirlcreation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Browngirlcreates