Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Francis.
Hi Alex, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Howdy! My name is Alex Francis and I’m the “cohesively clashy” artist and owner behind my small business, Alex n Crafts! Currently based in Flemington, NJ, I’d classify my story as a squiggly line rather than a straight one, and for good reasons! While art has always been a large component of my life, my creativity has taken on many forms, predominantly through art and music. I grew up with a family very supportive of my interests, as my parents simultaneously signed me up for art classes while getting me a drum set in my early years. I loved being able to emote myself nonverbally whether that meant covering myself in paint while drawing, or banging away to Led Zeppelin in the basement.
Since 2020, I started my business Alex n Crafts with an assortment of prints and greeting cards of my illustrations. Now, I also design, hand paint and make polymer clay jewelry pieces like earrings, necklaces, and vent clips, to name a few! When I’m not traveling to an assortment of shows on the weekends, I’m making inventory for some of the local shops that carry my work which include Rascal Salvage Vintage (High Bridge, NJ), Belleville Market (Easton, PA) and The Groovy Collective (Flemington, NJ) – my long term goal is to continue branching out to other shops as well, in and out of the tri-state area!
If you told me 10 years ago I’d be running my own business, I’d never believe it. In actuality, I have a degree in Music Therapy and completely gave up creating art in college since I was busy with schoolwork and volunteering with veterans. When the pandemic happened and jobs in health care were all shut down, my dream of working at the local hospital halted and I had to get creative. I started painting again the year before during my internship, and people would always tell me I should make prints of the sketches I would give to others. I never imagined people wanting to purchase something that I made, and it’s something that I am fortunate to still feel grateful for to this day!
When I’m not in Alex n Crafts mode, or occasionally performing as a solo acoustic artist (I also sing and play guitar!), what I value above everything else is devoting time to my family, which is the most important thing in my life. This past Halloween, my husband and I got married on our favorite holiday in the Pocono Mountains, our favorite place! I love feeling connected to nature, especially near fresh water. I often joke that sometimes after painting inside all day, I need to go for a walk to get some fresh air and feel like a person again. I’ve maintained a small group of close friends for a number of decades in my life, in addition to the amazing friends I’ve gained within my local communities who are also fellow creatives! Finding your people is so important, and I choose to keep those who mutually encourage growth, love and kindness in my happy little bubble. While I enjoy working in larger social events, off the clock I am quite introverted and enjoy the simple things.
I’ve been blessed with an incredibly supportive partner who always encourages my creative ideas, travels to different cities with me, and helps me see value in myself in and outside of my business. When we’re not planning our own adventures, we’re at home with our bird Marty McFly watching nostalgic movies and shows, which is where I draw most of my artistic inspiration from! I am very grateful for the life we’re building in an area that celebrates both art and nature.
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?
Definitely not. While I am proud of the art I create today, I did not feel that way about myself for a very long time, and was deeply insecure of my abilities. Most of the struggles came from my own acceptance of self, since my family and friends were always very supportive of my journey. My art is messy, loud, and not what I primarily saw in school or museums. Still life, realism, structure – these were things I saw often and couldn’t relate to, so I figured that meant I couldn’t call myself an artist. I think what shifted in me was allowing my inner child to come out and to be more carefree with expression.
Even through music, I was never classically trained and struggled with that concept heavily while in school. I definitely felt that weakness made me stand out, especially when others had years of structured performances. I found the way I played best and had the most fun was by going to live music venues and actively listening to others, feeling out what the sound “needed.” I have a strong appreciation for those who perform with that type of precision, but also accept that’s not my style, and like my art I’m a bit of a messy and unconventional learner.
If you ask anyone who knows me personally, they will tell you that my greatest inspiration as an artist is Paul Reubens, especially with his character Pee-wee Herman. His zaniness, messiness, and colorfulness is the most “me” I’ve ever seen in our pop culture. Pee-wee always captured the nostalgia of how limitless and magical the world feels while being a kid, which is something I think many of us forget how to do as we go barreling into adulthood. This representation always meant so much to me and eventually allowed me to accept myself as an artist and see that my work has value in this world. I’ve also been a huge fan of David Lynch’s work (my favorite show is Twin Peaks). His combination of portraying everyday beauty simultaneously with much darker, heavier situations is incredible, and I love that he doesn’t rush or shrink himself down when telling a story. I think celebrating and welcoming different styles is incredibly important for all artists to feel validated in their creative processes, and makes room for true originality.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
There are 2 words that I tell everyone when trying to sum up my style as a whole – “cohesively clashy.” There’s a lot of different patterns, colors, textures floating around that at first glance look like a mess, but they somehow piece together to form one composition that just makes sense! I feel that my art is a playfully illustrative and sometimes abstract extension of myself interpreting the humanity, humor, and love that surrounds me! Bold colors, wonky textures, wildlife fun, uplifting words and niche pop culture references to bring back your inner child best describe my work from paintings, illustrations and jewelry pieces. Drawing inspiration from the 80s and 90s, (a nod to my Pee-wee mention above), my goal is to remind others of how magical and limitless the world can feel when we allow it to be, and that it’s okay every now and then to scribble outside of the lines while figuring that out.
The Alex n Crafts name is also intentionally broad. Since I work with a variety of different mediums, I didn’t want my name to limit my forms of expression. The idea was “hey I’m Alex, and these are my crafts!” because I love coming up with new ways to be creative!
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to keep in touch and follow along is to check out my website, and my social media pages! I post on Instagram every day from the projects I’m working on, upcoming events, and finished pieces! Whether you’re visiting me in person at a market or at one of the shops I’m in, or online, you can always see what I’m up to and come say hello! I absolutely love working and connecting with other makers and small businesses, and I’m always on the lookout for a fun themed community event – these are my favorite and where I feel people get the most creative! If you ever have a question about my work, I always encourage you to reach out.
I appreciate you taking the time to interview me, and I look forward to greeting those who continue along with me on my squiggly line journey 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexncrafts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexncrafts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexncrafts
