Over the summer, Emily Robinson, junior, combined her two passions, art and fashion, in a project that’s grown and expanded into the school year. She takes ordinary items – purses, jackets, shoes – and paints on details, customizing them and then selling them through her business, Millie’s Masterpieces.

Robinson said the idea started with a class art project and a pair of boots.

“I did a project of painting a hat and boots for my Painting II class and it wound up being in the art show and I wore them because I thought they were really fun,” Robinson said. “I decided that it would be really cool if I could make stuff for people because it’s a cool fashion idea.”

She began by making items for people for free but said her sister suggested she start a business and helped her set up a Facebook page and a store on Etsy for Millie’s Masterpieces. Now she has ten items up for sale and 300 likes on her Facebook page.

“I was accepted into an Etsy team, which means that they take their favorite shops and then they add them to a team to help you sell more of your products,” Robinson said.

Right now, Robinson sells each item for around 20 dollars and has made about 200 dollars mainly in local sales while she builds up her business, she said.

It’s hard work, and she currently puts 14 to 16 hours a week into the business and said on top of making the items she has to take and edit pictures (mainly using her little siblings as models), write summaries and price items.

“I like to do detailed colorful scenes,” Robinson said. “I have a wide range of subject matter because I am pretty comfortable with different styles and I’m experimental in my art. I like to paint clothing items that will match a wide range of clothing (outfit choices) and try to make items that are unique but fit different types of people.”

In hopes of attracting a wide range of people with her designs, Robinson has started using teens and friends to model he designs to “make it more fun for everybody else.” She said she’s had help from family, teachers and friends.

One major source of help was Laura Fanaei, former art teacher at the Center for Creative Learning(CCL), who Robinson has worked with for the past two summers at CCL. Fanaei makes jewelry and sells it online and helped Robinson set up her business.

“I then walked her through how I started my own Etsy page as my Facebook business page,” Fanaei said. “I showed her where to find low-cost items so that she could start out with a lower price point. She gave my daughter a pair of boots and when I saw them I knew she could sell them.”

Fanaei also sell jewelry to local boutiques and said she would like to talk to Robinson about how to do so with her own products.

Firstname McDaniel, art teacher, has taught Robinson since freshman year and taught the Painting II class that inspired her business. Mc Daniel said Robinson has branched out as an artist since she’s known her.

“When I first met her I think she did more stereotypical kind of safe art — pretty, girly art,” McDaniel said. “Now she makes like creepy lava paintings like the one that’s in the library.”

McDaniel said Robinson is also a very well-rounded artist.

“She just has that spirit about her where she’s willing to try new things and like starting this business,” McDaniel said.