Based on a community story contributed by Sara, founder of SaraGlow Art. Edited by The Hague Online.
For Sara, starting a creative business began with something she enjoyed doing in her spare time. While working in childcare, she discovered diamond painting and found that concentrating on a picture, one small piece at a time, brought her a sense of calm.
The hobby involves placing tiny coloured pieces onto a prepared canvas. Sara enjoyed watching a design gradually come together and began to wonder whether the activity could become something more.
That question became the starting point for SaraGlow Art, the business she is now building from The Hague.
Creating a style of her own
Sara’s visual inspiration comes from Middle Eastern decorative styles, rich colours and detailed patterns. Deep blues, emerald green and gold feature in the designs she is developing.
Artificial intelligence is one of the tools she uses in that process. Sara says she develops the concepts and chooses the colours, shapes, details and overall appearance, using AI to help explore and visualise her ideas.
The first collection, the Royal Gem Collection, takes gemstones as its starting point. Midnight Sapphire was the first design introduced. Sara is preparing a sample and photographs for Emerald Majesty, with two further designs in development.
Building from the city she calls home
The Hague is more than a business address for Sara. She was born and raised here, went to school in the city and has studied, worked, completed internships and volunteered in the local area.
She describes herself as a true Hagenees, complete with a recognisable Hague accent. Starting a business in the place she has always called home gives the project a personal connection.
As well as developing designs, Sara has been learning about packaging, branding, product preparation and running an online shop. Her ambition is to grow beyond the Netherlands, but the work is happening step by step.
From personal enjoyment to a business
Sara’s experience of diamond painting is personal: she found it relaxing and enjoyable, and hopes other people will enjoy the process too. She hopes to share that enjoyment through the designs she is developing.
The business is still at an early stage, as Sara moves from a familiar job and a spare-time interest towards learning how to build something independently.
Image supplied by SaraGlow Art and reproduced with permission.