Conversations with Tristen Bailey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tristen Bailey. 

Hi Tristen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was scrolling through social media in 2019 when I noticed a river table, and I thought to myself wow I want one of those so bad! I did some research and looking into river tables through Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube! I never seen this stuff on Facebook, and then I got into figuring out how it was put together. In my research time I noticed it was resin epoxy or resin/epoxy (one or the other). I was very intrigued but the price wasn’t too intriguing haha. I was talking to my older sister about it and she mentioned how everything new is scary and if I wanted to try it out it wouldn’t hurt… just start small and go from there! I started small with coasters made my sister some and then my parents a set or four! After this trial I started working towards achieving waves… Talk about a tough process. I am a March baby so being a Pisces I love the water and I’m my best self by the water. This was my second goal even though I started with loving the river tables! A river table is a large project and I wasn’t ready for that but I am to this day determined to get there! After making coasters I started on canvas because it was hard to achieve a “cell” look in coasters. Most art is growth based so the more experience, the more you try different products. Working with resin the price can change for better quality! Exploring in canvas I started working with ocean pieces and galaxy pieces… I have only invested in one technique and that was for my galaxy art! It took me about 6 months and finally I was in the groove for coasters and using canvas. I did a show at my aunts and sold a few sets of coasters, and I was doing this all as a hobby. I even sold some canvas at a festival called the Mcdudly Summer Festival which is held in Oshtemo! After leaving there I moved to portage where I started working with deep pours and saving people’s memories! I received very delicate flowers as a test with an obituary… A deep pour is resin that can be poured 2” thick at a time, but be mindful you can get something called a flash cure which is where your resin gets way to hot and burns! I managed to not burn those flowers and was shocked for that being the first floral preservation I did. That saved memory was my first piece I ever shipped out of Michigan, and it went to NYC! After this I continued to test projects and test different resins for clarity! Months later I ended up moving and had to put my resin on pause because I wasn’t in enough space where I was able to resin safely. Then I started thinking outside of the box… My thoughts were countertops and since I couldn’t do resin in my house why not try someone else’s!? In 2021 I decided to try countertops after losing my job. I found myself digging deeper into wanting to make my craft a job! I finally did my first faux marble countertop and to this day I can say I’m very proud of it! After taking on a beast of a job which was an 80sq ft countertop. That was the largest scaled project I had ever done, and shortly after that project I turned around and registered for my LLC. I became TristensTrademark in 2021. I do quotes locally (Portage, Oshtemo, Kalamazoo, Three Rivers, Sturgis, and any other close city). I finally got settled in portage in the apartment I am currently in running my business. this year (2022) I worked on designing my own website by myself which is TristensTrademark.com it took me roughly 4 months to make! I am well aware my business is word of mouth and I can’t wait for it to get out into the world so I can sens art out to every state!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes, I would love to talk about the challenges and lessons I’ve learned along the way!  I would yes and no to it being easy or smooth!  The reason it is not smooth Is because this is a very expensive hobby to take on and start when you’re just a fresh-out college student and learning to live on your own. I didn’t have anyone to teach me, so I learned by mistakes, Google, YouTube. The art community is kind of tough to get into… people are so worried you’re going to take their idea and run their sales dry but it never hurts to help anyone, and everyone makes art differently! The reason it has been easy is because I have had the support of my family and friends who believe I can do this and succeed as an artist – not all artist are starving. I have faith in myself that I can do this and still love it forever! Worst case I don’t love it forever and I just go back to making it a hobby!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work with resin epoxy, epoxy resin, resin or epoxy – there are many ways to say what I do in the art world! I am known for making countertops, small home decorations, and floral preservations! I am most proud of my preservations. With floral preservations I have done weddings, funerals and even did one for an animal passing these are joyful and very sad moments. I have done 2 countertops and 1 bathroom vanity these are large-scaled projects for me to jump into but perseverance keeps me going! I think what sets me apart is that I am willing to try any new art project experiment at least once even with how expensive resin is.  I just recently learned how to use 2:1 ratio with resin usually 1:1 is the standard…. This is risky and different but I want to learn all the possible aspects of resin not just be stuck to one section of resin. Growth is whatever you make it!

Any big plans?

For the future, I plan on successfully making a resin table for myself and others! This would be my biggest move aside of doing faux styled  countertops. Doing a river table is so much more work and planning than a countertop. There are lots of odds against doing a river table as there are many factors that go into the process! Making sure the temperature is appropriate, measurements are on point and getting a planer and sanding it is a whole nine yards of a process!

Pricing:

• Floral preservations can range from $100.00 – $700.00+
• Countertops can range from $400.00 – $1000.00+
• Canvas can range from $75.00 – $100.00+
• Clocks can be $120.00 – $400.00+
• Coasters typically $25.00 – $40.00

Contact Info:

• Website: TristensTrademark.com
• Instagram: TristensTrademark

Image Credits
Tery Byrd