Hidden Gems: Meet Elaine Bell of All Trades Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaine Bell. 

Hi Elaine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always identified as an “artistic” person and pick up art-making skills quickly. After graduating art school, I found myself being what someone once referred to as a “Kerouac-esque” character, jumping from field to field, constantly exploring what felt right to me; that balance between what feeds the heart and what puts food on the table – and it was tricky to find. I was working in catering during the pandemic and started following people on social who had created careers for themselves by making their art in one way or another. The mural scene was particularly inspiring to me, and I thought, “I could be good at that…” After going on a vacation with my partner and getting space from my day-to-day grind in food service, I realized I wasn’t putting my natural gifts to their full use, and so I started All Trades Design Co. to design murals and illustrations that bring joy and connection to people’s spaces. I’ve been running it for almost a year now! 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel like I’m in that stage of the business where family and friend connections have supported me thus far and I’m just now stepping up to the next stage which is working with clients who have never heard of me before. So that can be a challenge, presenting myself clearly to new audiences, hoping they can see my expertise and hire me! I’ve had a couple wins that get me excited to keep moving forward. I use rejections and potential projects not working out to fuel me to do more outreach and fine-tune my presentation materials. Everything can be a learning experience if we so choose! 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
All Trades Design Co. specializes in mural design, sign painting, and illustration for businesses who are looking to share their story with their communities in a fun and visual way. We understand it can be tricky to put into words a desired style of mural or illustration, so we have processes in place for us to understand how to create a piece that will help a client achieve their goals and bring joy to them and their audience. We are often complimented on our professionalism, timeliness, and ability to translate abstract ideas into visual reality – all for which we’re proud! You can visit our website, alltradesdesignco.com to see our portfolio and email us at elaine@alltradesdesignco.com for any project inquiries. 

What do you think about luck?
I heard someone say that success happens when luck meets preparation. It’s comforting to know I can have control over one part of that equation! Letting some random opportunities pass because I felt like I wasn’t ready for them has made me want to prepare for when they come the next time. I ask myself what systems or skills I can refine so that the next time a project I want to jump on arises, I can act swiftly. Being prepared has certainly supported me in confidently saying “yes!” to those lucky circumstances.

Contact Info:

• Email: elaine@alltradesdesignco.com
• Website: alltradesdesignco.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/alltradesdesignco
• Facebook: facebook.com/alltradesdesignco
• Other: tiktok.com/@elainebarrybell

Image Credits
Ashley Tabler Photography
All Trades Design Co.