The Dream of Chasing Beauty for Dayton Artists and Beyond!

Almost an entire year ago, I had this crazy idea: why don’t I sell my small business and have no plan of what I would like to do next? I knew at the time that I had achieved everything I had wanted from my small business. It had reached a growth point where it was either I invest all of my time to keep it afloat or drift into constantly not meeting my customers’ needs. I had owned my small soap shop within 2nd Street Market for 10 years and knew that it had been exactly what I needed in that season of my life. It gave me a creative outlet as well as gave me a community and also the thing no one likes to say in the creative world for some reason, a steady paycheck. It was a reliable partner for so many years, but my restless Sagittarius soul just couldn’t be content. My spirit wouldn’t ever settle for “good enough.” There was always an unseen gravity pulling me in a different direction.

The day that I found two passionate women to take over Fox in Socks Soapery was the day that I decided to pursue my forbidden passion, art. While having absolutely no ability or skill in creating my own work, I found my passion led me in a quite unique path. Thus, Chasing Beauty Media became the dream living rent-free in my mind. As I met local artists here in Dayton, in my favorite city, Detroit, and on my solo travels, I found that there was beauty in sharing their art and their stories. I wanted to create a space for them to express themselves and not have to worry about the business of it all. I wanted to create an ecosystem where creativity could not only live, but thrive.

CBM is more than just a blog; it is a place to come and be inspired! Let me share some things I learned as a small business owner, let me share inspiration as I chase my own beauty through solo travel, good food, and artists of all kinds that I meet along the way. Join me in building community through authentic connections and new challenging ideas.

It took me a while to decide what I wanted Chasing Beauty Media to become. Like many creatives, I tend to dream big. Very BIG! I get swept away in the glorious creative tornado that comes with a fresh idea, where every possibility feels exciting and absolutely attainable. But, after nearly a year of planning, reflecting, and refining, that dream has become much clearer.

At its heart, Chasing Beauty Media exists to shine a light on the artists whose stories deserve to be told.

I want to introduce you to the talented regional artists I discover while traveling and exploring my own community. I want to visit their studios, hear their stories, share their work, and celebrate the passion that drives them to create!

But CBM isn't just about artists.

It's about inspiring creativity wherever we find it. It's about the places that leave us in awe, the venues whose atmosphere is too good not to share, the small towns filled with unexpected galleries, and the conversations that remind us why making things matters.

I hope to build a community that extends beyond this website through artist interviews, inspiration trips, creative salons and meetups, and conversations about the techniques, habits, and ideas that help artists and writers grow in their craft.

Most importantly, I want this to feel human.

In a world increasingly filled with content generated in seconds, I want Chasing Beauty Media to be very human. Every story, interview, photograph, and article is something I want to experience firsthand and write in my own voice. I believe that stories are everywhere. In pieces of art, in the places I travel, every person that I meet, and even as hokey as it sounds… every tree I touch. I think that is what makes life so beautiful. There is beauty in curiosity & connection. I hope you find a home here. A cozy place where you can find some peace and a spark of joy to ignite your soul.

So welcome to Chasing Beauty Media!

I'm glad you're here, and I hope you'll join me as we chase beauty together.

What does it really mean to chase beauty?

For me, it means paying attention to the small, seemingly ordinary things that so many of us pass by each day. It's the feeling you get when you stumble upon a new favorite café, wander into a gallery you didn't know existed, or travel somewhere that changes your perspective. It's the magic of connecting with someone over a shared passion or hearing the story behind a work of art that forever changes the way you see it.

Chasing beauty is a reminder that the world is more creative, hopeful, and connected than we often realize.

Tell me where you find your beauty!