Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Clifford. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jennifer, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience is definitely something I’ve had to work on over the years. Ultimately, it comes from many sources. The first is my passion for what I do and why I do it. I love being self-employed and working as an artist. When things get tough, I reconnect with why I started this business in the first place—freedom and creativity—which helps reset my drive.
Over time, I’ve learned that challenges are just part of the process, and they actually serve as opportunities to grow. I don’t think I would have lasted this long if it weren’t for those challenges. They force you to creatively problem-solve and pay attention to what is working. As simple as that sounds, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s working, especially as a creative with so many ideas all the time.
Also, staying connected with my customers and audience helps me push through tough times. Seeing the joy my art brings them is the best feeling.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Hi, I’m Jennifer Clifford, the artist behind Adventures in Collage, a fine art, paper, and gift company based in San Francisco, California. I’m a certified interior designer who transitioned into a full-time art career in 2013 after discovering my passion for collage art.
What started as a hobby soon grew into a full-time art career as I melded the papers I collected on my travels with the vibrant textiles and wallpapers I loved from my design work. Collage art became my way of preserving memories, combining everything from maps and ticket stubs to everyday beauty. Each new piece led to the next, and before long, I had found my thing.
By 2013, I left corporate America and moved into a studio in North Beach, San Francisco, where my art and accessories are now sold in stores across the U.S. and collected by customers worldwide.
Each original collage is handmade, scanned, and digitally edited to create a collection of elevated art prints and gifts.
Beyond creating my own art, I’m deeply passionate about helping other artists thrive at craft markets and develop profitable product lines.
You can learn more about my process and journey at http://jenniferclifford.net, and follow me on Instagram at @adventures_in_collage.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the most impactful factors in my journey have been defining what success means to me, resilience, adaptability, and balancing creativity with business skills.
Defining what success looks like to you is the most important. It’s easy to get caught up in external definitions—sales, recognition, or social media metrics—but true success is personal, and it can vary widely from artist to artist.
Resilience comes next. The art world is full of ups and downs—slow sales, creative blocks, rejections—but having the strength to keep going, learn from failures, and stay motivated has been essential. To develop this, I’d advise new artists to embrace failure as part of the process. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow and improve.
Adaptability is also crucial. Trends shift, customer preferences change, and your creative vision can evolve over time. The ability to pivot, try new things, and stay open to learning has helped me grow, both creatively and in business. For those early in their journey, I suggest staying curious and always being willing to experiment—whether with new techniques, markets, or business strategies.
Finally, balancing creativity with business acumen has been invaluable. As much as I love creating, understanding the business side—pricing, marketing, and customer engagement—is what allowed me to turn my passion into a full-time career. My advice is to start small, and keep your expenses low while figuring out what you love to create and what resonates with customers. Build gradually, learning about the business side as you go. Seek mentors, take courses, and don’t shy away from investing in knowledge that will help you grow as both an artist and an entrepreneur.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Yes, I’m definitely open to collaborating and partnering with like-minded individuals and businesses! I’m particularly interested in collaborating with:
Fellow artists: I love working with artists and are passionate about helping others thrive. Whether it’s co-hosting workshops, or sharing audiences through collaborative art projects or events.
Creative brands: I’m looking to partner with brands, especially those related to fine art, travel, and lifestyle. Whether it’s brand partnerships for product development, licensing opportunities, sponsored content, or creating exclusive artwork for your brand, I’m open to exploring creative ways we can collaborate.
Podcasts and Interviews: I’m always excited to share my journey and insights with a broader audience. If you host a podcast or conduct interviews on topics like art, creativity, entrepreneurship, or craft markets, I’d love to be a guest and discuss these topics in depth.
If you’re interested in collaborating, feel free to reach out to me via email at info@jenniferclifford.net or DM me on Instagram at @adventures_in_collage. Let’s explore how we can create something exciting together!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://jenniferclifford.net
- Instagram: @adventures_in_collage
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