Bless Groome

Hello! My name is Bless, but you can also call me Jazz and I’m a year 12 student on the west coast of New Zealand who owns a small business on Etsy.

I grew up in a family of artists, my whole family is artistic in some sense of the word! My Mother and Uncle are both realism painters, my Dad is a really good realistic sketcher and my Aunty is an amazing interior designer. When I was little I’d always draw and paint with my mother. You should have seen my childhood birthday parties- they were insane! I grew up with art!

However, around the age of 8, I did give it up for a while. I felt like my art wasn’t good enough because my family was so amazing. I really regret that now. I wonder what my art could have been today if I hadn’t given up those five years. Since then, I’ve never given up on a piece.

My art is usually digital art but I do find myself on a paper and pen sketching away. The funny thing is, I forget I’m not using my iPad and try to zoom into the paper! Most of my art is fan art. In fact, one of my favourite shows -Project 863- is how I started my small business. I started making fan merch and so my journey began. I also get inspiration from music and podcasts. How musicians tell stories through their music, for instance, The Oh Hellos an indie-folk band tell classical stories through their music, through a form of art.

I also do post pieces of art to raise awareness, my most recent being about the situation in Ukraine. Those designs are stickers that I sell in my store. I donate the proceeds from those stickers, directly to the Ukraine crisis fund. I am planning to do some LGBTQ designs and all of the proceeds from these designs will go towards an organisation.

My opinion is that art is a way of expression, a way to get emotions on paper.

In 10 years' time, I hope to have a little batch in the countryside. Just close enough to drive into a town. A room dedicated to art and craft. My Etsy shop would be a full-time job. I’d also work in design and tech part-time. I would have a few animals, some chickens and a couple of bunnies and a cattle or two to keep me company!

Never give up. I know everybody says that, but I’m dead serious. I really regret losing those five years of time where I could have progressed in my art, seriously don’t give up. I know it might be frustrating, and I know it might suck but trust me you will get there.

Bless now has over 600 followers on Instagram! Go check out her account @bessgroome to see her amazing artwork and upcoming projects!