Ailey Blystone (she/her/hers) is a Filipina creative residing in San Fransisco, California.
In this interview, she tells us about her earrings boutique, Tellagal, and what inspires her to create!
Follow Ailey at: @aileyblystone
Check out Tellagal at: @tella_gal
and https://tellagal.com/ Email Ailey at: tellagalboutique@gmail.com
Q: Introduce yourself briefly and tell us where you are from!
My name is Ailey Layson Blystone. I was born in Pampanga, Philippines and moved to Kentucky, USA when I was about 10 years old. I went to the University of Kentucky for a Bachelor’s in Human Nutrition. I am currently living in San Francisco, CA attending the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry as a third year dental student. I got married to the most amazing man I know at 23. I love to go on coffee dates with people and just talk about life. I love and miss my family back home, I have my hard working parents there, my 3 siblings and brother-in-law.
Q: Introduce your creation/project/business. What sparked and influenced you into creating it?
My business is selling handmade polymer clay earrings. I design and make them with my hands. I love the idea of making my hands useful, especially because I am going to be a dentist. I like that it combines fashion, art, and hand skills. Entrepreneurship has always been my passion, besides dentistry. This hobby/small business combines all my favorite things. I’ve tried selling clothes before (wholesale into a boutique), but it was harder to handle. I like that I can be more personal with these earrings and be as creative as I can be. It allows me to express myself, my fashion, and connect with other girls who like the same style. I work really hard on these earrings; it can take a few days to finish and perfect a batch/collection at a time, but it’s also very therapeutic. There are plenty of polymer clay earring makers out there and all are beautiful and talented girls! They influence and inspire me to make more!
Q: Where do you see your future as a creative? What and who do you hope you help or inspire?
In the future, I actually want to be a social influencer! It’s so challenging to do that now while in dental school, but I know it can be done. I hope to inspire people from all backgrounds to travel, live life in a joyful way, cook more, be more artsy, discover themselves, and more! It would also be fun to talk about marriage with my husband, I think a lot of people our age are always curious what it’s like to be married at a ‘younger’ age.
Q: What advice can you give to creatives of color, especially Filipinx creatives out there?
Just keep following your dreams. No one can stop you from reaching your goals except yourself. You need to focus on the positives of things and not look at others who may already be where you want to be, you just need to keep going. Giving it all to God and trusting in Him will always lead to the correct path!
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just want to thank the Walang Hiya Project for collabing with me and others! This is such an awesome community. To be around people who share the same goals and inspirations is really I look forward to! Thank you so much!
Interview conducted by Walang Hiya Project founder Isabel Angeles.