The Full Story
About Us
We met in a basement, at a house show, during a Grind core night.
Alexa Strotman
I am an artist from Ames, Iowa and I love to create art in many different mediums. A lot of my work is inspired by punk and alternative fashion and culture. I started as a makeup artist when I was in Highschool, I would work at halloween stores and do girls prom makeup as my side hustle for awhile. I grew up going to emo shows and I found myself really obsessed with emo and scene subculture when I was young and the music has been a huge part of my life fashion wise. With punk, goth, emo and other alternative subcultures, Finding new genres or artists to inspire me and incorporating that into my art and fashion is a great way to keep things unique and a great way to find things that inspire you. It had also inspired me in my first venture when I was first out of high school, i was working at a Tattoo Shop/Hair Salon as a hairstylist! At this time I had a lot of opportunities to work within my comfort zone. A lot of cool people who wanted unique colored hair or crazy haircuts, this definitely was one of my favorite parts of being a hairstylist. Doing hair came with its setbacks… A lot of social pressures and bending backwards for people you don't even really like. It was exhausting, then I accidentally started Swe3t T00th with Colleen my last year of doing hair. I am so glad I made the choice to be a full time business owner and artist. I have so much time to work on things that make me truly happy with my own standards and goals. I finally feel free in life and get the opportunity to still be around the people I think are cool. I just make their clothes now instead of dying their hair.
Colleen Luksetitch
I am from Cedar Rapids Iowa and I would say to anyone who is looking to sell their work but are either scared or not sure where to start, get connected with friends and people who know what they're doing and do it! The world needs more artists, the world needs more people doing what they love because they love it and not for any other reason. I know that, although this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life thus far I wouldn't change it for the world, it has gotten me to where I am today and for that I'm very grateful. I've definitely grown the most as a person, an artist, and now a business owner due to Alexa and I taking a leap. "I've always been told this growing up, but I'm a perfectionist and my parents always tried to tell me that you know don't strive to be perfect, but strive to be good. I've definitely made things that I don't necessarily like how they turn out in the end, but I just know that someone else will see the beauty of it and I'll sell it and I wish I could go back and just tell my older self that it's OK to be rejected, not everyone's going to like your work but that's OK because your art isn't for them. It's for the people who do understand it and see the beauty in it even if I'm not totally happy with how I finished something.
