2024 Year in Review
In August of 2023 with just 2 of us, Abby and I, founded Expression Body Art & Design. By the end of 2023 there was a team of 7 artists, as we added Kerry, Lauren, Audrey B, Alli and Lila. We began 2024 with a few more artists in training. By early summer 2024 we had added: Karla, Eli, Karen, Tori, Audrey M, and Katie. As the summer transitioned into fall, we added yet another artist, Isabel. All I can say is that this, now family, has grown into a team of talented, creative, artistic and AMAZING individuals that I am SOOOOOOOO proud to work alongside. We will be welcoming a few more artists that will be training this winter to be ready for our spring season. Look for those announcements on our socials.
In 2024 I asked Lauren to be our Training Coordinator and just recently asked Karen to be the Business & Best Practices Advisor. We now have an established Leadership Team. Our core philosophy is to work and think as a TEAM, what is best for the greater collective over the self. As we continue to grow and expand our services, we needed a steady infrastructure of leaders ready to seamlessly balance our training, quality review, events and wellness. As training and creativity are essential to this team, so is personal health and wellness. We work on keeping each other mentally and emotionally balanced to bring out the best in what we offer in service to our public.
- Holly: Co-Founder/Owner/Artist
Marketing, Community Outreach, Brand Manager, Event Scheduler/Coordinator, Accounts Payable - Abigial: Co-Founder/Artist
Eastern Illinois University Event Coordinator - Lauren: Artist
Face Painting & Henna Training Coordinator - Karen: Artist
Business & Best Practices Advisor
We are all looking forward to a very energetic 2025, but as I am reflecting on 2024, I can honestly say I was blown away from all the opportunities and lessons learned. This family of creative and uniquely individual artists is a team I am so proud to be a part of. Witnessing these artists grow in their creativity and confidence has been a privilege. Seeing those “Ah Ha….” moments is inspiring. Watching each of these beautiful humans express joy and gratitude at events fills my heart in ways I cannot fully explain.
2024 Holiday Team Party [not pictured: Kerry, Eli and Isabel]
To those businesses, organizations, individuals and groups that took a chance on this new business this past year, we were honored to be in service to you. From rain, excessive heat, wind, cold…we were out and present at Central Illinois’ events! While “GRATITUDE IS OUR ATTITUDE” is part of our brand, but that statement is impactful for us because we ALL express gratitude in our hearts for these amazing opportunities to work as a collective of artists while filling our soul with service to our community and beyond.
2024 brought us many challenges as well as much joy. We learned so much about what worked, what didn’t work, how to effectively communicate, and always looking at ways to improve. In 2025 we are adding additional training and workshops for the current artists as well as a onboarding structure for new artists being added. The leadership team is also attending the MAX Conference in March 2025 to collaborate and learn from artists all over the country. Stay tuned for new services to be added this spring as well.
A reflection of 2024 would consist of GRATITUDE, JOY, HARD WORK, FLEXIBLITY, COMPASSION, EMPATHY, TEAM BUIDLING, IMPROVEMENTS, LESSONS LEARNED, CONFIDENCE BUILDING, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, and FUN!!! We will take this energy into 2025, that is for certain!
