Painting her own path

Emily Teigland’s days and nights are filled with the arts.

When she’s not in class, currently pursuing 24 credit hours, she’s taking part in any number of her arts-related extracurricular activities. She plays trombone in the jazz band, serves as president for the Book Club, and has started her own business selling miniature painting kits to inspire artistry in others. 

“In the future, I know that I want to be doing something creative,” she says. “When I think of myself in the future, I see myself having many different creative outlets.”

Those outlets have deep roots. Born in Singapore and raised in Eagan, Minnesota, Teigland grew up in a home where creativity was a daily practice. 

“I was raised in a family that emphasized the importance of access to art supplies and the importance of always creating,” Teigland says. “My house was full of musical instruments, and there was always pen and paper nearby.”

As she grew older, that access began to feel less like a given and more like a gift she wanted to share with others.

“As I started school and as I got older, it became increasingly important for me to share [art] with as many people as possible,” she says.

Art as community and connection

That impulse became tangible in 2020 during her first year of high school. Stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Teigland began mailing small painting kits to friends and family.

“The mini painting kits themselves were born out of a necessity to connect with other people through art, during a time when we couldn't really do that,” she says.

What began as a simple gesture quickly grew. With her mother’s encouragement, Teigland began selling her painting kits to others on Etsy. After making 20 kits, they quickly sold out.

“When I launched the first few, I expected them to take a while, and I was pleasantly surprised when they sold out in two days,” she says. “I was so excited that they were going to anybody at all. I wasn't even thinking about this project as a business. I was just really glad that I could share that with other people who wanted to create something.” 

Today, her company, Lavender Chai Co., and her kits have been in 200 stores across the United States, Canada and Europe. Each kit contains watercolor or gouache paint, paper and instructions for creating a tiny painting approximately the size of a Polaroid. The designs include plants, nature scenes, animals and more. Most of the paint kits cost $5.

For Teigland, the mission of her work remains to increase access to art supplies and encourage everyone’s inner artist. 

“When I get to see the art that other people are creating with the kits that I'm making, I feel a great sense of pride,” Teigland says. “The fact that they've broken down a barrier to take out the painting kit and grab a paintbrush and create something of their own without lines or a pre-drawn artwork.”

Connecting in the classroom

Teigland has explored her analytical side through her coursework at Minnesota Carlson. Because of her experience with her business, Teigland decided to major in marketing.

Balancing life as a student and a small business owner can be challenging. Most undergraduate students at Minnesota Carlson, including Teigland, do not have classes on Fridays so they can work or pursue internships. Teigland says this schedule has helped her maintain a balance.

Another way she finds balance is through her other creative outlets, such as the jazz band and the Book Club. Playing trombone, for instance, is one of her favorite ways to create art and escape the day-to-day grind.

“During a week when I'm not really feeling inspired to create anything, sitting in that ensemble and getting to see and hear everybody else kind of in their element and making music allows me to kind of turn my brain off and immerse myself in art that other people are making and being in the moment,” she says.

For the Book Club, Teigland runs the club’s Instagram account and leads discussions on the group’s monthly read.

Through these connections, Teigland is making connections and finding a community to make the most of her time at the University.

That freedom to pursue jazz and books as extracurriculars, as well as marketing and entrepreneurship in the classroom, has defined her time on campus. 

“The best part about being here is that I've gotten to explore so many different things that I love, and learn so much about all of these different things that I love,” she says.

While studying at Minnesota Carlson has helped Teigland continue to grow Lavender Chai, it’s also opened doors for her to explore other potential career paths. Teigland, who is on track to graduate this spring after three years at Minnesota Carlson, has completed marketing internships at Caponi Art Park in Eagan and at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.

“Being around other people is what feeds that creative output,” she says. “I don't think I'll ever stop being inspired by the people that I meet and the places that I go.”