Sass&peril charms with creative designs
There is nothing better than a gift made from the heart or, in sass&peril’s case, a gift by owner Shannon Kennedy printed for the brassy and brazen in mind.
Furry faces · The line of animal screenprints, especially the Red Fox screenprint, are sass&peril’s best-selling items. Appealing to people of all ages, the cute masterpieces showcase owner Shannon Kennedy’s endless creativity and passion for creating individual stories behind every print. – Courtesy of Shannon Kennedy
Sass&peril is a creative studio specializing in handcrafted goods including screenprinted paper and textiles. The store, which began as a hobby for the owner, has turned into a full-time endeavor. The intricate line of modern art and adornments, such as art prints, greeting cards, pillows, totes and garments, are heavily inspired by animal designs, children trends and mid century Scandinavian style. It can best be described as modern with a playful twist, great for both kids and kids at heart.
“Screenprinting: you can just look at it as a glorified stencil,” Kennedy said. “To put it short and sweet, it’s a stencil and a screen in which you are pulling the ink through the screen to create an image.”
Kennedy has nearly a decade of experience working as a graphic designer in addition to starting her own small business. After numerous years in the corporate design world, she decided to focus on her own art and started screenprinting, a skill she learned while studying graphic design at the University of Central Florida.
With her thriving business and her vibrant and positive attitude, Kennedy has turned a passion for art into a successful career, starting off her local business in Long Beach and expanding worldwide.
“It was neat the first time I sent in an order. I think my first global shop order was in, I want to say Scotland,” Kennedy said. “It was a really big order … It’s neat to know that sass&peril can be purchased in Scotland, Switzerland or even down the street.”
The most popular design out of the entire sass&peril collection is the Red Fox screenprint. This particular design is a 12.5” x 19” poster-sized screenprint on Speckletone White, screened in red, tan and black inks. The Red Fox screenprint catches the eye of a diverse audience, from parents of small children to quirky art collectors. Though Kennedy’s more popular designs are her animal screenprints, her creativity does not stop there. The owner plans to expand her knowledge of screenprinting and graphic design by starting a secondary brand of greeting cards, trying to break away from the same animal designs and move forward in her creativity.
“When someone gives a person my card, they don’t need to throw this away. It’s a piece of art. It was hand-screenprinted the same way everything else in the collection has been done,” Kennedy said.
What makes sass&peril a unique business is the owner’s ability to keep the nature of her craft in perspective. Though sass&peril goods are sold in both local boutiques and stores in different parts of the world, Kennedy never loses the concept behind her craft and gives her best in every design and print.
“It’s starting as what they call a cottage industry,” Kennedy said. “You start small and kind of want to stay that way. I’m not saying that I don’t want to be successful, but I want to be a part of it. I don’t want to shortchange anybody. It’s a quality over quantity sort of deal.”
Sass&peril products are made with the individual customer in mind and not the mass market shopper. As a business owner and a fan of quality over quantity, Kennedy has made it her mission to leave her artistic mark — and not with just a signature on her screenprints, but a personal touch that is crafted from her hands and creativity.
“I want people to remember my designs as well-designed and well-crafted, made with good materials,” Kennedy said. “But with me, the person who designed it is the person who is seeing it through from the very beginning to the very end.”
Ultimately, it’s the handcrafted nature of each product of Kennedy’s line that makes her business unique. There is a story behind each print and that is what makes her products valuable. With a fresh and innovative perspective, sass&peril comes from the mind of an individual who takes the profession to heart, offering a piece of herself through her work.
As a young entrepreneur, Kennedy offers other artists and future business owners her take on turning something you are passionate about into a thriving business.
“Be a sponge,” said Kennedy. “Soak up as much as you can. You may be sitting in class wondering ‘What good is this doing me?’ but every little thing counts. Be thirsty for knowledge and soak it all up.”
As a whole, the sass&peril collection is a fun line of goods with a wide range of products for people of all ages to enjoy.