Gypsy Java

Hi.  I am Vanessa and I have been an art teacher for 17 years.  I was born and raised in the Portage Lakes, a town south of Akron, Ohio and when I was 24, I moved to Tampa, Florida.  In the summer of 2015, my grandfather, who was an entrepreneur and successful Akron businessman, passed away and my daughter and I flew to Akron to attend the funeral.  We stayed for most of the summer, to be with family and to grieve my grandfather.  That summer redirected my passion for the arts and made me a woman on a mission.

In July, my daughter and I flew back to Tampa, and it was the first time since I had left the Portage Lakes in 1999, that my heart ached for my hometown.  That summer, I had reconnected with the artists, writers, and musicians that had been scarce when I was living there.  The Portage Lakes are full of people who work hard, survive hard winters, and are the salt of the earth.  As I discovered this summer, they are also the sculptors, poets, and guitarists that keep the soul of the Lakes alive. 

And we need a space—to create, collaborate, and present our work.  We need an environment that draws the artists, writers, and musicians to come and share ideas over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.  We need excellent WiFi, good coffee, and great conversation about art. 

If you contribute to Gypsy Java, you will be helping a town get in touch with its local arts community.  You will be helping foster the arts in a community that is slowly losing its art outlets.  You would be at the beginning of building a strong and vibrant arts community in the Portage Lakes.

Funding Gypsy Java

I am attempting to raise $75,000 dollars to cover the costs of opening a new business.  The building, the renovations, the licensing, the machinery, the inventory, the entertainment—all of these things are the fundamentals of why I am trying to raise money.  The more visceral reason that I want to try and fund all this money through this campaign is so that I can devote all my energy and focus towards hiring excellent people, creating a unique and inviting space, and making this a worthwhile venture for the people of the Portage Lakes to enjoy and celebrate their local artists, writers, and musicians, without the pressure of a bank loan due date.  Those due dates have a way of taking attention off what is truly important and it can warp the vision.

With each contribution, there are different levels of perks.  Shout outs, t-shirts, coffee mugs are just small ways that I can say thank you for being part of building something wonderful.

If we don’t reach our goal of $75,000, the money we do raise will go first towards the purchasing of equipment, like espresso machines and sound systems, and for renovations and construction. 

The Impact of Gypsy Java

This creative endeavor is to promote the business of art in the Portage Lakes community.  I mean to facilitate the creation of a space that fosters the creative culture, whatever form that it takes, in my hometown.  The Portage Lakes has a rich, colorful history, with lore and stories available at every pub.  I would like those stories to include its artists, writers, and musicians. 

I am an art teacher.  I value the education and enlightenment of others, above all things.  It is my sincere hope to involve all level of artists in the Portage Lakes community in Gypsy Java.  From the school-aged artists to the professionals, I want them included in the culture at Gypsy Java. For 17 years, I have collaborated and conversed with thousands of young people on different parts of their art journey, be it beginner or advanced.  I can manage a classroom with minimal effort and I can inspire the most skeptical pre-teen to create great works.  My ability to organize, problem-solve, and overcome adversity are legendary, in my classroom and beyond.  I am driven to succeed because I believe that this endeavor is a worthy one.

Risks & Challenges

Risks: 

·   Financial:  I am using my retirement and personal funds to get this project off the ground. 

·  Personal:  I am leaving my family, home, and career in Tampa, FL for over a year to create Gypsy Java.

·  Emotional:  It is scary to step out of what is normal in your life and take a risk.  I tell everyone that I am terrified, but in a good way.

Challenges:

·   Financial:  Starting and running a successful business requires money and the ability to manage money.

·  Changing fields:  I was trained as an educator, not a business person.  I will have to learn an entirely new career and perspective in order to become a successful business owner.

·  Leaving my family in Florida:  I will leave my daughter and husband in Florida to open and run Gypsy Java for over a year.  Trying to parent from a distance is going to require amazing amounts of communication and patience.

Skills to overcome obstacles:

·  Creative-problem solving:  My students call me a “recovery artist” because I can recover from any kind of perceived disaster—like a spilled paint tray on a final work or a broken sandal strap during first period.  Problems are just an opportunity for me to put my creativity to work.

·  Hard work:  Most people consider “work” a dirty word, but work builds self-esteem and confidence.  I enjoy putting in the work because it yields growth, be it physical, spiritual, or emotional.  I will work until I fall down from exhaustion and I attribute that trait to being raised in the Portage Lakes.  It is one of the qualities I value most about myself.

·  Organization:  There is no chaos or mess that I cannot put to order. 

·  Communication:  I work with over 220 children a day and my communication skills have to be top-notch to keep everything running smoothly.  Clear communication helps to eliminate undue stress for children, their parents, other teachers, and administrators.  I leave nothing unsaid and my students appreciate that honesty.  “Do you want me to be nice or be honest?” is what I ask them when they come to me for advice on their work.  100% of the time they say “Be honest.” 

Other Ways You Can Help Gypsy Java

·  Get the word out!  Post this campaign on your social media and talk about Gypsy Java when you are out and about in the community.

·  If you know artists, musicians, and writers in the Portage Lakes, lead them to me.  I want to show their work and have them perform.

·  When we open, come have a cup of coffee and chat with me.