Today we’d like to introduce you to Aline Rich-Tschurtschenthaler.
Hi Aline, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Aline (Ah-lean). I am an artist born and raised in Zermatt, Switzerland. I have been living in and around the states for about 7 years. I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. My grandma taught me how to paint when I was a kid, she was an incredible artist herself. I always knew I wanted to become an artist, but wasn’t exactly sure in what direction I wanted to go. I went to a graphic design school back home in Switzerland, because it was the only art school in my state. Graphic design seemed the best way to get into art in Switzerland, and I am grateful for all the knowledge I acquired, it was extremely helpful later on to help build my small business, but graphic design as my main career, wasn’t for me.
Ceramics came into play later on because of a spare plate, a friend’s suggestion, some luck, and a lot of research. I am grateful everything happened the way it did, and now I am here, doing what I love the most: painting. Over the past few years, I was able to evolve from painting ceramics, going back to my roots of pencil drawing, learning how to paint digitally, and using all these different skills to diversify what I offer in my shop. I started doing a few local markets and then I was able to get a table at the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, a traveling expo showcasing spooky and unusual artists and vendors all around the country. The year after, I was able to get booths in 6 different cities, and this coming year I will be selling my art in 14 different cities in 12 different states all year round. Besides vending at markets, I also sell my art wholesale to mainly witchy stores and have an Etsy shop.
House of Hex = Hexenhaus /ˈhæksen/ [haːu̯z̥]
The name House of Hex is a combination of the german word for Witch House and the English word hex. Hexe also means witch in german. I wanted to combine both of my homes, America and Switzerland, and their languages. Ever since I was a little kid, my dream has been to own a victorian/ witch house, that was the inspiration behind the name. I grew up watching Charmed with my mom every day after school and my grandma gave me a Sabrina the teenage witch doll house, which sparked my interest in witches and victorian architecture. My business name is really sentimental to me. Art and victorian architecture and design have always been my biggest passions and I am so happy I now get to combine both.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Getting to where I am now, has been a long and bumpy road, and it still is, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My biggest struggle has been to figure out in what direction I even wanted to go, and what my options were. Growing up in Switzerland, in my opinion, there weren’t as many options for artists to make a living as there are here. The culture around art and small businesses is very different. My best chance would probably have been to become a graphic designer, but I hated the thought of working in an office. As mentioned before, I went to graphic design school. After that, I was able to move to America, where I did two internships at graphic design and branding agencies in Florida and Los Angeles. They taught me so many helpful lessons, that I, later on, could implement into my small business, but I struggled a lot with being in an office, having a set schedule, and not losing interest in projects that weren’t a subject that I was interested in. I also knew I really wanted to be my own boss.
The 6-year long immigration process, paperwork, cost of it, and mental stress aside, I really love living in the states and all the new possibilities I have here, Artistic jobs, that I didn’t know existed, and like-minded people. After I finished my internship in Los Angeles, I knew I didn’t want to stay in graphic design, but because of the immigration process, I wasn’t allowed to work for about 7 months, til I got my green card and work permit. That was a really tough time, especially trying to figure out what I wanted to do next and how I will be able to make a living. The following year after I got my green card, I tried my hand at tattooing, something I always had a huge passion for. This was incredibly hard for me and I felt like an absolute failure. I was so hard on myself for giving up on tattooing, that I almost gave up on art as a whole. But then, after my friend suggested it, I painted on a spare plate for fun, but people ended up wanting to buy them. This finally gave me some hope again, and I decided to give it another shot. I was able to grow from it. Expand my products from painted ceramics to art prints and then other items with my art on them, like blankets, scarves, and more. I started doing markets around the whole country and wholesale my items to shops around the country and Australia. It’s a lot of hard work, but I am excited to see my business grow and live my dream of being my own boss and doing art full-time. As cheesy as it sounds, never give up on your dreams!
At this point, I need to give a huge thank you to my husband, without him all of this wouldn’t have been possible. He supported me during this whole crazy journey. Helped me during tough times, cheered me on when I was about to give up, and never stopped believing in me. Thank you, Keaton.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am definitely most known for my hand-painted tea sets and mugs. But besides that, I also draw portraits of icons from horror or witchy movies. I switch between traditional painting, pencil drawing, and digital art. My shop is spooky, witchy, and Halloween all year round and I am trying to offer items at different price points, all to make your home and yourself feel cozy and comfortable. Struggling with a lot of anxiety myself, I want my brand to make people feel comfortable and homey. Snuggle up with one of my blankets, and drink a hot tea while you watch your comfort shows and turn off your worries.
Contact Info:
- Website: houseofhexshop.etsy.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/house.of.hex
- Facebook: facebook.com/houseofhex/
- Other: tiktok.com/@house.of.hex
