Meet Melina Daniels | Artist, Designer & co-owner of Common Good co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melina Daniels and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

We started Common Good co based on a vision God gave us for creating a space for artist to sell their work and grow in their creative callings. We never imaged ever owning a retail space. We traveled the south selling our own fine art & ceramics in various markets & galleries. We also taught extensive workshops on art and entrepreneurship. The dream of owning our own gallery came several decades earlier when God opened the doors for us to have the opportunity to purchase a historical 100 year old building in downtown Boone.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We started Overflow Studios in 2013, the year Jacob and I got married. It was a multi-tier creative business that encompassed our art, prints and ceramics. My husband and I are painters initially, I began working in ceramics as a way to put my illustrations on ceramic tableware; plates, mugs, bowls, etc. The ceramic studio grew larger than I expected it to and I started to have interns and employees help create the products so I could illustrate them between firings. The joy of creating a beautiful tablescape was part of the pleasure in creating ceramics, seeing how the plate paired with the linens, glasses and flowers were part of the install process.

Challenges grew as we had more children, we would take our 2 small boys to shows and art receptions and studio time grew more rare between naps. In 2018 we bought a broken foreclosed house with no heating source/running water and have been renovating it ever since. In 2019 we bought a 3 story, 100 year old building that similarly required all of our efforts to get it up to code and beautiful. We were DIY renovators with very little finances, so as our studio time was put to the side, we poured all of our creativity & design into buildings and homes.

After our 4th child, Amelia Sparrow, I decided to sell the large ceramic studio and keep the smaller kiln for earrings. The creative install process has moved into larger installs for interior design and retail displays. I put all of my passion for creativity into creating spaces through our interior design firm, Common Good Interiors and retail displays in Common Good co. & The Brave Fox (our children’s boutique in Blowing Rock). I’ve learned that while your mediums and studio practices may change with seasons it’s never impossible to still create something beautiful & purposeful for it’s time and place. Something that inspires other to do the same, create for the sake of the good, the true and the beautiful.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ooh so fun!

First stop in Boone, Betty’s Biscuit. We would get breakfast at the brand new brick and mortar breakfast nook in Downtown Boone. Beautiful courtyard, gorgeous design, yummy southern breakfast.

Second, pick up a latte from Common Good co. and explore the new art install upstairs.
Wonder around downtown Boone, we’d explore the beautiful racks at Lucky Penny next door then stop by The Horton for a rooftop beverage.

Drive on the parkway to hiking trail Moses Cone and Fire Tower, gorgeous 2.4 mile trek to the top to see 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge and surrounding mountains.

After we’d head to Blowing Rock, stop by The Brave Fox boutique to say hi! Hit the playground across the street if we have any littles with us. Swing by the Speckled Trout for a cocktail, shop the Speckled Trout Outfitters and then head to Bistro Roca for supper.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our story is not possible without Jesus, He opened doors that we could never imagine for us to have a business and building for our family and community to grow in.

We started so small and one step at a time, we thank our Watauga community for supporting us in the early days of selling art at the local farmers market, at pop-up shows and supporting our vision to highlight creativity in the High Country.

Website: https://www.shopcommongood.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/common_good_co