Elyssa Dorf is the Founder and Creative Director of Cheery Designs, a design centric lifestyle brand and creative studio. Elyssa grew up in Westchester New York and now resides with her husband on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Adding color and eccentric design to everything from wall art, apparel, to face masks, Elyssa has made it her mission to spread cheer and add color to people’s lives. Elyssa runs Cheery Designs in her free time, and she’s a huge advocate of art and color in particular, and champions its role in being boosters to mental health and wellbeing. Cheery is intended to provide high style art that is accessible to all. From pop art for the home to trend focused product design, Cheery is meant to spread as much joy to the owner, as Elyssa feels when creating her art and designs.

In today’s episode, Elyssa shares her journey to Cheery Designs. Growing up, competitive freestyle skiing was everything to her, and she thought it would never end, until she suffered a crash landing and a bad concussion. After recovering, it was decided she would never ski jump again. It was a devastating conclusion, and after many months in the dark recovering, she was well enough to come back to the light. It wasn’t easy though. She hadn’t spoken to her friends in a year, she lost her teammates, and she was no longer able to fulfill her dream of becoming an Olympic skier. Elyssa decided to revise her love for art, and it quickly became her everything. As Elyssa shares, she lost her identity as a skier, but she solidified her identity as an artist and designer. Today, Cheery is an expression of hope, love, color and cheer. It’s a safe haven where only positivity is shared, and the art Elyssa creates is meant to spread happiness, allow you to pause, and just feel good. Her products are meant to inspire, and bringing joy to others brings Elyssa joy. That’s what Cheery is here for.

“Looking back, as horrible as the accident was, it was a turning point that shaped where I am now in my career, and who I am as an artist.”

— Elyssa Dorf

Tune in on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bZHrtjAzbksbLWNaak1NM

Tune in on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-of-inspiring-joy/id1510488632

To learn more about Elyssa Dorf and Cheery Designs visit her website: www.cheerydesigns.com, Facebook @withacheeryontop or Instagram @withacheeryontop For 25% off Elyssa’s Cheery Art, use code INSPIRINGJOY at checkout.

Stories of Inspiring Joy is a production of Seek The Joy Media and created by Sydney Weiss. To learn more and submit your story, click here.