Mariz Bangayan always had this entrepreneur side to her. She started by reselling random items like cases and clothes but during this pandemic, she turned to creating handmade crafts.
By the time she released her crafts she made using resin in her shop, Shenanigans, it was all sold out and there were even requests for customized orders. However, as much as she is grateful, she can’t help but think that people underestimate the time and effort that it takes to create resin products. Underneath her delicate handcrafted products are dozens and dozens of failed attempts.
While she’s starting, she discovers that resin takes about 12-24 hours to pure, it emits harmful fumes, and the materials used are expensive. There were many times that she would like to give it up because of how time-consuming it is. Out of her dozens of attempts, four only worked and it seems like a waste if she did not try to do something about those four. Thus, Mariz posted it on her social media account and was surprised when people want to buy it. Then that is when Shenanigans started to bloom. However, due to this academic year, she abandoned resin for now and turned to less time-consuming crafts like beaded bracelets and necklaces.
What struck me the most was how optimistic Mariz is. “‘Pakonti-konti. May bumibili sa akin ng 20 pesos. Sa akin sobrang laking achievement na may bumili [kahit] 25 or 50 pesos. Kay sa wala. Kay sa wala kang nakuha.” she stated. Moreover, Mariz assures that each person that buys her crafts gets quality products even if it would take her weeks, sometimes months, to finish it. She had seen strangers referring her crafts to their friends and she knew that it was because they trusted her that she can create great work. “[Sinasabi ko sa customer,] pag-nakita kong hindi siya nagwo-work (the product) ide-delay natin. Next time mo na kunin sa akin. Gusto ko maganda makukuha mo. Kung meron kang hindi magustuhan dun sa piece na ginawa ko, ulitin natin. Kaya ‘yung iba kapag nagrerequest, it takes me weeks, months bago ko, maipakita ‘yung final output ko sa kanila kasi gusto ko okay na.”
Lastly, through her story, she wants to show people that there is money in arts. But also, don’t think that you aren't an artist just because you aren’t making money out of your work. A few years ago, Mariz Bangayan was discouraged to pursue arts because "there wasn't any money from it", hence she took up BS Entrepreneurship. But today, she’s a professional makeup artist, she owns Shenanigans—which she manages all on her own—and a BS Interior Design student.
Mariz Bangayan says that she wanted to show her story and show people that they can do it too. She did not magically become good and started selling her work. She started from scratch and zero knowledge about resin. But because of her failures, she had been able to learn and create quality work. —Claire Hernandez/The Freehand Feature
FB: xshenaniganx
IG: @x.shenanigans.x | @makeupbymacheeze
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