Fuzzy Sharks Reimagine Marine Conservation with Jessica Adanich

Merging professional expertise with a lifelong passion for ocean conservation.

Jessica Adanich shares her journey from a childhood immersed in creativity to founding Fuzzy Sharks and Sharkapalooza, a non-profit art and conservation festival in Florida.

Jessica chats with Claire about the challenges of art school, the resilience required to pivot careers during economic downturns, and the importance of separating personal identity from professional critique. We touch on the scientific theory of biophilia and how Jessica's 'fuzzy shark' soft sculptures help people connect with misunderstood marine life. 

Hear about the bravery involved in moving across the country to follow a dream, the realities of balancing a design agency with passion projects, and why taking a chance on yourself is the ultimate creative act, as well as:

• How art can hit differently than verbal communication in conservation efforts.
• The transition from corporate marketing at Mace to launching an independent design studio.
• Overcoming the fear of failure and the importance of pushing out of your comfort zone.
• The growth of Sharkapalooza from a microbrewery event to a city-wide festival featuring major aquariums and OSEARCH.

Connect with Jessica here.

Find Fuzzy Sharks here.

Transcript

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Jessica Adanich: 0:08

Art school is very difficult in the sense that you are creating something that you feel is you, that you're very connected to. It's your thoughts and ideas and your creation, and then you're judged on it. With ocean conservation, it can be a vehicle to really inspire, change someone's opinion, maybe bring an element that they never thought about or realized or knew. And instead of saying, hey, this is happening, XYZ and verbalizing it, art can be. It can hit a different way. And that's the magic of it. If sharks were fuzzy and cute, would you think about them differently? And that came from the scientific theory of biophilia, which is the theory that we're naturally drawn to things based on how they look. I had promised myself I would never give up on. I'm going to try not to cry on my dream of doing shark art in conservation work.

Claire Waite Brown: 1:04

Hi, I'm Claire. For this podcast, I chat with people who have found or refound their creativity as adults. We'll explore their childhood experiences of the arts, discuss how they came to the artistic practices they now love, and consider the barriers they may have experienced between the two. We'll also explore what it is that people value and gain from their newfound artistic pursuits. I'm chatting with Jessica Adanich. Hi, Jessica. How are you?

Jessica Adanich: 1:35

Good, how are you? I'm so excited to be here.

Claire Waite Brown: 1:38

Me too. Start by telling me what your current creative outlet is.

Jessica Adanich: 1:43

I have a few, but currently the biggest project that I'm working on is a nonprofit art and ocean conservation festival.

Claire Waite Brown: 1:53

Brilliant. I like the. The combination there of art and conservation. We'll get onto that. When you were younger, did creative activities play a part in your life then at home or at school?

Jessica Adanich: 2:07

Oh, yes, it was a massive part of my life. My father's also an artist and a designer. He's now retired, but. But yes, I was out of the womb. If I could have come out with a box of Christmas, I probably would have.

Claire Waite Brown: 2:20

And was that echoed in school as well? Was that something that was encouraged?

Jessica Adanich: 2:25

Yes. I was very blessed and grateful that when I was younger, my parents really gave me every opportunity to try different things. You know, sports, art, and kind of seeing what I took to and what I enjoyed and what I was good at. And art was definitely one of those things. In my art classes, I excelled at them. I did art classes outside of school, always working on something creative at home, it was just something that naturally, it was always in me. Always have to be doing something creative, which now makes sense because that's my life.

Claire Waite Brown: 2:57

Yeah. And what did that mean? After school, were you able to continue with art in maybe further education, if that's where you went?

Jessica Adanich: 3:09

Yes. So I went to college, the Cleveland Institute of Art for originally for automotive design, which is considered industrial design. And my father had gone there, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. And both of my parents actually tried to talk me out of it. Because art school is very difficult in the sense that you are creating something that you feel is you, that you're very connected to. It's your thoughts and ideas and your creation, and then you're judged on it and you're critiqued. And they were very concerned about how I would handle that, if I would handle it well, if it would break me down. But it was honestly the best experience in the sense of now I'm able to do what I do and I'm able to separate someone's critique of my work, that they're not critiquing me personally or who I am as a human being. It's just their opinion. You know, art is very subjective. Design is very subjective and we all have different opinions. And that's one of the wonderful things about it. But throughout the years I've made crazy decisions about my life. But they are my two biggest supporters for it, which is really wonderful.

Claire Waite Brown: 4:11

So what did you come out of college with your qualifications in? Yes.

Jessica Adanich: 4:17

So when I went to the Cleveland Institute of Art, it was a five year school at that time. They based it off of the Bauhaus, which was like the original art school. You get regular courses in design, drawing and painting. And then from there you would apply to your major and get accepted. So two years of foundation. Then I got accepted into industrial design, did automotive design for half a year a semester, then continued the year in regular industrial design, really focusing on toy design, but then ultimately ended up switching my degree to sculpture. So technically my BFA is in sculpture with a minor in glassblowing, which is not at all what I'm. I mean, I'm kind of doing artwork now, but it was not the plan. You know, as they say, you make plans and God laughs. And my parents did not understand that switch. But I felt after being in industrial design that I personally, based on my own world beliefs and view, that I wanted to use my creative powers for something else than just designing coffee pots or hair dryers. I wanted to make a difference in the world. And I went into sculpture and made a lot of very bad art, a lot of things that ended up in the dumpster. But that is where I refound My love for the oceans and everything that's in it. My professor was really phenomenal. I was making art outside of the studio and he said, you need to figure this out because this is getting weird. So I brought it in the studio and that's when I started making artwork to teach people about ocean conservation. And that was back in 2007, which is crazy to think that I'm still doing it now, which is really wonderful.

Claire Waite Brown: 5:50

Okay, so what does that look like, making the art? To talk about conversation. I keep saying conversation. That's not what I mean in my head. To talk about conservation. How does that look, combining the art and that?

Jessica Adanich: 6:05

Well, when you really think about culture and society, art is used throughout many areas. You know, you look at propaganda, news media, even though it's graphic design, it's still a form of art. Even art galleries, public art. I think we've seen a lot more of it in the last decade coming out. And so with ocean conservation, it can be a vehicle to really inspire, change someone's opinion, maybe bring an element that they never thought about or realized or knew. And instead of saying, hey, this is happening. X, Y, Z and verbalizing it, art can be. It can hit a different way. And that's the magic of it. You know, we can be told a lot of things in life, but if it emotionally hits us, then we're going to perceive it differently.

Claire Waite Brown: 6:53

Brilliant. Now, what about finances? What's paying your bills when you leave college and go into the working world?

Jessica Adanich: 7:01

Well, when I graduated in 2009, the economy had crashed and all of my hopes and dreams of wanting to get a graphic design job because when I switched switched majors, I ended up getting an internship in graphic design as a backup plan because I wasn't sure what I was going to be doing in sculpture and I needed a real job. And that started with an internship. And then when I graduated, no one was really hiring. When the economy hurts, marketing design, it's the first to go along with cutting back on sales team. So I worked for a sewing machine shop, selling sewing machines and teaching sewing. And then I went to a commercial real estate company doing graphic design and marketing. Bounced around a few different areas, but ultimately ended up at Mace Pepper Spray running their marketing and design department. I really loved being there because I felt like I was using my graphic design and marketing skills to help promote a product that unfortunately someone would be using if they had to use it in the worst moment of their life, but could save them. And I thought that that was really important work. I wasn't Just selling another gadget in the world. It was self protection.

Claire Waite Brown: 8:12

Yeah. And was that a big. Is this a big company? I mean, I know the name.

Jessica Adanich: 8:17

Yes. So Mace is now. It's kind of like Xerox or Rollerblades or Kleenex, where it's often used as a noun or verb, but it is the original pepper spray, and it's a big, big brand. And they've gone through massive changes throughout the years. So it was a big learning experience, for sure. I wouldn't be again where I am today had I not gotten that job opportunity and learned everything that I did. I ended up, after six years, resigning and starting my own design agency. That's what pays the bills now, along with doing the shark art and the festival. It's a juggling act.

Claire Waite Brown: 8:56

Well, before we get onto the shark art, you moved from Cleveland to Tampa. Why did you want to make that move?

Jessica Adanich: 9:07

Yeah, I. I tell people it was like an early midlife crisis. I can look back and I'm actually reflecting a lot now because we are living in an age where AI is rapidly changing and increasing. And what does that look like for my career and what I do for a living? So looking back, I. I've made few big, very large decisions that ultimately kind of blew up my life, but in a good way. You know, switching my degree in college. Then I think the next biggest one was resigning from Mace with no business plan for my company. I knew how to do my craft really, really well, but I didn't know how to get clients or do sales or quote projects or even set up a company. And another one of those things was deciding to move to the ocean because I had promised myself I would never give up on. I'm going to try not to cry on. My dream of doing shark art in conservation work. And doing that in Ohio was proving very, very difficult. You know, living on a lake, even though it's still a body of water, it's fresh water, landlocked, essentially, you know, out of sight, out of mind. People don't necessarily care about it. So I felt, all right, I'll. I'll move to Tampa. I'll give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, worst case scenario, I can move back home. And I had never been to Tampa. I made a list of cities that had criteria that I wanted. You know, the Carolinas were on there, a few cities in Florida. I prayed a lot about it, but. And I felt that Tampa was a good mix of culture, you know, good youth, professionals, arts. So I sold my house. The Majority of my belongings, loaded up my car and moved with a puppy, which is insane. And got here three months before COVID hit.

Claire Waite Brown: 10:52

Had you had any time to meet anybody before you then had to be locked. Locked down?

Jessica Adanich: 10:59

Yeah, I was strategic about where I moved. The complex that I initially moved to down here was multiple buildings, two story, and they had a dog park. And that was the good thing that I did. Take her out for walks and I was able to meet one person in particular that then she connected me to other friends, which was really great and honestly, life saving because during that time, even though I was in Florida and the weather was nice and we could be outside, the world had still shut down. So now I'm in a city, I don't have my support system with me. I'm in a 600 square foot apartment. Can't really do anything with a new company. So it. Yeah, it was very, very interesting, for sure, to say the least.

Claire Waite Brown: 11:47

Well, it sounds like it's all still in the right place and it's where you want to be. And it did all work out for the best for you.

Jessica Adanich: 11:56

It did. And I think that we go through a lot of challenges in life and especially being a creative. There's times that the universe, God, cupcake in the sky, whatever you believe in, asks us to really believe in ourselves, when maybe no one else will. Or maybe when the world is asking us to give up on our dream and you have to fight for it. And maybe that ultimately doesn't look like the way you thought it would be in the end, but you have to. It's like the ocean. You have to go with the tide. You have to buckle up and, you know, try to navigate your ship the best you can. And things definitely, if you ask me five, ten years ago, if I would be where I am at, I never thought I would leave Ohio. You know, I was gonna live there, die there, be buried there. And now I constantly, I'm like, okay, well, we'll see what. What comes up the road. Because at this point, I don't know what the roadmap has for me. And I'm okay with that. Yeah, most days.

Claire Waite Brown: 12:56

Good for you. So let's talk about your. And you're obviously very impassioned about this. You've already displayed that just in getting emotional about being able to do what you want to do. So where does the love of sea life, the specificness of shark conservation, where is this something you've had since you were very little? Where did it come from? Do you know?

Jessica Adanich: 13:22

When I cross over Whoever's there on the other side, I'm gonna ask because it is very interesting because I've had the love for the water ever since I was little. My parents tell me this story of that. Apparently I spent the entire day in my bedroom working on this craft project. And I came out and I had a Tupperware container with a bunch of construction paper. And I said, look at my goldfish tank. And they said, you were so pathetic and sad that we went out and bought a fish tank. And then in college, that moment almost revisited. And until my parents told me about that story when I was younger, in college, that's how I started doing the ocean work again, was that I was out with a girlfriend. We were shopping. We were at joann Fabrics, which is no longer a store around. I bought prom fabric because it was shiny and pretty. And I said, I'm going to sew myself my own pet. I'm going to sew myself a fish. Because that makes sense, right? Because that's not crazy. And I hand sewed it because I wanted to be authentic. And my parents said, why aren't you using the sewing machine? So I did one fish hand sew, then the second one was with the machine. And that's when I started sewing a bunch of soft sculpture sea creatures. And my professor said, you really need to figure out where this is coming, coming from. And at that time was Shark Water. The documentary about shark finning had just come out and I watched it and there was just. And it's very hard for me even today to watch a lot of documentaries. You know, friends and colleagues will send me this thing saying, oh my gosh, you have to watch this, you have to watch that. But it takes such a toll on me emotionally. Like, there's just something in my DNA or bones that I feel connected and drawn to it. And no matter where you are in the world, the ocean is one of the things that connects all of us and waters majority of the planet. And without what's in it, in that ecosystem, if it doesn't survive, we don't survive. And just from a design aspect, there's things in the ocean a that we don't even know what's there because we've discovered more of space than we have of the oceans. But the way things are designed, like, how could you not believe in a higher power? Like cuttlefish, just cuttlefish in general octopus seahorses. Like, I could go on the things in the abyss, like, they're just. They're so incredibly, just phenomenal. And Sharks specifically are like living dinosaurs. And I feel a lot of people love sharks. And I think the one thing that I've realized through doing a lot of shows, like trade shows and events, selling my work, that it's not just one type of person that loves sharks. It's people from all walks of life. And I think it's the connection of we all, throughout our lives, at one point or another, feel misunderstood. And sharks are incredibly misunderstood. And I think there's a pull to them, you know, that power. They're kind of majestic, but they're kind of loners, a lot of species, and there's just something about them. And to that point, you know, they are, in an ecological sense, they're like the bees of the ocean in a way that if sharks no longer exist, we won't exist. You know, we need them in the ecosystem. So that's a long monologue of why I love the oceans.

Claire Waite Brown: 16:37

Yeah, it's brilliant. So when you said about going to shows and stuff with your work, what does your work look like? What is it?

Jessica Adanich: 16:48

One of the wonderful things that came out of COVID was, was an online masterclass that a friend in Ohio decided to put together and he pulled together. I think there were like eight of us, different artists of different subject matter. Someone who worked in the haunted house area, digital costume, special effects. And through that, someone had said, you know, you should really take your artwork and turn that into a plush toy line. So my thesis in college was a installation about fuzzy sharks. I made these giant six to eight foot stuffed sharks, and they were fuzzy to look like polar bears, panda bears, koalas. And they were weighted and they hung from the ceiling. And the idea was that as you walked through the exhibit and bumped into the bodies, there was that psychological push, pull feeling of, this is this dead animal, but it's cute, but it's the not in real life. How do I feel about that? So if sharks were fuzzy and cute, would you think about them differently? And that came from the scientific theory of biophilia, which is the theory that we're naturally drawn to things based on how they look. Conservation dollars, more of them go to cute and adorable animals than crustaceans. We need snakes, spiders in our ecosystem, but they're not exactly cute. So that installation, you know, I tried to do a lot of work with it throughout the years, but it wasn't until that, which it was so silly. I just sat there, I was like, why did I not think of that? You know, to turn these giant sharks into a plush toy and So I started hand making them because I couldn't find a. Getting the plush animal made is quite complicated sometimes, so I started hand making them. And then I also have colouring sheets and children's books that I've illustrated. So along with all those products, I'll do a trade show. And it's amazing to see someone say, oh, fuzzy sharks. Isn't that cute? And then I explain it, and you can see like an invisible light bulb go off. They're like, oh, that's deep. And I'm like, it is. I think also in that regard, we judge everything in life based on how it looks. We do it with human beings, unfortunately. So when I share that, it hits them a certain way and they look at sharks differently. And that's really when I was like, okay, this can make a difference. This has fins. You know, this can grow.

Claire Waite Brown: 19:10

So, yeah, yeah, no, I really understand it. Looking at your creativity and, you know, bringing, Bringing your focus into creating, do you feel that that benefits you in other aspects of your everyday life?

Jessica Adanich: 19:30

I, like many things in the ocean, have to swim to stay alive. I have to create to stay alive. I have waterproof notebooks in my shower. Like, I. I don't want to forget an idea, and there's a whole theory of water and how that affects us and helps us in many ways. But I truly love what I do. I'm constantly thinking about work or creative things. You know, it's always on my mind because I. I love creative problem solving. And I think that based on my background, the industrial design, the artistic side, I'm very fortunate that I'm able to run in both lanes where often a lot of artists don't understand how to run a business or set up a business because their brain just doesn't operate that way. So I'm not. Not great at math, I'm not great at spelling, but I can see the business aspect and have the creative aspect. And that's. Yeah, it's just, it's. It's who I am. And I don't know what I would do if I couldn't create or help others create. In the last year, I've done a lot of interviews and podcasts, and people ask me, you work in the tactical industry with defense, sprays, firearms, but you're also doing shark stuff. How does that all align? How does that make sense? And, and to me, it all comes down to creativity can make a difference. So whether I'm designing a logo or a building out a brand for a med spa, or I'm helping save sharks through plush toys. I'm using my creative powers to help something in the world. And to a small business owner, that is important, you know, making their dreams come true and working with them on that. In my agency, I don't put people in a box. It's really figuring out what works for them and their business and their budget and their team and that. It's almost like a. A branding therapist, you know, understanding the full architecture of it. So.

Claire Waite Brown: 21:31

So yeah, so you have a reasonable balance. You feel then you've got your agency, agency successful, that's doing the work and earning the money, and then you have the conservation and the creativity on that side. And do you feel that balance is okay for you?

Jessica Adanich: 21:48

Oh, no. I will fully admit I have a very unhealthy work life balance. Fully aware of that. And it's funny because I'll talk to other entrepreneurs or creatives and there's just this, I don't want to say sickness, but it's like something in our DNA where when we reach a certain level that we didn't think that we'd be able to get were like, how can we do more? How can we do something different? You know, I think about the first order of plus sharks that I ordered. I think I ordered 500 of them. And now I. The next order was a few thousand, like, and now I'm planning a full city festival in Clearwater, Florida. Made it a nonprofit. I have friends that say to me, jess, you know you're freaking nuts, right? And I'm like, oh, I'm aware. I'm not. I'm not in denial. But they say that that's the first step. So I feel like I'm, you know.

Claire Waite Brown: 22:43

Yeah, you know it.

Jessica Adanich: 22:43

That's fine. Yeah. Yes. And I recently have been, and this is going to sound very woo woo. Been kind of told that, you know, because I am single, I have a dog, but I work a lot. But often those things happen in life because we're put here for a purpose and a reason. And I finally am now, like, okay, now I get why I've been single for so long. Because, you know, I've. I've dated here and there, but I do feel that I'm supposed to be on this earth to do certain things and I'm meant to focus on them for the time being. So if I work seven days a week, you know, I did a puzzle yesterday. I was really excited about that. Well done. Exactly.

Claire Waite Brown: 23:28

I watched a TV show once. It was very relaxing.

Jessica Adanich: 23:37

Yes, yes, yes. I was crocheting while I Did it, but I did it.

Claire Waite Brown: 23:41

Yeah. Tell me about the festival then.

Jessica Adanich: 23:46

So the festival started in 2022, and the idea was it was twofold. I felt. I feel very strongly, obviously, that art can make a difference. But being in Florida, there's so many artists that have ocean work. And even though it's the same subject matter, the way that the artist creates that work and the medium, it all looks very different. So I wanted to build a place that artists that have ocean artwork could come together along with the education component. And it started in a microbrewery in south Tampa with 10 artists. The only educational content we had was a colouring sheet I designed. It was kind of like a little island of misfit toys, but we did that one. And then I had three others at another brewery, a community center, a winery. And finally, after the fourth one at the community center, it was. It was growing more and more. A friend had said to me, you know, Jess, you should consider maybe pulling together a committee and really taking this on yourself and doing it big. Like either year five, you're going to go big, or maybe just continue what you're doing or don't do it. And we still joke about leaving brunch that day. And he's like, I knew the minute I got in the car I should not have said that to you, because I knew what you were going to do. And sure, sure enough, by the end of the day, I had sent an email out to those that I wanted on a committee, and I was already off to the races. And through that process, it has gotten larger and larger. My plan was to make it a nonprofit, maybe in a year or two, but it made sense to do it sooner because the conservation community is. We wanted to really be clear to them that we meant what we said, you know, that this really is art and conservation together, and that this isn't just some sort of gimmick festival to ride on the backs of conserv. And so now we were going to take over part of this very large park in Clearwater, but now we're doing all of it. It has a vendored art show, so you have to apply. And then we review it as a committee. And if you get accepted, then you can have a tent there to sell your work, but you have to have ocean or shark specific artwork to apply. And then we have all of the three major aquariums in the area who are going to be on site, which is really great because that's that educational component, which is Clearwater Aquarium, the Florida Aquarium, and the Moat Aquarium. And then we have a bunch of other smaller nonprofits, beach cleanups, art nonprofits that'll also be there for other educational areas. And the very, very exciting fact which I remember sitting on the couch with my parents, you know, after I graduated college, watching this organization on National Geographic and Discovery Channel, thinking, wow, wouldn't it be amazing to work with them? And now our conservation benefactor partner is O Search. And if you know anything about ocearch, and I'm gonna try not to cry again, they're the guys that, like, tag great whites and they do phenomenal research for shark species and their conservation and, you know, their health. And to be partnered with them in that sense, it's just wild. So I think that's why I've been doing a lot of retrospective thinking about my life and how I got here, that throughout the years, as an artist, you can be told, well, that's kind of a crazy idea. Like, why are you doing that? Like, doesn't make sense. But if you believe in it and you keep trying, like, obviously there is insanity, right? Like, sometimes you can do something, maybe it's just not a good idea and it's not going to work. But I do believe in, if you're passionate about it, you can make it work. And now here we are building, and in the committee and my board, we're a group of individuals that have never planned a city festival. So we are learning what we don't know. We're not recreating the wheels wherever we can copy the wheel. We are. But building a nonprofit, planning a city festival, and pulling it off all at the same time, it's an undertaking. But these people show up to committee meetings and they're there and they're like, we love this idea, Jess. This is great. So I'm very excited about it because I think it's going to be really wonderful. Because they. They say, and we all know this, that children, if they're introduced to something small and as they grow up, if they are taught to care about it, that's one of the most important things. And if we can do that with children or even adults, because we can still learn when we're older, that if we can inspire them through an educational exhibit or an artist to make them love the ocean or understand it more, then I'm doing what God wants me to do.

Claire Waite Brown: 28:26

Yeah. Oh, that's lovely. Speaking of crazy ideas and doing crazy things, listeners to this show may be thinking, I'd like to try something creative, or maybe I'd like to try something else. But other People think that that's a crazy thing for me to try to do. What kind of advice would you give to those people?

Jessica Adanich: 28:47

I would say start small. You know, you don't have to bite off more than you can chew. I'm 39 and I've been doing this work since 2007, and there's been a lot of times where I've pivoted, especially with the design agency. I think getting feedback from people is important, but it's not everything. You know, take it in and taking what you want and leave what you don't, because you are the creative, you're the designer, the driver of your own car. But, yeah, I would say take a chance. I think that's what stops so many people, whether you're a creative or not a creative. There's many people that have said, oh, well, I had that idea, but you didn't do it. And fear stops us more than anything. And I've gotten to the point where I fear not trying something and getting to my deathbed and wondering what if? Than the fear of failure. And I now, if I fear something in a healthy way, obviously not a crazy or unhealthy way, if I fear something or I'm not sure if I should do it, that means I should, because I need to push myself out of my comfort zone. So I think it's. It's taking a chance. We take chances every day, so why not take a chance on yourself?

Claire Waite Brown: 30:08

Thank you. Perfect. Thank you so much. I've had an absolutely super chat. Jessica, tell us how people can connect with you and find your fuzzy sharks.

Jessica Adanich: 30:19

Yes. So you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn under Jessica Adanich. And that's probably the easiest way. And you can also follow the other companies, Fuzzy sharks, Sharkapalooza and DesignPod Studio.

Claire Waite Brown: 30:35

Brilliant. Thank you so much.

Jessica Adanich: 30:36

Thank you for having me. This has been wonderful.

Claire Waite Brown: 30:39

You're very welcome. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, perhaps you'd like to financially contribute to future episodes at buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound. There's a link in the show notes. If you are listening on a value for value enabled app such as Fountain, TrueFans or Podcast Good Guru, feel free to send a few sats my way. And if you have no idea of what I'm talking about, you can find out more by listening to my sister podcast called Podcasting 2.0 in Practice.