From Isolation to Inspiration
Today, we introduce you to Jeremy (JD) Hecht, the creative force behind Creatively Cutz Studio.
Hi Jeremy (JD), thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started Creatively Cutz during the pandemic. Everything felt closed and uncertain. Like many, I was stuck indoors, seeking a creative outlet. I dusted off my Cricut and Silhouette machines.
This led me to dimensional paper art. I saw a layered piece online and became fascinated by how light, paper, layers, and depth could create a world inside a frame. I bought a template, took it apart, and learned how those dimensional pieces worked from the inside out.
I didn’t realize I was learning a craft. I was also processing a darker emotional period. The first B.O.X. I made came from that place. It was created during a hard time, but it became something I was proud of. It showed me that beauty can emerge from heaviness.
A Turning Point
The real turning point came when I found an adult coloring page of a girl walking alone through rainy streets. That image stayed with me. I imagined her world in layers, building it piece by piece inside a dimensional canvas. Each layer made the scene feel alive. That piece opened the door.
Not long after, I had a work trip to Washington, DC. In four days, I created fifteen new layered worlds. I realized this was more than a pandemic hobby. Something had clicked.
I began sharing my pieces online. People responded. They connected with the depth, lighting, and emotion behind them. What started as a personal refuge slowly turned into something others wanted to join. Custom requests came in, and with encouragement from friends, I opened an Etsy shop called Creatively Paper.
Eventually, life got busy again. Work took over, but the pull toward making never faded. Over time, Creatively Paper evolved into Creatively Cutz Studio. The work expanded beyond paper into acrylic painting, dimensional construction, lighting, glass, The Forge, Raw Canvas, and other projects. The foundation remains the same.
At its core, Creatively Cutz started as a way to create light in a difficult time. Today, it has become a studio built around layers, emotion, construction, and one-of-one expression. Each B.O.X., each painting, and each piece carries part of that original idea: art can hold a whole world inside it, even when it begins in uncertainty.
Navigating Challenges
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been smooth. Creatively Cutz started during a difficult emotional season. The beginning was tied to creating through uncertainty, isolation, and darker moments. The studio was born from survival, curiosity, and a need to make something with my hands when everything felt heavy.
One of the biggest struggles has been turning something deeply personal into something sustainable. Initially, the B.O.X. pieces were just for me. They were a refuge. Then people started responding, asking for custom pieces, encouraging me to sell them. That was exciting but intimidating. There’s a big difference between making something for your heart and suddenly having to price, package, explain, ship, photograph, archive, and present it professionally.
Marketing and Visibility
Marketing has been another major challenge. Being newer to Nashville, I needed to get my art in front of people who didn’t know me yet. Building visibility in a new city adds a layer of complexity. You are not just making the work. You are finding your audience, introducing yourself, and convincing people to stop scrolling long enough to see what you create.
This is especially tricky with dimensional work. Photos often flatten everything into a polite pancake. Much of what I create depends on depth, shadow, lighting, layers, and how a piece changes when you move around it. A photograph shows the image, but it doesn’t always capture the experience. This pushed me to think harder about video, better photography, storytelling, and helping people understand that the work is not flat, even when the screen tries to make it look that way.
Another challenge has been balancing creativity with real life. My professional work in events, graphics, and project management is demanding. At times, Creatively Cutz had to take a back seat. The passion never left, but time and energy were not always available. This stop-and-start rhythm can be frustrating because ideas keep coming, even when life doesn’t leave room to chase them.
Growing as an Artist
I also had to grow through the business side of being an artist. Building a website, managing inventory, creating product listings, documenting work, learning pricing, developing collections, and figuring out how to communicate the value of handmade, one-of-one art has been its own education. The art comes from emotion, but the studio needs structure.
Honestly, there has been an internal struggle too. Calling yourself an artist, putting your work out into the world, asking people to value it, and trusting that what you make matters is not always easy. Doubt tries to sneak in through the side door wearing tap shoes.
But the struggles are part of the work now. Creatively Cutz is built on layers, and so is its story. The difficult parts did not stop the studio from growing. They became part of why it exists.
The Essence of Creatively Cutz Studio
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Creatively Cutz Studio is built around layered, one-of-one artwork. I work across abstract acrylic painting, dimensional B.O.X. pieces, painted glass, and creative experiences like Raw Canvas. The common thread is construction. My work is rarely just one surface. It is built in layers, whether that means poured acrylic, cut paper, plexiglass, light, shadow, or physical dimension.
What I am best known for are my B.O.X. pieces. B.O.X. means Beyond Ordinary Xpression. They are dimensional artworks built inside frames using layered cut paper, acrylic elements, lighting, and depth to create small worlds. They began with dimensional layered art and evolved into their own identity. They are not prints. They are not flat illustrations. They are constructed pieces that change depending on the light, angle, and proximity.
Abstract Acrylic Paintings
I also create abstract acrylic paintings, many rooted in movement, color, and emotional response. Some are fluid and atmospheric, while others have a stronger architectural feeling. Over time, these two sides of the studio have started to communicate more. The paintings bring movement, and the dimensional work brings structure. Somewhere in that overlap is where Creatively Cutz truly lives.
One of my proudest achievements is that the studio has continued to grow without losing its original purpose. It began as a way to create through a hard time. Now, it has expanded into full collections, custom work, The Forge, Raw Canvas, painted glass, and The Finders Collection. Each project has its own purpose, but they all connect back to the same idea: art should feel alive, personal, and accessible.
The Finders Collection
The Finders Collection is a free art drop project I created through Creatively Cutz Studio. I release original, one-of-one paintings into the world for people to discover, take home, and register as the official finder. Each piece includes information connecting it back to the studio. Once registered, the finder receives official documentation for the artwork. I love the idea of removing the barrier between people and original art. Instead of asking someone to walk into a gallery or make a purchase, the artwork finds them first.
This project is also about giving each piece a journey. A painting begins in the studio, gets released into a real location, is discovered by someone, and continues its life in a new home. That story becomes part of the artwork’s provenance. It is part treasure hunt, part community connection, and part reminder that art doesn’t always have to wait politely on a wall for someone to notice it.
The Forge and Raw Canvas
I am especially proud of The Forge because it takes the one-of-one idea even further. Each piece starts with a unique abstract pour background, then gets paired with a selected design and built into a finished dimensional artwork. No two foundations are the same. Even if the design is familiar, the final piece has its own identity. It allows people to be part of the creative process without turning the art into something mass-produced.
I am also proud of Raw Canvas because it gives people permission to create. Many walk in saying they are not artists or creative. I love proving them wrong in the best way. Raw Canvas is not about perfection. It is about letting people experience the moment when color, movement, and instinct start working together. That matters to me.
What sets Creatively Cutz apart is the combination of emotion and construction. My background in graphics, events, and production gave me a strong sense of structure. But the artwork comes from a much more personal place. I am not interested in making things that feel manufactured or interchangeable. I want the viewer to feel the hand in the work, the decisions, the layers, the little complications.
A lot of my work looks bold or playful at first, but underneath is a serious commitment to detail. Nothing is “just simple.” Even the pieces that feel bright or fun usually have a lot of planning, cutting, building, layering, and problem-solving behind them. That is the heart of the studio: taking an idea, giving it dimension, and building it until it has its own little pulse.
The Creative Pulse of Nashville
Let’s talk about our city—what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like best about Nashville is that creativity is everywhere. It doesn’t all look the same. People usually think of music first, and of course, that’s a huge part of the city. But there’s a wider creative current running through Nashville. You can feel it in the makers, artists, designers, small businesses, performers, writers, food, murals, markets, and all the little pockets where people build something of their own.
As someone still working to get my art out into the city, I appreciate that Nashville feels like a place where creative people can keep finding new doors. Some are obvious. Some are hidden in an alley wearing boots and holding a guitar. But they are there.
What I like least is how hard it can be to break through the noise. Nashville is full of talented people, which is exciting. But it also means you must work hard to be seen. When you’re new to the city, trying to introduce your work, build connections, and find your audience, it can feel like shouting into a stylish thunderstorm.
There’s also the practical side: growth, traffic, rising costs, and the pace of change. Nashville has so much energy, but sometimes it feels like the city is growing faster than people can catch their breath. But even with that, I still see Nashville as a city with a strong creative pulse. It challenges you to show up, sharpen your voice, and keep building. For me, that makes it both frustrating and inspiring.
Pricing Structure
The Finders Collection: Released as free original art drops. Finders do not purchase the artwork. They discover it, register it, and receive official documentation after verification.
Commissions and Custom Work: Pricing varies based on size, materials, complexity, and timeline. Custom projects are quoted individually.
Raw Canvas Experiences: Raw Canvas pour-painting sessions require an online deposit, with any remaining balance due in person.
B.O.X. Artworks: Dimensional B.O.X. pieces are priced according to design, materials, lighting, and build complexity.
Painting Pricing: Often based on size. For many canvas works, pricing follows a simple structure based on the artwork’s dimensions.
Connect with Creatively Cutz Studio
Website: https://www.creativelycutz.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativelycutz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativelycutz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhecht/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CreativelyCutz
Explore the world of Creatively Cutz. Experience the layers, emotion, and craftsmanship behind each piece. Join the journey where art meets personal expression.