We simply never know where our life’s experiences will take us, do we?
Hi, I’m Jake, the artist behind WhimZadoodles® in Cozad, Nebraska.

In my twenties, I was painting whimsical characters on wooden blocks to sell at craft shows, alongside my “day job” painting weekly sales signs and banners for a local grocery store.

When I turned thirty, I took a leap of faith with the suggestion from my dad to open my own my professional picture framing business. I LOVED the design process and bringing it all together in a frame that complimented the piece. The joy my customers expressed when they had their first look at their finished work filled my heart with such happiness. For ten years, I framed thousands of works of art, photos, memorabilia, and hand-stitched items, adding joy to countless lives.

In my forties, I switched gears completely and started a different business inspiring healthy living & helping folks eat veggies without tasting them. I still do this today & find so much fulfillment in it, especially when folks share how it’s improved their health picture over time. This work has allowed me to pursue the experiences I get to have now with art.

In December 2021 - in my fifties, I faced a blank watercolor page, afraid of making a mistake, and started teaching myself to paint in an effort to rediscover joy in my own life. With practice came colorful characters, curly swirls, and doodles that was quietly igniting a flame of joy and passion for art inside me.

When I shared them, something wonderfully unexpected happened: they made other people smile, too. Requests to purchase them followed, and this lifelong entrepreneur found herself on a wonderfully unexpected adventure, exploring art in ways she never took the time to do as a younger person.

My favorite part of all of this is the joy that OTHERS get from gifting them to themselves and others.

The connection & unexpected joy that a handwritten note brings.
A wonderfully whimZical critter chosen because it’s “so them”.
A colorful sticker that makes an ordinary day feel brighter.
And I’ve come full circle, pairing my artwork with mats I paint and doodle by hand.

I GET TO DO THIS FOR A LIVING!

Through every brushstroke, doodle, and thoughtfully packed order, my mission is to spread kindness, joy, and gratitude through meaningful connection, providing you with fun opportunities to let people know they are seen, valued, and appreciated.

It is my hope that my whimZical art brings a smile to your face and works its way into your heart. That you find an image that’s “just right” for you AND for the important people in your world.

Being remembered is a beautiful gift that has far greater value than gold.