An Inspired Chat with Teralyn Legall of Gainesville, FL

We recently had the chance to connect with Teralyn Legall and have shared our conversation below.

Teralyn, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: When was the last time you felt true joy?
Joy, to me, is always available. It’s just not something we can hold onto forever. I find joy in quiet mornings and in the stillness of being surrounded by my family. It’s in those small, peaceful moments that sometimes bring tears to my eyes because I feel so grounded and at peace. I experienced true joy on my birthday this year. Normally, I struggle with survivor’s guilt or what I call the “birthday blues,” but this time was different. It was calm, quiet, and filled with a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. That day reminded me that joy doesn’t always come from big celebrations, it often lives in the quiet.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
HI!

I’m Teralyn Legall, a Florida-born artist, Army veteran, and creative soul behind Designed to a T.

I’ve always been someone who loves nature, people, and the kind of peace that comes from truly knowing yourself. Over the years, I’ve learned that joy doesn’t come from outside approval, it blooms when you live in alignment with purpose. That’s exactly what Designed to a T represents: a movement of self-love, expression, and originality.

What makes my journey unique is how two completely different worlds, military discipline and artistic freedom, collided to create something beautiful. My background in the Army taught me resilience and leadership, while art gave me the freedom to turn pain into power. Together, they’ve shaped a brand that celebrates authenticity and creative healing.

Designed to a T has grown from painting sneakers and canvases into curating meaningful experiences that bring people together through art. My work has been featured in the Harn Museum of Art (2024–2025), Ocala City Hall (2024), and the Alachua County Commissioners’ Office, which still feels surreal every time I walk by and see my art hanging there. We pop up in local cities like Gainesville and Ocala, spreading color, conversation, and connection wherever we go.

Right now, I’m curating a new wave of events for Gainesville 2026, where I plan to showcase abstract art in a city known for its hyper-realistic scene. Designed to a T is no longer just a brand, it’s becoming a lifestyle movement that reminds people that being yourself is your greatest masterpiece. As a former teacher, I’m also looking to start conducting art classes locally as a way to provoke community involvement.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I’ve always had a love for art, but after a series of unfortunate events, I found myself back in Florida in 2022, lost, in debt, and unsure of my purpose. I had just left Atlanta, stopped hearing from people I once spent so much time with, and felt like everything I had built was slipping away. That’s when I decided to go back to school for Organizational Management with a concentration in digital marketing at Santa Fe College. I wanted to learn how to do things the right way and give structure to my creativity. As a company, I also attended the 2024 Veterans Entrepreneur Program ran by the UF Warrington College of Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center.
Slowly, I started painting again, rebuilding my confidence one brushstroke at a time.

August of 2023, is when everything changed drastically. I lost my baby brother, the first person to ever wear my designs, my partner in crime, and I didn’t realize it then, but probably my best friend. He believed in me before I believed in myself. When we were kids, he spray-painted his sneakers gold, and I remember thinking how legendary that was. I didn’t know it then, but that moment would become the foundation for my entire brand. After he passed, art became my lifeline. It was my way to cope, to breathe, to remember who I was doing it all for.

Losing him reshaped how I see the world. It taught me that life is fragile, but creativity is eternal. I wanted something that would last forever, something that couldn’t leave me. Designed to a T became that something. It’s not just art; it’s proof that pain can become purpose and that dreams really are possible if you keep believing in them, even when it hurts.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that’s held me back the most has been the need for people’s approval. For a long time, I wanted to be chosen, to be seen, loved, and accepted. I craved validation because I thought it would fill the emptiness inside me. But after facing rejection more times than I can count, I realized that chasing approval only distances you from your true self. It’s still a struggle of mine.

I am learning how to love myself without needing anyone else to confirm that I’m worthy. It sounds simple, but it’s been one of the hardest and most freeing lessons of my life. Even now, I think my deepest fear is still not being loved (as silly as that might sound).

But the difference is, I no longer let that fear control me. Instead, I use it as a reminder to give myself the love I once waited for from others.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I love this question! Who am I?

Honestly, the public version of me is both real and a little bit of armor. I’ve learned to be brave, or at least look braver than I feel, because life and my Army background taught me to protect myself. I keep people at a distance sometimes because I’m scared of being hurt.

But the real me? She’s much softer, sweeter, and sillier than most people realize. I may have this tough, “hard-core Army girl” energy on the outside, but at the end of the day, I’m just a girl lol

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing? 
What I would regret most is not giving life my absolute best shot. I’ve been through enough to know that time is precious, and opportunities don’t always come twice. I don’t want to look back and feel like I held myself back out of fear, doubt, or waiting for the “right” moment.

For me, living fully means creating boldly, loving deeply, and building something that lasts beyond me. If I didn’t give my all to my art, my business, or my purpose, that would be my biggest regret.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shoptcustomz.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teralyn_x/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Teralyn-Legall/pfbid02KKbsBjRbH67ARkCGWqsGfaWnvVVCyYszw8KVpLScvDYjo3pZhQGxCdwBtDWkgwgxl/?ref=fb_bidir_ig_profile_ac

Image Credits
Photos taken by
•Santa Fe College
•Rocca Murri