Shoshona Snow

Artist: Shoshona Snow
Website: Shoshona Snow
Etsy: Shoshona Snow

Where are you located?
Kingston, New York

What do you create?
I create functional and non-functional work out of fine porcelain.

When and why did you decide to start your business?
Well, I’ve wanted to be a full time artist as far back as I can remember. I went to college to work in metals and then changed my major to ceramics. I make mostly non-functional sculpture which I show in galleries, and my functional ceramics sort of grew out of some technical frustrations I was having with my other work. I’ve always enjoyed working on the potter’s wheel, so I started making some cups and bowls and vases just for fun, as a stress reliever. The pots started piling up and decided to start selling them online. Before I knew it I could hardly keep up with the demand. I’ve been making work and teaching ceramics for about 10 years. I’ve actually had to give up most of my teaching jobs because I am so busy in the studio. I am a full time artist and I love it!

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?
I grew up in a family of antique dealers and collectors and was exposed to all sorts of objects from the past. I am particularly drawn to the decorative arts of the early and mid-20th century. I enjoy clean lines and good design.



What influences your color selections?
I like bright colors. If you came over to my retro inspired house you’d see my entire color pallet at work. My bright orange and yellow kitchen, my bright green and blue studio, my red, black and white living room… I use black and white on the exterior of all my pieces so I want an interior color that is really going to POP.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
Is it a cop-out to say my hands?

What keeps you motivated?
I am a workaholic. Just ask my husband. My studio is at my house and that makes it difficult for me to slack off. I always feel guilty when I’m not working. It is so satisfying opening up the kiln full of new work. Plus, I love what I do. I enjoy going to work every morning and I know that makes me very lucky.

How do you get the word out about your work?
I actually haven’t had to do much self-promotion. I have a website and an etsy shop and people have been finding me. I’ve been featured in quite a few blogs as well. I always have business cards on hand to pass out and always ship a few extra with my orders.



What is your main goal for the next 6-12 months?
Keep working as usual. My work is now being carried by a few galleries and shops around the country and I’d like to keep going a bit more in that direction.

What advice would you give to someone starting a creative business?
Don’t undersell yourself and keep organized! Make sure you are getting paid for your time. It’s the only way you are going to make a living. And take lots of good photos of you work. Especially if you are selling online, and you will have a record of the piece when it sells. Also keep records of how much the piece sold for. If you are making good work and selling very fast, maybe it’s time to increase your prices. Be sure to have a website and always have business cards on hand.

What’s the most important thing you’d like people to know/understand about your work? That a lot of time goes into creating each piece. This is something that was created completely by hand. I make the clay, make the glazes, make the piece, paint it, carve it, glaze it, and fire it. I want to make something that is completely functional and will be used and loved.



Who are some of your favorite indie designers/artists?
I have an affinity for jewelers because that’s where I started in college. These are a few of my favorites. Danielle Maveal, Simone Walsh, Ashley Akers, Caitlyn Davey, Jill Hawkins.

What city, that you’ve never been to, would you like to visit?
Athens, Greece

What's your definition of a perfect day?
Wake up. Take my Boston terrier, Dudley, out for a long walk. Eat bagels with my husband. Work in the studio for a few hours. Eat a light lunch and then take Dudley outside with me while I work in my gardens. Sit on the back porch with my husband and relax in the sun. BBQ some tofu and veggies and watch a good movie. Then a long bath with a good book. Ahhhhh….I feel so relaxed already.



Thank you Shoshona!

Rare Device

Artist: Rena Tom
Web Site: Rare Device

Where are you located?
Brooklyn NY

What do you create?
Currently, I don't feel like I can call myself a creator. I used to make jewelry, but stopped a couple months ago to focus on my store. I know at some point I will get back to it, but I need a little free time to be creative in the way I want to be.

Tell us a little about Rare Device and why you started it.
The idea to open a shop came about when I moved from California to New York and saw all the teeny little shops that seem to be everywhere here. I was designing and making jewelry and wedding invites out of my apartment, didn't know anyone and was quite lonely. I thought I would open a shop so I could see some people during the day - I'm not kidding! Also, I had met so many great designers at shows and fairs, and wanted to share my favorites with the world. I tend to decide upon something and THEN figure out how to do it, so I found a store going
out of business in the summer of 2005, charged right in and asked for the landlord's number, and that was it. We opened in October 2005.

How has your life changed since opening Rare Device?
Absolutely no free time. Every waking moment (plus half of my dreams) are spent fretting about work. I like to be busy but this is ridiculous! But - it's worth it, I have met so many great artists and designers and shopkeepers and customers. I feel very empowered to help
others, even though retail is not exactly selfless work. I like that I know so much more about this business and can offer concrete advice.



How do you get the word out about your business?
I blog, I tell my friends, I attend shows and meet people, I call back when an editor leaves a message. That's about it. I have been incredibly lucky with the press and exposure I have received in the last year and a half.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I want to have multiple stores, bigger stores, and carry everything I want to carry - bulky furniture, obscure and risky products. I want to show more art and set up more collaborations between artists and designers. I want to truly have a signature style.

Where do you get inspiration for your projects?
From my designers of course! I am thrilled to be able to do mini art shows in the window of my store...I think it's fun for the product-oriented designers to conceive an art installation of their work, something a little different for them.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
Actually, it is sad, as a designer and as a shopkeeper, the Internet is the best tool. I wanted to be on the computer less for health reasons (my wrists are blown out) but I'm on more than ever, getting inspiration, finding designers, working with people around the world, promoting, sourcing supplies. It's a necessary evil.

What keeps you motivated?
Remembering that the livelihood of others depends in part on how well I represent them. Also, trolling the web or a catalog and finding the absolute perfect product is a really nice feeling, and then seeing it take off as predicted is very gratifying that you know how to do your
job.




What advice would you give to someone starting a creative business?
Take lots of notes. Do plenty of research in the field and online, talk to others who you think are happy and successful in what they do. Plan to spend more money than you'd like but less than you wanted to. Improvise and compromise. Opening the shop was stressful in the same
way that planning my wedding was - you want so much but there is a budget.

Can you recommend a good book or great music?
I spend all day at work listening to an Internet station called Pig Radio. It's a very funny mix of electronica, campy pop, indie stuff, and it's broadcast from Milan.

Who is your favorite indie designer/artist?
Can't really say, it would not be fair to all of my designers! Hmm, artists I like include Vija Celmins and Matthew Ritchie, James Turrell and Ruth Asawa.

What is your definition of a perfect day?
Being somewhere green where I can smell the ocean, a giant glass of iced tea, a nap with my puppy, and then gelato.

What's the best birthday present you've ever received?
A marriage proposal atop a big lookout rock somewhere outside of Lake Tahoe.



Thank you Rena!

Herbst Handmade

Artist: Amy Herbst
Web site: Herbst Handmade

Where are you located?
San Jose, CA

What do you create?
Baby shoes, stuffed toys, quilts, blankets, bags, purses and whatever else I get my mind set on!

How did you come up with your company name?
My married name is “Herbst” which also means “Autumn” in German. Fall happens to be my favorite season. I also started my business in the Fall so Herbst Handmade just seemed like the perfect name.



When and why did you decide to start your business?
October 2006. By that time I had been at home with my newborn son (Kai) for over 3 months. For some reason I had been feeling more creative than ever. I started making some things for him and the more things I made the more ideas I had for OTHER things I could make (It really is an addiction you know!..). I had a lot of support from friends and family, and I figured I really didn’t have anything to lose, so I decided to open a shop on Etsy.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?
I can’t cite just one source. I know it sounds cheesey, but I feel inspired by so many things. I always try to pay close attention to my surroundings--colors, shapes, light. I can find inspiration in an odd-shaped crack in the sidewalk! OK, well, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but you know where I was going...:)

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
I love, love, love my new Viking sewing machine! I can't believe I put up with my old, ancient sewing machine for as long as I did.



What keeps you motivated?
Positive feedback is a huge motivator. I just love that I can take an idea, turn it into a sketch, then turn the sketch into an object--a baby shoe for example--put the object in my shop on Etsy, sell it, and make someone happy on the other side of the country (or world). It really is a great feeling!

How do you get the word out about your work?
I do a little bit of viral marketing by spamming my friends and family once in awhile (lol!). Seriously though, for now, I get a large part of my business through word of mouth.

What is your main goal for the next 6-12 months?
My main goals are to keep working on new projects, build inventory and continue to get the word out about Herbst Handmade. I have a sketchbook full of ideas! I would love to see many of those ideas come to life.



What advice would you give to someone starting a creative business?
Follow your instincts and do what you love. I know, I know, it’s trite and kind of corny (again with the corny reply... what is with me?!) but I really think there is some truth to it. If you are into what you're making it really shows in your work. I think people respond to that.

Who are some of your favorite indie designers/artists?
I just can’t choose!

What is on your nightstand?
My sketchbook and a little brass statue of Ganesh.

What's your definition of a perfect day?
If I can get more than one project completed and still spend quality time with my family, that’s pretty much a perfect day for me!


Thanks Amy!

Humblebeads

Artist: Heather Powers
Website: Humblebeads
Blog: Humblebeads blog

Where are you located?
San Antonio, TX

What do you create?
I create handcrafted art beads inspired by nature and art history. I have a line of beads that I make to order and I also offer limited edition and one-of-a-kind bead sets when I get the chance to experiment.

How did you come up with your business name?
The name Humblebeads comes from the humble material I work with, polymer clay.

When and why did you decide to start your business?
I started my jewelry business 14 years ago, while I was in art school. I took small business classes during college, I always knew I'd have to create my own "job" as an artist. After graduation I worked from home, raising my two daughters. Following a cross country move to Texas I switched my focus from selling jewelry that featured my art beads to offering mainly art beads. I've been a professional beadmaker for the last 5 years.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?
Inspiration for my work comes from 3 major sources: nature, art history and crafts from the art nouveau through the art deco periods. I sketch a lot before I sit down to make new beads.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
I like to keep things simple and low-tech. My pasta machine is the one thing I couldn't live without.

What keeps you motivated?
Some days it's paying the bills that keeps me motivated! Staying connected with other artists, taking time to recharge my creative batteries and the love of creating keeps me coming back to my work table. I really love what I do. I don't need much motivation, just some clay and a few hours of free time!


How do you get the word out about your work?
I write and design for bead magazines and network through online resources. One exciting new marketing venue I contribute to is the Art Bead Scene. It's a daily blog all about celebrating art beads and inspiring those who use them! I also have a mailing list, a bead blog and I seem to come up with all sorts of crazy ideas to keep my name in front of jewelry designers, like the Bead Cruise.

What is your main goal for the next 6-12 months?
My main goal for the next year is to streamline my workday and spend my time more efficiently. And dare I dream - to sell the article/design that would land me the cover of a bead magazine. Okay, so that's a dream, not a goal. But I am going to submit more articles for 2007, so it's possible. Anything is possible. : )

What advice would you give to someone starting a creative business?
Network, network, network. Connect with other creative people in your area and online. Most of my growth as an artist and business has happened because of connections that I've made.


What's the most important thing you'd like people to know/understand about your work?
That each bead is made to order and I only have two hands! Seriously, I'd like people to understand the time that goes into creating my beads. Each color is a tiny piece of clay that has been layered on the bead to form the designs. I don't use molds or shortcuts. I do have help, but it's in the sanding of the beads or packaging orders.

Who are some of your favorite indie designers/artists?
I can't choose!

What city, that you've never been to, would you like to visit?
I'd love to travel to Paris for a week or two.

What's your definition of a perfect day?
A perfect day is one that I can end at 3:00pm and actually call it quits for the day. I tend to be a workaholic! An ideal day would be creating beads for 5 or 6 hours, working on a jewelry design for an hour or two and getting a magazine query finished. Then the rest of the day would be spent with my munchkins, taking a walk around the lake and then having someone cook dinner
for us!


Thank you Heather!