I am happy to have Kim's interview and pictures. I haven't interviewed a jeweler yet and am curious to see what she has to say. Her work is very original and beautifully made which is what drew me to her pieces. There are a few jewelers that are artists as well and she is definitely one of them.
1) How long have you been selling on etsy? I have been on Etsy four months now.
2) Do you have advice for etsy newbies? Go to the chat rooms, read the forums, visit the virtual labs. The people on Etsy are so incredibly helpful and generous with their knowledge. Take advantage of that! Also get on as many networking services as you can handle - Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, etc. I have had sales directly from those places. It is how you get your name out there and let people find you.
Be patient! It takes time to build a business and especially an internet business. You may have a terrific product and a great looking shop, but it will still take time to get your name out there where people will find you.
Do everything you can to get better at your craft. Learn new techniques and skills. Constantly hone the ones you have. Take classes or find artists who are willing to mentor you. You can learn just about anything from the internet. There are tutorials in almost every subject and craft! I have learned so much just by Googling different techniques I wanted to learn.
3) What are 3 fave etsy stores and why? RiverOtterWidget is one of my favorites. He makes incredible steampunk art lamps and wood carvings. He encouraged me so much when I first started out.
BlueNostalgia is a favorite of mine because she makes simply beautiful jewelry! Every piece in her shop is just eye candy to me!! Plus she's a great chatter.
beadifulbaublesSC is another jewelry maker who is a favorite. Her designs are exquisite! Her use of color is wonderful! And she is the sweetest lady!!
4) What are your fave pieces in your shop and why? My favorite pieces in my shop are the necklaces made from steel wire. Those include Rhapsody, Clara's Necklace, Forever Chained, and Key To The Dungeon. I have the most fun making those. It is really hard work and I get lots of ouchies, but I love hammering the wire and bending it and forming it. I love to see the final result because I don't have a picture in my mind while I'm creating them, I just "go with the flow" and see what happens as I go! So it's always a bit of surprise for me.
5) What plans do you have for your shop? I plan to keep growing my shop and expanding my inventory. I'm in the very beginning of my business now, so I plan to just keep working and finding new ways to get my name out there.
6) How long have you been creating art? I've been creating art for most of my life, but in such small ways until this last year or so. I always liked to draw, but only played around with it occasionally. I dabbled in jewelry making many years ago, but never really found my passion in it. It's only in the past 12 months that I really have found a passion for art.
7) Who are your art heroes? I'm afraid I don't have any art heroes yet!
8) Where do your ideas come from? Sometimes I see things in nature that inspire me. Sometimes it's other peoples' designs that give me a new idea. Sometimes an idea just pops into my head. Those are the really cool ones. Most of the ideas are more like feelings, and not visual ideas, per se. I'll have a feeling for what I want a piece to evoke emotionally and work from that, with only very vague ideas of the physical shapes involved and colors.
9) What do you do when you have a creative block? I find the best remedy for creative block is to stop trying to create. Go away from my work area and so something completely different. I'll know when the creative flow is back again and when to return to the studio. It is hard to do because I feel such a drive to produce new items. But pushing directly against creative blocks, for me, just does not work. I have to shut it down completely and redirect my mind. I may do some housework, or walk the dog, or play a game. Just anything to occupy my mind in a different direction. That always loosens things up again eventually.
10) What other interests do you have that feed into your art? I love to look at urban ruins, especially those of old psychiatric hospitals and asylums. I know that sounds a bit dark, but the architecture on those places was so incredible! And the stories that those walls hold are stories that I want to listen to. So much humanity was lost behind those walls and it's the only thing I can do, is to listen to their stories.
I have been a musician since I was very young. I love music. I love to listen to it and I love to play it. I am a violinist and pianist. I am very inspired by music in my jewelry art. Many times when I feel a bit dull, I put on some music and that dullness vanishes. I am especially partial to classical music. The choices are absolutely endless in the classical genre, for what mood, what color, what shape you want to hear. It seems infinite! It is so rich!
