Thoughts of a Starving Business Artist

I was an Artist vendor at a very well known and established craft show over the weekend. I saw new faces and reconnected with good friends. My overall experience was less than mediocre, unsuccessful and leaves me questioning whether to give it all up or continue for the ‘long haul’ to weather the current economic storm. Many of the returning vendors stated that attendance was down about 20%, with sales down some 20-35% compared to previous years, including last year. As I go from show to show this season, I’m seeing some emerging trends and common threads.

Some of the new vendors that are appearing in shows are not always ‘new hobbyists/crafters looking for a quick buck’, but are well established gallery artists coming back to the craft show and festivals because ‘times are tough and they need to make ends meet’. I myself have turned down many shows recently due to the overwhelming number of jewelry vendors. While I’m all for challenging competition, I’m also a business person and know the buying public will be turned off by craft shows and festivals who dominate their shows with one particular industry vendor. In a lot of cases, this has turned off not only the consumer, but also the loyal returning vendors. Many of whom are replaced by hobbyists/crafters and mass producing overseas industry vendors. Time will only tell if this type of constant vendor turn-over will ruin and tarnish the reputation of good-standing, long running shows or not.

The most common comments at shows have ranged from ‘I’m just looking’; ‘Your work is so original and unique’; ‘I’ll come back, I want to see what everyone has’ to ‘Is this the best price you can give me’. Times are tough for the business person just as much as it is for the customer. But asking a business artist “Is this the best price you can give me?” right after stating, “This is such unique and original work” is telling me, the artist and business person, how worthless and ignorant I am. Maybe next to my business sign and cards I need to post my Bachelor’s degree in Business & resume of 20 years experience, the book I’ve been published in and class certifications. Is this enough ‘Creditability’ to the buying public to be taken seriously as a business person and artist?

Handcrafted original work is not cheap by any standard; there are raw materials, tools, time & labor, insurance, taxes, and many other aspects of overhead, too many to list in one post, which goes into the pricing of each and every piece produced. The buying public fails to consider these factors; and has left me with the impression they are more interested in getting the cheapest price they can get on quality handcrafted jewelry pieces. They want the over-seas cheap labor & materials price; not a high quality uniquely handcrafted American made price. So the question is, has the state of the economy caused this ill-mannered effect or has the true nature of the buying public gone unnoticed and overlooked until ‘times got tough’ for everyone? The economy is definitely pinching everyone, including the small business person and enough that many will not weather the storm of the current economic state of this country.

So, back to my original thoughts….do I passionately continue perfecting my craft; get certifications in silversmith, jewelry, teaching and continue to attend advanced classes, conferences and symposiums to better myself and my craft; building the business and artist OR do I try to have faith in the consumer and continue to build that relationship OR do I just give it all up, cut my losses and get out before it’s too late. Again…time will only tell.

Chocolate & Cherries – New Design

This brand new design created this week, is a little classy and a little sassy. Made from a combination of natural gemstones in Chocolate Jasper and Cherry Quartz; each Jasper stone has been accented with pewter filigree end-caps and I’ve captured the Cherry Quartz in silver toned wire cages. Between each section are triangle shaped seed beads in a pink lined color. This fun classic is 23” (58cm) long with matching earrings dangling at 1” (2.5cm). This is a one-of-a-kind piece and if you are interested in purchasing please contact me.

Check out my online Etsy shop for more designs available for purchase.

Dramatic Saradonyx Agate & Links Necklace – New!

This is my newest design hot off the design board and making a bold and mystic debut at 24.5” long! I really love how this one came out; I might even say it is my ‘newest’ favorite for a while. This one took some time, about 4 hours to complete.

Each spiral link is handcrafted using non-tarnish brass and black wires and then ‘charmed’ together. I was going for a dramatic look by adding Saradonyx Agate gemstones in beautiful tones of black, brown and white in a suspended dangle from each link, adding three as a center pendant. Full of fall colors for an elegant evening out or just casual wear.

Coils, Spirals, & Links Oh MY!

I took a wire class last March and found that my jewelry making passion was in wire. It has become almost as addicting as my passion for silver jewelry! My instructor told the class that if you can push a string into any type of a position, then you can ‘push and pull’ wire into any design as well. There are the more traditional forms of wire work done by wire wrapping a cabochon gemstone pendant…several can be seen in my Etsy shop. I do enjoy wire wrapping, however I’ve found that wire sculpture is more my style and passion.
I call it wire sculpture because you are literally sculpting the wire into any design. Working with the wire to create any design in any direction is much more ‘free form’ for me. It lets me mold the wire into anything my imagination can create. Whenever possible, I try to incorporate wire into my designs, whether via a simple link or a more in-depth spiral design. And I don’t limit it to just necklaces; I also use the wire sculpture in earrings and pendants.

You can learn to work with wire by taking a class at your local craft/hobby store, buying a book or by visiting one of these sites: Wire WigJig or Wire Sculpture. As for me, I’ll be back in class as soon as I can learning much more advanced techniques from my favorite instructor!


For jewelry designs in wire, visit my Etsy shop!
Note: Etsy prices are shown in USD.

Tourmaline & Garnet

Tourmaline is a great gemstone because the colors are that of the rainbow; pink, black, yellow, and green just to name a few. Tourmaline’s traditional properties are for energizing, soul-searching, and release.

In this new piece available in my Etsy shop, I’ve matched Tourmaline gemstone chips with red Garnet and pewter spacer beads. The traditional properties of Garnet are for health, removing negativity, awareness, commitment, regeneration, order and insight.

So that leads to the question, what do they mean when mixed together? Maybe a lot of good luck in one’s life……

Customer Service in a Fast Paced World

In just a few short weeks many cities will be inundated with Fall Craft Shows and Fall/Holiday Festivals. Patrons will scurry from place to place, looking for just the right gifts and packages; checking their lists and marking thru names. Halls and shops will be filled with floral designs, jewelry, food vendors, wood workers, potpourri and candles, embroidery and crocheted items ….all these artists and craftsmen have worked hard over the summer building a Fall/Holiday inventory for the buying public. It occurred to me yesterday at the first show of the season, that Custom Service is the ‘Brake or Make’ of a business. So, here are a few tips for great customer service.

·Always have a smile and pleasant attitude, Grumpy never sold anything. Greet customers with a “Hello and Welcome to ‘X’ and a warm smile. Don’t rush or push the customer or make them feel ‘boxed in’, allow them to move among your tables and through your booth. Be enthusiastic and Love what you do, it will show through to your customers!
·Let them know of any discounts or specials you might be offering for that show. Customers like to know where to get the best deals, especially in today’s economy.
·Be knowledgeable about your products. Tell a story of how you came to have a particular item, (especially if it is humorous). I have gemstones, so if a customer is looking at a particular piece I’ll let them know what stone it is, where it’s mined (if I know) or how I got it, and how the piece was designed. The last thing a customer wants to hear is ‘I don’t know, just something I thought was cute and picked up.’
·If I don’t carry a particular item, but I know of a fellow artist that does, I’ll refer the customer to that person. I want my customers to be happy and my fellow artists to be successful too!
·Chat with your customers, get to know them, give them the personal touch....find out what they like, what they don’t like, what they prefer and what they look for in gifts. Know them and the people they buy for. I’ll often ask a repeat customer “how did so-and-so like the gift you bought last time?” This also gives me feedback on how I’m doing as a business, how my jewelry is accepted and what I need to do differently or better.
·Lastly, always, always include your business card. I always add and mention my business card to every customer. I let them know about my websites and not just a ‘buying site’ either. I tell them on my blog there is useful information such as industry news, calendar dates and show discounts, and a spotlight on a new gem or jewelry design.

Find your ‘Nitch’, go with it and enjoy what you do and it will show to everyone!

From Studio Creative Desk to Finished Jewelry Designs

Many ask ‘How do you create these designs?’ Well, many designs come from the inspiration of the stones themselves. Here is a picture from my studio design desk, where I design all the jewelry. You can see that it is a mass of ribbon cord, wire, tools, a design board, stones, and much more. This particular set of stones I’m working with was hand-picked and purchased at the Tucson International Gem Show this past February. They are an array of gemstone pendants from Green Seraphine, Pink Peruvian Opal, Blue Peruvian Opal, Icy Opalite, Agates, and Jaspers.
I create and design whatever comes to mind as I shape and mold the wire with the gemstone pendants. Sometimes the designs are just wire and sometimes I add accents in other stones, crystals, or metal beads. These particular gemstone pendants are then hung from coordinating ribbon cords, ranging from 16” (41cm) to 22” (56cm). Each pendant bail is made large enough to remove and wear on another style necklace or put one your own pendants on the ribbon cord. You are actually getting a multi-functional necklace with these designs.



Once completed, I then photograph with different backgrounds and props; download to the computer and crop; list into my inventory and then put in my Etsy shop, available for purchase!