I was never an artist...
At least not what I would consider in a classic sense, can't draw or paint, never really learned and didn't really have a talent for it. However, my mother and both grandmothers early on though taught me to sew and needlepoint. My grandmother kept, until her passing in 1996, the first cross-stitch I ever did framed in her home, at which point it came back to me and I still have.
When I received my first sewing box for my birthday at about age 8, I was even more thrilled with it than with the Barbies. My mother got my first sewing machine from a garage sale for $10.00 when I was about 11, I have no idea exactly how old it was but it looked like something that at one point had been on a treadle and converted to a motor sometime in the 50's or 60's. I used it till it gave out on me making dolls and doll clothes on it for years. I never thought of this as Art, I just enjoyed it.
When I started making jewelry, it started simple, snap-tite settings and a few inexpensive cut gems, simple, pretty, but no real skill involved. When I began wire wrap and other forms my lack of skill definitely showed in the simplicity of the designs.
It was pretty easy to string a few beads on a wire and call them earrings. In retrospect these simple items have their place. Sometimes you really just don't want a huge artsy statement piece that detracts from what you're wearing, but still I can't help but be a little disappointed in them in relation to some of the latest pieces I've done.
My design process has certainly improved in the short time I've been putting more effort into it but as of late the time factor has been pushing me where I often find myself up at 1 or 2 am working. Having 3 boys (2 under the age of 4) on top of taking a full load of college courses, husband, etc, can certainly suck up your time for design and production. On the back end there is always the concern of "What if this doesn't sell?"
This question I actually have an easier time dealing with and not letting myself get down about it. It requires consistently reminding myself that building a business from scratch is not quick or easy and that it really hasn't been all that long. Now in a year, if I'm still asking myself this question then perhaps I will need to reconsider the direction. Or at least adjust the path a little. By then I will have my degree and who is to say what opportunities will present themselves in the meantime.
Almost as much time as I get in production I spend on promotion. For the most part these have been at no real cost to me. Sites like Indipublic, Fuzzb, Linkreferral, Facebook, Twitter, and Votehandmade have gone a long way in driving views of my work and it's only a matter of time before someone falls in love enough to take the plunge and purchase. The other avenue I've explored is mirrored stores. Although I prefer Artfire for showcasing my work having it visible in Etsy, Yessy, and several other venues simply increases my footprint and brings a potentially different group of people to my door. All that's left for me is straight brick and mortar shops and galleries that happen to dot my area and focusing on building my brand and style.
In all I'm not afraid of failing, I'm not afraid of trying and pushing, an artist is more than paint and pencils
