Magic Jelly ... Australia

Artist: Karena Colquhoun
Business: Magic Jelly
Web site: www.magicjelly.com.au and magicjelly.etsy.com
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

What do you create?
Pictures. Mainly digital imaging and printmaking. I concentrated on digital art for about six years and often incorporated natural textures and traditional media into my pictures to break up the uniformity and perfection of digitally created work. Then I moved back into traditional art – screenprinting, relief printing, collage, stencilling, painting. I love making small-format artwork on paper and I'm fascinated by the way ink and paper interact. I love making Gocco prints... they're so low-tech and idiosyncratic, they're the perfect antidote to the perfectionism of digitally created pieces. But really, I'm prepared to dabble in whatever medium works for me. Since I like to make affordable, accessible artwork as well as the larger one-off pieces, I put my pictures on all kinds of little knick-knacks like buttons, pocket mirrors, magnets – I love playing with my button presses, they're so much fun! I also do illustration and design commissions for various clients.




Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work from a home studio on average about six days a week. Working in my living space means it's hard for me to switch off and define my down time... I find myself fiddling with artsy things in my idle moments too.

Do you have another "day job"?
I used to be a public servant, then I left to go to art college, then went back to working in another office, saved money, went part-time and finally gave up my day job for good to concentrate on my own business.




Where and what did you study?
I am the Drop-Out Queen. For years I just didn't know what to do with myself so ended up enrolling in – and dropping out of – more courses than you could shake a stick at, from Philosophy and Professional Writing to Interior Decoration and Ceramics. Finally I found myself plonked in front of a computer at art college and had a little epiphany where I discovered the wonders and mysteries of Photoshop. I didn't know how the hell to use it at that stage, but I recognised its potential... it's a magical paintbox of infinite possibility. I'd say I'm mainly self-taught though, as the college course was hopelessly impractical (example: first lesson was to "draw two rectangles representing conflict") and down the track I also taught myself Illustrator.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I'd say I'm mainly inspired by the past and memory – not just my own past, but other people's too – it's like a magical unchartered land. I'm interested in souvenirs of the past... especially things that have been discarded – ephemera, popular culture. I collect mid-20th century magazines, old photos and vintage plastic, and my work is definitely influenced by this kind of imagery. I love portraiture. I never get tired of drawing faces.




My main motivation is my love of what I'm doing. Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm so excited about a project I'm working on. I spring out of bed in the morning so I can make things. I feel like I can spend my life playing and learning, and love all my tools and materials like I loved my toys as a kid. I'm so lucky!

When did you start doing this?
I've been making things since I was a kid; it just took me a while to finally find my Thing. I started working digitally in 2000 and that's when I really started to open up creatively and feel really free and inspired.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I used to make paper dolls and little letters, including the envelopes and stamps and postcodes that I'd make and draw myself. For some reason, forms and bureaucracy fascinated me and I'd make library cards for the back of all my books, and stamp everything in sight. Ironic considering how uninspiring I found office work as an adult. I have revisited my early obsessions by making collages with vintage papers and ephemera, handmade stamps and screenprints.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I dreamed about it a long time before I actually found the courage to do it. I think the reason why I finally started my own business was because it's all I'm good at and no one else wanted to employ me!

How did you choose the name for your business?
I had this idea that the best way to choose a unique name was to team an adjective with a noun. "Jelly" was an immediate choice because I love jellies (or jello as you US-based people call them), there's something very nostalgic about them and they're just so pretty and wibbly! Thinking of an adjective was more tricky... finally I thought "Magic" because that's how I regard digital art. It wasn't until I went to register my domain name that I found I share my bizz name with a brand of Asian sex toys!




What do you love most about creating your work?
The excitement and sense of fulfillment. I feel that I'm most myself when I'm making things, that the universe is in alignment and all's well with the world. I also love interacting with the people who buy my work.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
The murky recesses of my memory.

A book you love:
Hard to pick one! The 'Lucia' books by E. F. Benson...merciless satire. The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley... heartbreakingly bittersweet. And I love glossy art and design books and mags and have a massive collection.




What is the most interesting thing about you?
Facing a question like this makes me suddenly feel very ordinary! Umm...

What achievement are you most proud of?
Being someone with a history of procrastination and lack of focus and commitment, stubbornly persevering with my artwork and business has been a pleasant surprise and I'm very proud of myself!

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
I've never really felt the need to make a point of being female – I've never really felt defined by my gender or witnessed any kind of prejudice – until I went into business and started attending seminars, etc. I was shocked by the way I was treated compared to male friends. There's a lot of male bravado and lame intimidation techniques out there. I think being a female in business is definitely a different experience, so my suggestion is to join a women in business group or have a support network of female friends around you. Also being self-employed as an artist is a situation where having the support of friends and peers is really valuable.




What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Picking up on what I was just saying, the biggest challenge for me is staying focused and motivated in an environment where I don't have other people around to bounce ideas around with. I'm one of those people who gets their energy from external sources and too much time alone saps me a bit. Most of the time I'm in The Zone and quite happy to work on my own – and I definitely love the freedom and autonomy – but I do miss a bustling office environment. I'm thinking working part-time for someone else might be a good solution.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Get out of the house! Even just sitting out in the garden catching some sun at lunchtime is a welcome relief. I love to engage in a bit of chit-chat, and since my work day is so solitary, I like to spend my free time socialising... spending time with my friends and sisters over coffee, going out to dinner or to a movie... the usual stuff. I also love rummaging at markets, drives in the country...this is starting to sound like a Singles ad, so I'll stop now before I get to the walks on the beach and sipping champers by an open fire.




What are you working on right now?
I'm doing a range of hand-printed greeting cards. And getting my blog organised with my sister Jo (she of Tackorama fame) and friend Alex's help.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I'm hoping to save for a trip to England to see my sister Cas in a few months (hi Cas! x). I'm also quite taken by the idea of owning a digital diecutter... another toy to play with. Ultimately I want a larger studio space and hopefully a shopfront and get myself large-format screenprinting equipment, a letterpress and a giclée printer. I'm also hoping for a solo exhibition in the next couple of years if I can produce enough work. I'd love to travel to the US and check out the art scene there.

Kathleen Bostick Studio ... Vermont, USA

Artist: Kathleen Bostick
Business: Kathleen Bostick Studio
Web site: http://studiometalsmith.etsy.com and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/katkrafty/
Location: Wilder, VT (but soon moving back to Southern California)


What do you create?
I make jewelry and small metal sculpture and objects.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I make my work on my days off and I stay after work and use the studio. I try to fit it in whenever possible.

Do you have another "day job"?
I do have a day job right now. I am the assistant jewelry studio manager at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. I teach people how to make jewelry. It’s a temporary position for me, one school year. I will be leaving here in June to go back to my home and husband in California. In September I will be going back to school. I will be a grad student at San Diego State University in the Jewelry/Metals program.




Where and what did you study?
I have a BFA in jewelry/metalsmithing from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
Lots of things! I just really like making things. I like problem solving, thinking of an object and the figuring out how to make it. I like to make people laugh, and think, so I will use humor and sarcasm in my sculpture pieces. I also like to make narrative sculpture. Vintage ads, cookbooks, and magazines from the 1940s to the 1970s amuse me, some of them are so ridiculously funny and I intend on working with images from these in the future. I love graphic designs especially Japanese crests and op art.

When did you start doing this?
I started working with metal in 2000, right before college, so I’m still pretty new at it. I have a lot to learn.




Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I have always loved to draw. I was a horse girl when I was really young and would draw them for hours in my room! I used to paint fantasy landscapes in high school. Art and craft have always been a big part of my life.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I started selling jewelry on EBay in 1999, I think. Nothing like what I make now, but wire wrapped, beaded things. It was fun, but I wasn’t really making a profit. I took a long time off from trying to sell my work. It’s hard to make art when you are thinking about a customer. I just starting selling on Etsy and I hope to sell enough to keep from having to get a job while going to school.




How did you choose the name for your business?
I opened my original Etsy shop under the name KatKrafty. I still have it and will be selling supplies and crafty things I make in that one. I chose the studiometalsmith.etsy name because that’s what I am! I lucked out and was able to purchase the domain name, so I wanted them to match. I don’t have the web site up yet, but I’m working on it.

What do you love most about creating your work?
I love working with my hands and becoming one with my tools. It’s a great thing when they become an extension of your hand and mind. It takes years for this to happen, to really hone your craft. I feel like I’m getting there. I’m becoming more knowledgeable of my materials and what their limits are and this is going to make me freer to create what I envision.




What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Kazakhstan. I actually went there to work on a Rocket Launch in the 1990s.

A book you love:
One book? Gosh I’m a book junkie! I love “how to” books. Right now, I’m building up my knitting book collection. Yeah, I knit!

What is the most interesting thing about you?
Hmmm… I used to play bass guitar in a Goth band in the late 1980s and I have the tattoos to prove it. That usually gets some laughs.




What achievement are you most proud of?
I had my (metal) artwork shown at SOFA Chicago and SOFA New York a couple of years ago and I will be in a show later this year at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Network; meet as many people in your field as possible. Those connections can really pay off.




What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
I find it challenging to feel confident. I am always worried what others think and that can be paralyzing at times.

What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to knit. I have four projects in progress, two sweaters, a hat, and some mittens.




What are you working on right now?
I am making samples for an upcoming class I’m teaching on Damascene, the process of inlaying fine silver and gold into steel.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I hope I can get that MFA! After that, I want to be a University Professor.

Mythological Goddess Art ... USA

Artist: Emily Balivet
Business: Mythological Goddess Art
Web site: www.emilybalivet.com and http://EmilyBalivet.etsy.com
Location: Rochester (the heart of Vermont)

What do you create?
Mainly two-dimensional paintings, but I'm prone to get creative with any material placed before me.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I paint with every spare moment I have. I have a little studio at my house where I'll sneak off to ...On Fridays I typically go in, not to be seen until Sunday.

Do you have another "day job"?
Other than my art, I am a stay-at-home mother of two young daughters, so I swing back and forth between those two careers. Before I became a mother I was waitressing to support my art addiction.




Where and what did you study?
No. Not I. The idea of "school" never agreed with me and I've always had the self-motivation to expand my knowledge in subjects that interest me, especially without being compelled to study by an outside force.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
Studying other artists’ work (particularly, the pre-Raphaelites) always turns my crank. The natural world, just the way a tree limb will twist will get me all excited...Then there is music and literature. They often provide the undercurrent to my paintings.




When did you start doing this?
I seriously turned to art in my late teens, though I always enjoyed it. I was one of four kids raised to be musicians. I played the piano and sang. I still enjoy singing, but my parents had to twist my arm to get me to practice the piano. Art was something that came naturally to me...and it was my own.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
My father is an architect and he used to bring home giant rolls of blueprints. I remember studying those and being fascinated by that bird's eye perspective. I used to flip them over and draw the floor plans to all of my doll's houses...finally I made an entire town. It was a seriously intense work of creativity, matching my imaginary characters to these homes, whether they lived in a modern mansion or a chicken shack.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
Becoming a single mother in 2004 really prompted me to use every resource I had. Within a year I had my website up and running and found out that there certainly was a market for my work. I began by selling originals only and have only been selling prints for a little over a year now.

How did you choose the name for your business?
The name, "Mythological Goddess Art", sort of evolved and I'm not sure I've settled with it. I had to try and imagine how "others" might describe it and it was the best I could come up with before I went and had business cards made.




What do you love most about creating your work?
The ZONE. That is this space that transcends all worldly needs or desires. There is no more time, no need for food or drink, no worries...only what I am painting before me. Even more than that, it happens when the creation is OH so good. I call that an artistic orgasm. I try and have them as often as possible.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I've been fortunate enough to visit a number of countries in Europe and stay in New Zealand and Australia for a bit of time. Some of the most astounding landscapes I've ever seen were where I grew up in Alaska. Though, by far, the most fascinating place I've been is behind my eyes.




A book you love:
Well, I love mythology and folklore, especially Arthurian legends and the Brothers Grimm. My favorite book that I am able to draw endless inspiration from is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I think I read that book three times in a row, I loved it so much.

What is the most interesting thing about you?
Probably the aforementioned ability to be alone and entrenched on a project for hours upon hours. I know of very few people who can do this and even fewer that understand that kind of drive or can be comfortable without social contact. I crave that space like a drug... and it's not that I'm a loner or depressed or antisocial. It's just what has to happen to fulfill my creative desires. I love it. Those close to me...maybe not so much.

What achievement are you most proud of?
Being able to support myself and my daughters while doing what I love. It's a very good thing.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
That it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Start slow, dip your feet in. See what's marketable. It was initially very difficult for me to imagine putting myself and my work "out there". I thought I would have to be a raving success story in the first few weeks or that I would be a complete failure. It doesn't work like that. I did do very well during my first year, however, the second year took a lot more effort to keep afloat...

Now I feel a bit more established and my income has become increasingly steady. It takes time and it's best to use as many resources as you can muster until you get up and running.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Marketing. I detest that aspect of my work and it certainly doesn't come naturally. I've had to pull my own teeth out to get myself to promote my art work. It has become easier with time. I have to think of it like a mask I wear for the occasion...and then put it away so I can get back to the space where the work originates from. I'd really rather have an agent.




What do you love to do in your free time?
Explore nature, play with my kids, and art of course.

What are you working on right now?
I'm working through the major Arcana cards of my own Tarot deck, much in the same style as my Medieval Alphabet.

What do you hope to achieve next?
To have my Tarot published!!

Fringe ... California, USA

Artist: Dennice Mankarious
Business: Fringe
Location: San Diego, California
Web site: http://www.fringe.etsy.com

What do you make?
I hand-knit and crochet (with a bit of sewing and embroidery thrown in) accessories such as scarves, cowls, lariats, capelets, shawls, bags and purses, belts, and other little surprises.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I do most of my work at home.




Where and what did you study?
I studied electrical engineering in southern California

What inspires you and what motivates you?
Music inspires me. I guess the act of creating motivates me. I will be lying in bed at night and have this idea pop onto my head. I have to get up and write it down, or get started creating it. I am always thinking about new designs. The feeling of accomplishment when it is complete is a great motivator. Once I complete an item, I already have another one planned to start on so it seems to be a continuous cycle of creating. I’m always motivated to finish what I’m working on so that I can start the next creation. The self-gratification that comes from clients who love my work can be a bit addictive as well.

When did you start doing this?
I learned to knit and then crochet at age four. But I have only been creating in this capacity for about four years.




What memories to you have of getting into art as a kid?
The one memory that stands out (probably because of the size of it) is when I was in 4th grade; my art teacher gave us an assignment to create anything we wanted. Don’t ask my why, but I chose to make a life-size big bird from Sesame Street. Some of the kids in class said I couldn’t manage that, but the teacher said go for it. So I did. He was really big and really yellow. I remember being quite proud of him. It’s the same when you grow up. You may have an idea that seems impractical to some or most, but if you are passionate about it you should go full steam ahead. There are always going to be people to discourage you. You have to learn to ignore that element completely.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It just kind of evolved. I started making scarves about four or five years ago for myself. Then I made them as Christmas gifts for the gals in my family. They went crazy for them. Then the following year, a girlfriend suggested I try selling some at her Christmas boutique. I really thought it would be a waste of time, who would want to pay for my scarves? I sold forty scarves in two days. That is where it all began.




How did you choose the name for your business?
A dear friend of mine (the gal that asked me to sell at her Christmas boutique that first year) came up with it. I knew it was perfect the moment she said it.

What do you love most about doing this work?
I am the boss of everything! The creative outlet is so satisfying too.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I find something fascinating about every place I visit. One of the most poignant and emotional places I have been is The Wall monument in Washington, DC. It was so very moving, and I really didn’t expect it. If you have never been there, it’s like this. You don’t see the monument until you are upon it because it is cut into the ground. When you walk down to it the air is still, it’s quiet and you just feel the pain of loss all around you. Incredible artist impact was created by the designer of that monument.




A book you love:
Anything by Hemingway.

What's the most interesting thing about you?
Three years ago I found out I had a brother. Just when you think you know where your life is taking you, you get a curve ball. It was a dream come true for me. We are just alike and he has a degree specializing in textiles. Isn’t that wild? We are like two peas in a pod now and it’s the most wonderful relationship.

What achievement are you most proud of?
My marriage and my children.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
I know it is the worst cliché, but you must believe in yourself and be patient. Anyone who gives you negative input doesn’t belong in your life. Most importantly, in the words of Winston Churchill, “nevah, nevah give up”.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Shipping and dealing with the post office! I’m only half-joking about that. Challenges are good. They make life interesting and satisfying when you overcome them. What do you love to do in your free time? Free time is a fantasy. A figment of my imagination. Theoretically speaking, in my free time I would love to get a little cooler of drinks and goodies, a good fat book and go to the beach all by myself for the day, without a cell phone.



What are you working on right now?
Designs and color story for fall 2007

What do you hope to achieve next?
I would like to expand into more boutiques. That would be so grand! I have a very long wish list but in the immediate future, more boutiques.

BrooklynButterfly ... New York, USA

Artist: Angie Randolph
Business: BrooklynButterfly
Webite: http://brooklynbutterfly.etsy.com
Location: Brooklyn, New York

What do you make?
I make beaded and wire jewelry. I also crochet hats, bags, and scarves. Occasionally I'll dig out the sewing machine and make a bag or two.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
Usually evenings and weekends. Right now my workshop is my couch. I can never have overnight guests because they have no place to sleep!

Do you have another "day job"?
I work in product development at a jewelry company. I do enjoy it, but sometimes I find myself sidetracked, daydreaming about things I want to make when I get home.




Where and what did you study?
I studied Business Management/Finance, but realized I was more into the creative side of business.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I'm inspired by simple shapes and bold colors. I love buying new beads and dreaming up jewelry to make out of them. My friends and family always support me and keep me motivated.

When did you start doing this?
I've always done little projects here and there since I was little. I started becoming more serious about jewelry making in college. A friend of mine made jewelry, and she refused to make me any more pieces since she knew I could create them myself. She encouraged me to start up again, and the rest is history!




What memories to you have of getting into art as a kid?
The earliest project I remember is this macaroni frame I made in kindergarten. I think my mom still has it! I remember this huge tin of seed beads I had. I also made lots of friendship bracelets.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
At first I would just make jewelry for myself. Everyone kept telling me I should sell my stuff. I started off slowly with friends and family and eventually progressed to selling online as well.

How did you choose the name for your business?
When I was younger I was really shy. When I went to college, I got involved in more things which allowed me to express myself through my creativity. I feel like I transformed into a whole new person, like a butterfly. And I always represent where I'm from... Brooklyn of course!




What do you love most about doing this work?
It's very relaxing and therapeutic. I can come home from a crazy day at work, sit down with all my beads around me and just unwind. I love creating things that make people feel beautiful.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
So far, the Grand Canyon. Seeing it was such a surreal experience.

A book you love:
Wow, this is a hard question. I read everything! Can I pick an author? Octavia Butler. All of her books have strong women as the lead character.

What's the most interesting thing about you?
I have over 100 pairs of earrings. And it's not just because I make them, I seriously have an earring fetish! I started asking my family to bring me back earrings when they travel, so I 'm slowly building an international collection.





What achievement are you most proud of?
Finally starting to sell my jewelry online. It's been in the works for a long time.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Make sure it's something you have a real passion for, so when it gets a little tough, you can think back and remember why you started in the first place.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Keeping my creative ADD in check! I always want to try something new, so I have to keep myself focused. Otherwise, I would have a room full of half-finished projects.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Make jewelry and read. My two loves!





What are you working on right now?
I'm working on some new designs with this huge amount of beads I just bought.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I would like to delve into metalsmithing. I took a beginning workshop and loved it.

inaluxe ... Australia

Artist: Kristina Sostarko
Business: inaluxe
Web site: http://inaluxe.blogspot.com and http://inaluxe.etsy.com
Location: Melbourne, Australia

What do you make?
I started inaluxe with dresses primarily, but I've recently incorporated pillows and art work into the range. This is a natural progression for me, as I found I could not seperate my painting and graphic design background from the production process. I wanted to explore working with paper, paint, screenprints and rare fabrics. I'm currently exploring cushion/pillow covers, small art works, and clothing.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work most days of the week in my studio. I love the history of the studio. It's an old shop front that used to be a ice cream soda shop for many years. It became abandoned and empty for a good ten years before it came up for lease again and I now share it with my mother, who lives in the lovely residence in the back of the studio. It's close to home and situated in a quiet residential street. Very pretty, and peacefully quiet.




Do you have another "day job" separate to your art?
I used to teach part time, and before that I was a recruitment consultant full time. I made a decision about eight months ago to dedicate my time solely to inaluxe, so at the moment this is my full-time job, although that may change with going back to study part time.

Where and what did you study?
I've had four years of full-time study in art and design. I'm multi-disciplined in terms of the subjects that were covered – including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, graphic design, fashion design, ceramics, art history, life drawing, print making. My major study was in painting, which is my first love really, but I find all the knowledge acquired throughout the years has been invaulable to me – particularly today.




What inspires you and what motivates you?
What motivates me? That's a hard one. It isn't tangible, it's an inner maddening desire and need to create. When I'm making something, I feel like I'm at home, or I've come home. It's a deeply personal space to be in, and that's where I'm happiest. I guess you could say it's a need, rather than a want.

In terms of what inspires me… I see things every day that inspire me: small buttons, surface textures on graffiti, city streets and lanes, people, books, music, fabrics. Life in general. My partner Jason, who is a writer and artist, inspires me in all manner of ways and I'm constantly inspired by other artists and designers. I have a great respect for artists.




When did you start doing this?
I started inaluxe in October of 2006.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I've been wanting to do it for years, but everyone is always so quick to tell you why you won't make it as an artist that you finally get to the point where you're too afraid to. It took my a good ten years to finally start believing and thinking 'maybe' it could work. Maybe I could make a living doing this. It really started to take shape in 2006 when I was teaching a sewing class for two days a week. I started to (naturally) work with the students and create, and in so doing, started to believe in myself once again.




What do you love most about creating?
I love the excitement of an "idea". It's that early stage. It's the limitless potential that exists in the planning process. I also love seeing things come to life. Sometimes I am quite amazed at the final product because I get so wrapped up in the "making it" part that I seriously don't think about how it will turn out. I love that the final product surprises me – it's such a wonderful experience, and amazing really.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I think for me Croatia was the most amazing. I've been there three times – when I was six, twelve, and again when I was thirteen. My fondest memories are possibly of my first visit, and experiencing the contrast of the wide open fields, farms, animals and architecture. It was so different to living in the city. A fascinating place that I would love to see again is the Passau River, in Germany. Magical.




A book you love:
I've always been rather partial to anything written by Milan Kundera, and I adore Dorothy Hewitt's work. I love her poetry in particularly. They have a deeply sensual quality and sharpness to it that I find quite alluring and breath taking. I don't really have a favourite book as such, although I guess books like Alice In Wonderland and The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe did something for me as a child. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak affected me deeply – I fell in love with his monsters instantly, and wanted one of my own! Such gorgeous illustrations – truly a legend!

What is the most interesting thing about you?
A hard question to be sure. I could say my loud laugh, or the fact that I make more mess working than anyone else I know yet can do the most detailed intricate work while making this mess, but I think maybe the most interesting thing (for me) is growing up in a Croatian household in Australia, reconciling the two (vastly different) cultures and enjoying that mix of both worlds as an adult. There were some teething problems as an adolescent, but these things all add to an interesting life, and self-awareness as a grown up – not that I've necessarily grown up yet!




What achievement are you most proud of?
For me, it is having the guts to follow my dreams, no matter how silly or futile others may have thought them to be. I did exceptionally well in school and aced it all over the place, so there was always this pressure to 'succeed' or live up to that honestly freaked me out. what if I fail, what if this, what if that, etc. As a woman I was also confronted with the pressure to get married, have children, get a mortgage, grow up and be responsible. Cook well, seven days a week! Ha ha. I think the struggle to succeed as an artist can be too confronting for many. So I think for me, my greatest achievement is in being true to my nature, and finally going for it – after many years of denial. Life is too short for the "what ifs".

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Just do it! If you have a burning desire or idea that just keeps niggling away at you, start doing it. Don't do what I did and place invisible obstacles in your path. There is no such thing as "can't do" and you will make good decisions and bad decisions along the way, but this is life, and why not just try something rather than thinking about it. Ultimately, believe in your ability to succeed and grow. Be kind to yourself, be proud of your achievements, no matter how small you think they might be – every achievement in the right direction is a GREAT one!




What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Ohhhh.... lots of things, but nothing too ominous. It is far more pleasing to work for myself than a boss, but with that comes learning to reconcile the business side, admin work, paper work, creative process, marketing, etc. I'm all things and it's just me. Time management has been a big learning curve, although not altogether an unpleasant one. Managing the inconsistent cash flow has been another. Each challenge is another opportunity to learn something – this has been a really big year for me, and I have learnt a lot – through the good, and more so, difficult times. so, even the challenges and bad days prove positive.

What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to paint. I love movies, lying around in bed reading magazines, going to the beach, dreaming of what sort of dog I'd like to buy, spending time with loved ones, and friends, going on holidays (for sure, anytime!) sitting in the backyard in the evening drinking wine with my partner, the little things make me happy.




What are you working on right now?
I'm buying some screen-printing materials, and starting work on a new range of fabric designs exclusive to inaluxe. I'm excited about the screen printing as it can be applied to art work, clothing, dress fabrics, silks, and pillow covers... so much to look forward to. I'm hoping to have the new range in my Etsy shop by mid May.

What do you hope to achieve next?
World domination! ha ha ha. No... well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad with an artist and woman, rather than the politicians we are stuck with? Slightly more realistic aspirations include the screen-printing range in the not too distant future. Beyond this.... who knows. I am sure this will open up a whole new series of work, which is a lot to look forward to. I'm also looking into wholesale. I currently only sell inaluxe online at Etsy, which is such a great site, but I need to get my range out there in a physical form so that people can walk into shops and touch it and see it in the flesh. There's a lot of work to do.

Kelly Rae Roberts ... California, USA

Artist: Kelly Rae Roberts
Business: Kelly Rae Roberts
Location: Oakland, California
Web site: www.KellyRaeRoberts.com

What do you make?
I make mixed media paintings. Most of them are quite colorful and almost all of them have girly imagery mixed in with words. I sell originals, prints, and cards.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I have an in-house studio, so I create at all hours. Mornings, afternoons, late night. Maintaining balance can be difficult.

Do you have another "day job"?
Right now, I have a part-time medical social work job while I transition my way to full time artist. In some ways, it’s a good balance. The art can be very healing and the social work provides a sort of practicality that my mind craves sometimes.



Where and what did you study?
I received my Master’s degree in Social Work at Florida State University in 1998. Like so many others, it didn’t occur to me to pursue a creative career. I had attended a high school that was pretty intense academically, so when I went to college, I focused on choosing a path that was both practical and socially inspiring: social work. I wanted to join the Peace Corps and help people. I’m realizing now that my art and my social work are intertwined. The message, the inspiration of my art comes from all that I’ve learned by being a social worker. It’s all connected.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I am inspired by people, their stories – especially the stories of women. I feel a kindred connection to these stories as I walk my own journey in life. It fills me with a powerful sense of community. Music inspires me. Walks on the beach & my newfound obsession with searching for sea glass inspire me. Conversations, the moment you connect with another person, are deeply inspiring to me. And the feeling of providence, relishing every step of an incredible journey, one that has been unexpected and life-changing, have been huge inspirations and motivators for me.




When did you start doing this?
I started to explore my general creativity in late fall 2005. I had discovered the works of Sabrina Ward Harrison, and felt a powerful shift when I saw her words mixed in with her messy, colorful art. I wanted to see what I could do. By early 2006, I began experimenting with painting. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.

What memories to you have of getting into art as a kid?
Very few. I don’t remember creating, painting, or drawing very much as a child. I did take an art class in junior high, but other than that, I have few memories of being artistic. I will say, however, that I’ve always felt creative, whether that meant hand-making various gifts, or decorating the house. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I began to feel the compulsion to really explore my creativity, though.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I started my own business last summer. I started selling my work on Etsy, then eventually made my own website. I was smitten with painting and was hopeful other people would want to buy my creations!

How did you choose the name for your business?
I thought choosing my name was the easiest way to do it, though I used to write down idea names for my future business all of the time. In the end, I went with my name.




What do you love most about doing this work?
I love the process of painting, of getting in the studio, hands in the paint, music on, windows open, and just being in the moment with whatever it is I’m creating. Time seems to stand still and before I know it, I have created another painting, another step in my journey. I feel quite connected to the process. I also love the community that all of this has brought me. Meeting like-minded people, being exposed to their work, their friendships, it all means the world to me.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Italy. I could live there. The people, the spirit, the food, the gelato, the art, all of it.

A book you love:
Eat, Love, Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert. I was fascinated with her transformation in this book. It was inspiring to read.




What's the most interesting thing about you?
Oh, this is a hard question! I really don’t kow. I’ve moved a million times. I feel most connected with the Northwest, specifically Portland. I have a hemophilliac dog. I moved out West with someone I had just started dating 12 weeks before. We have been married for 5.5 years now. I lost a parent to a car accident when I was 8.5 years old. I always come out even on the various personality tests, never strongly indentified with one type or another. I could talk to elderly people all day long and love it. I’m not very fond of vegetables. I ran a half-marathon once. I can be quite absent-minded and professional all at once. My husband and I bought a house once, then sold it one year later when we put everything in storage and traveled for several months.

What achievement are you most proud of?
Oh this is another hard one. I guess I would have to say that I’m most proud of changing my life around from someone who was working at a job that they weren’t totally in love with to someone who decided to make a living doing what they love – making art. It is possible. And what is so wonderful is how everything shifts in your life when you make this sort of decision, in a good way.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Do the research. Take your time. But do it. Follow the whispers in your life telling you to go for it.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Finding balance. If I’m not careful, I find myself always working, whether it’s actually creating, or online researching, or planning, or getting orders together. Even though I’m living my dream, I still think it’s important to rest.




What do you love to do in your free time?
Walk the streets of San Francisco, travel, walk on the beach, search for sea glass, read creative magazines, talk on the phone with my friends and family, daydream, snuggle with my husband, rest, plan, eat Italian food, shop, dinner and lunch dates, and the occasional nap.

What are you working on right now?
I am working on a book that I’m writing for North Light Books titled Taking Flight: Projects and Inspiration that will make your Spirit Soar. The book will be in stores Aug/Sept 2008 and will showcase a variety of mixed media art which all relate to the “finding your wings” theme.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I hope to just continue along this path of making an artful living. I hope
to remain open to the possibilities and just see where all of this leads.

Alphabetti Spaghetti Design ... Italy

Artist: Wendy Humphreys
Business: Alphabetti Spaghetti Design Ltd
Location: Modena, Italy
Web site: http://alphabettispaghetti.etsy.com

What do you create?
Precious Metal jewellery. So, rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Mostly in sterling silver, but sometimes with gold accents, and in mixed pieces with bronze, which creates an interesting contrast. I'm not a big "stone" person, but I do like using rough, uncut stones in my work, like rough, uncut diamond cubes which have proved really popular. They're great to work with.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I have an absolutely gorgeous attic space where I live in Italy. It's got exposed beams and floor-level windows. It's just great, and my own little sanctuary. I'm up there pretty much every weekday, but if I'm not too busy, I try and take Fridays off to get out in the fresh air!

Do you have another "day job"?
I'm very fortunate that this is what I do pretty much full-time. I do the odd translation or proof-reading job, but that's quite infrequent at the moment.



Where and what did you study?
I went to uni in Portsmouth in 1995 to study languages. I'd been teaching English in Portugal for three and a half years, and decided that if I was going to get on, I'd better do a degree! Languages come quite easily to me, so it seemed the natural thing to study. While at uni, I did a evening class in jewellery-making, even though I had dabbled a few years before. This class made me more confident in things such as soldering and stone-setting, and I just made my own way after that. I like to read about a technique in a book, then have a go for myself! After that, I went back to teaching English for a bit, before doing a Master's in Ecotourism. I'm very keen on environmental issues and wildlife, and I thought it would be an interesting course to do. It was! Unfortunately, I was unable to find an interesting and decently paid job in the environmental field, so eventually, my partner and I decided to up-sticks and move to Italy, his place of birth. We've been here for about 18 months now, and making my jewellery has been a life-saver in terms of having something of my own to do while trying to acclimatise to living in a foreign country.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
My mind's buzzing pretty much all the time with ideas. Ideas can pop up from all over the place. I look in jewellery magazines and books, and online, and in jewellery shops, but I couldn't really say what my main source of inspiration is. I belong to a couple of what are called a "street teams" on Etsy – "Etsy Metal" and "Etsy for Animals". This group is composed of people with a common interest of sorts. Either geographical, in terms of interests, or the things they make. My street teams are called "Etsy Metal" and "Etsy for Animals". We recently joined forces to produce a piece to support a ban on the hunting of harp seal pups in Canada. It was a terrific campaign, and I've sold three seal-themed pieces so far and am donating the proceeds to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.




Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I've always been interested in art, but my drawing skills are truly awful. I can copy things really well, but drawing something from my head is just a joke! If I need to get a design down on paper for a jewellery project, it's usually composed of an illustration that looks like it's been done by a 5-year-old, and rather lengthy written instructions.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
We've had an online shop for about 3 years where we sell very nice laptop bags, made with designer fabrics. As resellers, this has had its limitations, and since we moved to Italy we've let that slide a bit. Before we moved to Italy, we had all kinds of ideas, one of them was to source locally produced olive oil and honey and resell it in England. The problem is that postal costs in Italy are phenomenal, so it wasn't really feasible. It's on the back-burner for now! I was going to learn bee-keeping, too, but that's also on the back-burner!

How did you choose the name for your business?
We wanted something that sounded Italian, but that English people understood as well. Since part of our business is graphic design, and involves using different fonts at times, the "alphabetti" bit seemed to fit in. We were amazed that Alphabetti Spaghetti was available as a domain name, so we snapped it up while the going was good.




What do you love most about creating your work?
I've always liked jewellery and my mum used to call me "Magpie" when I was little, for my love of shiny things. So now, I can make my own. That's very satisfying. I love seeing a thing materialise into reality just from an image in my head. The latest project to create a seal-themed piece for charity was very special for me. Difficult, but fun to make, and I was so proud of the result. It is my favourite piece to date. I like thinking "Oh, I wonder if I can make that", having a go, and it turning out okay. It's a constant learning curve, and I love the buzz that gives me.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
While I was studying for my languages degree, I spent 4 months in Corsica. The university there was this tiny place in the mountains. It was just heaven. The scenery, the wildlife, the people... It was just beautiful. I really cried when I left. I got the chance to go to Turkey on a field trip while I was doing my master's. Again, scenery, wildlife and people featured strongly, but I have to add food to this list!

A book you love:
Anything by Tracy Chevalier who wrote Girl with a Pearl Earring, particularly her book Virgin Blue which is just captivating. Also anything by Alistair McCall-Smith. He just makes me laugh out loud.




What is the most interesting thing about you?
I don't think I'm very interesting, per se. I'm interested in a lot of things, so can pretty much talk about anything! I (think I) can communicate telepathically with animals, and I'm obsessed with bees and wasps! (In a positive way).

What achievement are you most proud of?
Going to university after hating school. I wasn't an under-achiever or anything, but left with only one A-level after two attempts! I was pretty much burnt out, thanks to a history of being bullied and racially abused.




What do you love to do in your free time?
We have a fabulous climate here in Italy, and so I love to go out walking or cycling. We live next to a nature trail which takes in lakes and fields. It's just fantastic, and I always see interesting wildlife when I'm off down the trail.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I'm hoping at some point to be able to expand to sell my jewellery in places other than Etsy. It's quite hard to get set up selling at markets in Italy, because the culture is very closed, and they don't want to let any outsiders in. At the moment, I'm trying to build up my confidence to make more challenging pieces, and to not get scared if someone asks me to do a commission! An exhibition would be nice at some point!

Red Otter ... Minnesota, USA

Artist: Julia Goozen
Business: Red Otter
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Web site: http://redotter.etsy.com

What do you create?
I create journals! I cover the books in different kinds of paper and then bind them together using waxed linen thread. I also create greeting cards using collage techniques.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I typically pull out all of my art supplies and spread them all over my living room floor or my kitchen table. I have “horizontal surface disorder.” By the time I’ve finished one of the book covers I usually have glue all over my hands and paper all over the floor.

Do you have another "day job"?
I’m a graphic designer by trade. I design educational children’s books. I have the pleasure of working from home!



Where and what did you study?
I went to the University of Minnesota Duluth for my undergraduate in Graphic Design. I minored in art and nearly minored in art history.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I’ve always been fascinated with books and different kinds of paper. The books that I read as a child have impacted my tastes greatly. I read Anne of Green Gables and wanted to be a writer. I read Little Women and wanted to write with a dip pen. I read Girl of the Limberlost and wanted to make paper with butterfly wings. I find now that going to little specialty shops inspire my creativity. I’m fascinated with silk ribbon and different kinds of antique buttons. I love Amy Butler fabrics and hobo bags. I love Victorian filigree and the beauty of monochromatic designs. I’m motivated by the desire to keep the tradition of journal writing alive, for myself and for others. I find myself inspired to journal beautiful things when the book is beautiful as well.




When did you start doing this?
About three years ago I was living in a small bedroom in a lovely house, living paycheck to paycheck when I came to last page in my journal. Seeing as I would’ve much rather spent my money on tea and oranges, I decided to make myself a journal. I used paper given to my by an art professor and fishing line from one of my roommates. After that adventure, I slowly developed the techniques and processes of book making.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I think I was always taking an art class of some kind. Watercolor, pastels, drawing, they were all apart of my education. I remember watercolors being a favorite medium of mine. I loved how vivid I could make the colors.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
My full time job, though highly creative, wasn’t really affording me the opportunity to use my book making craft. I wanted an outlet to create books. Having other people buy them was sort of a great side benefit.

How did you choose the name for your business?
I designed my own wedding invitations this past winter. My fiancé and created a family crest, combining different elements of our own personality and experiences into the crest. My fiancé picked an owl to represent himself and I picked an otter. Otters are supposed to symbolize those who are passionate about life. I thought it very fitting. The “red” part came from my love of the color.

What do you love most about your work?
I love the delight of finishing off my last stitch and holding the book in my hands. I love to open it up and hear the pages move together. There’s something extremely satisfying about creating something both beautiful and useful!




What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I’m going to define fascinating in the sense that I would go back to this place in an instant. That place would have to be the highlands in Scotland. North of Edinburgh, south of Inverness, along the western coast, somewhere in there, that’s where I would go!

A book you love:
The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman! I love this book!

What is the most interesting thing about you?
My love of water! I seem to find myself instantly at home when I’m around a body of water, or a river. There’s something familiar about the way water can gently move around and under and through different spaces. I love swimming in it. I love playing in it. I love going skinny dipping and feeling it all around me!




What achievement are you most proud of?
Interestingly, I’m incredibly proud of Red Otter. I went on a limb, by myself, and created a small shop. I put my artwork out there for everyone to see. It’s a vulnerable, and yet intoxicating feeling.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Be patient with your self. Be patient with the undulation of business.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Right now, it’s getting my products made and into my shop!




What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to go for long, long walks through the woods near my home. I love to see the way the seasons are showcased in nature!

What are you working on right now?
I have a small army of journals waiting to be stitched together. I just have to buy more waxed linen thread! These journals will be my spring edition!

What do you hope to achieve next?
I want to get my master’s in book arts. Interestingly enough there are a few courses out there. I would love to learn more techniques and be able to conquer more mediums.

Mizu Designs ... Australia

Name: Kylie Budge
Business: Mizu Designs
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Web site: http://mizudesigns.etsy.com and www.flickr.com/photos/59201941@N00/

What do you make?
I make Japanese style woodblock prints and cards. The Japanese printmaking technique differs from many styles used in the West in that it uses watercolour inks and a small disc covered in a bamboo leaf called a 'baren' as the press. No big machines or smelly toxic chemicals! I also like the way watercolour inks give a gentle, soft feeling to the finished print.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I squeeze my printmaking in any time I can. Mostly it's weekends because I'm employed at a university during the week. I have a room in my house where I work. I'd love to have a proper studio space one day. Daylight hours are best for printmaking because of the light. It's really hard carving tiny lines into a woodblock at night. I do this sometimes when I'm working to a deadline but it's not kind on the eyes and will make me a blind woman before my time! Mornings are good and it's when my energy is high. I've realised over the years that I can't carve blocks or print all day long - it's tough on my arms and shoulders. I need to switch between designing, carving and printing so I don't exhaust myself. It's a very physical art form.




Do you have another "day job?
Oh how I wish I didn't have a day job and could be a fulltime printmaker! I really admire those who have the courage (or finances) to do just that. I have a very respectable full-time day job which I enjoy but doing this and being a printmaker sometimes feel like I am two different people in the onebody. I feel quite split at times.

Where and what did you study?
The split I feel between my current paid profession in education and fine art first became an issue when I finished high school. At 17 I was faced with making a choice between accepting a place at art school or becoming a teacher. I chose the latter and have been torn ever since. I have a Masters Degree in Education and other qualifications in linguistics education. I moved to Japan in 1998 and worked as a teacher at a university there. At the same time I began studying woodblock printing or 'moku hanga' with a Japanese artist. I lived there for 7 years and studied printmaking the whole time while keeping my day job in teaching to finance my life there.




What inspires you and what motivates you?
I'm continuously inspired by nature and everything about the natural world. I love indigenous Australian plant life and the experience of living on such a hot, dry ancient continent. I love the extremes of weather we have here and the incredibly varied environment of such a vast, open country.

I'm also inspired by Japan - the old and lovely aspects mostly. After so many years of living there the Japanese aesthetic has permeated my being.

When did you start doing this?
I began printmaking in high school. I remember playing around with silk screens and chemicals and printing onto fabric. I went through this stage at school of making lots of handprinted fabric and then sewing it into wacky clothing creations for my family members. They had no choice about this as I often gave these creations as presents at Christmas. My mum was always very gracious in how she received these gifts. They were probably quite hideous but she was always supportive of what I made.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I've only just started my online shop. Friends have been nagging me to do this for ages. I've sold prints and cards at exhibitions in Kyoto and that motivated me to do something when I returned to Australia. An online shop is such a wonderful way of reaching out to people I wouldn't normally come across. I've even sold one of my cards to a man in Sweden!

How did you choose the name for your business?
My design name, 'Mizu', means water in Japanese. For me, water signifies life and the very essence of all things. I use watercolour inks because they are an integral part of the Japanese process of printmaking, and so the name flowed from there.

What do you love most about doing your work?
If a print is going well and I like what I see at the end of the process then it's very satisfying. Woodblock printing is an incredibly time consuming art form. The carving of blocks (one block per colour) can take a very long time to complete. During this part of the process it's very hard to know whether the design is going to work. It's not until you do a trial print that you get an idea of if it's all going to come together. I think that's why I find the actual printing part the most satisfying. It's quite a build up to this point, and then suddenly, like magic, you get to see an image on paper!




What's the most fascinating place you've been?
That's such a hard question to answer! I loved traveling in Cambodia but also in Vietnam - I've been there twice now. I adore Sapa, a small village in the mountains of north-west Vietnam near the Chinese border. Australians love Asia. It's so close it's in our blood.

A book you love:
What I Loved, a novel by Siri Hustvedt. Also Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty.

What's the most interesting thing about you?
That I grew up in such a small country town in northern Australia, yet have been able to experience life in so many amazing places, including my seven-year adventure in Japan.

What achievement are you most proud of?
Staying calm while being stranded on a small Thai island during the tsunami in 2004. I was surrounded by chaos and a great deal of fear, but somehow I didn't let it overwhelm me. I was deeply impressed by the Thais on the island and how they handled that disaster. I think their centred, balanced but caring way of dealing with that difficult time may have rubbed off onto me.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Here a few thoughts – be courageous, talk to other people who are doing what you'd like to do, ask lots of questions, don't be too shy, be a little outrageous, and have a go – life is so short.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Working alone can be hard at times. It's easy to let the negative voices take over when you're having a bad day and a design isn't working out. The internet is the best thing ever for networking and talking to other printmakers or artists about ideas or techniques. There are many many artists online now and some wonderful creative communities to engage with.

What do you love to do in your free time?
I love the bush so I go hiking and camping when I can. Being outdoors is really important for me to feel balanced after spending lots of time inside working. If I can't get away to go camping I love walking around my neighbourhood, going for a picnic somewhere or pottering around in my garden.

What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a small print for a collaborative print project that a woman in the US is organising. I also have a few other prints that I'm working on, some big, some small. I'm always formulating designs in my sketchbook.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I'd like to organise an exhibition of my prints in Australia. I've been meaning to do this since I got back here but time has slipped away. That would be a really nice thing to do.

Littleput Books ... Oregon, USA

Artist: Ryan (the girl)
Business: Littleput Books
Web site: littleputbooks.etsy.com
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

What do you make?
Handbound books and pretty little things, its a tag line :)

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work at home, any hour of the day. Mondays and Thursdays seem busiest for some reason but I don't know why.

Do you have another "day job"?
I am a mom. I left a boring job when my son was born, and lovely as it is to be a mom I was really excited to be able to get back to work when my business took off.




Where and what did you study?
I studied sociology which was cool, I wanted to be a university professor but I got side tracked. I took a book arts class out of curiousity and it just clicked.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
Paper inspires me, the smell, the patterns and textures. I love making beautiful into functional or vice versa. Really lately Etsy has been a big motivater, selling well makes me want to work harder and sell more, I'm kind of addicted to it.

When did you start doing this?
I started making accordion books when my son was six months. By the time he was a year old I had a small product line that I sold at weekend markets, so four years now.




What memories to you have of getting into art as a kid?
Art was a real frustration for me as a child. I can't draw, I think I have a learning disability when it comes to drawing actually. I made lots of stuff but mostly it was me exploring different mediums, trying to find the one I could manipulate into something beautiful.

How did you choose the name for your business?
I don't really know, even I think its weird.

What do you love most about doing this work?
Paper shopping!

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I lived in Peru for a while early in 2006, that was pretty interesting.




A book you love:
Memoirs of a Geisha

What's the most interesting thing about you?
I spent half my childhood living in a remote cabin on the Lost Coast of California – no electricity, outdoor plumbing and 11 miles to the nearest neighbor. I spent the other half in San Francisco. I am a hippie/yuppie who can make a great campfire.

What achievement are you most proud of?
My 5 year old.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Sadly it takes money to get started. It helps to have some kind of income that you can focus on building your business, either creating your product line or advertising. I had my sons fathers income to support me while I started, now I am the bread winner (shh don't tell anyone).

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Doing the parts that bore me. Sometimes I just don't want to work and then I fall behind, get all stressed out and work like mad to get caught up. I should fire me....

What do you love to do in your free time?
Sleep.



What are you working on right now?
Trying to keep my head above Etsy water with all the new people taking advantage of my good ideas.

What do you hope to achieve next?
Featured Seller on Etsy.com

Bonus question: where do you find all those Scrabble tiles?!
You can buy them on Ebay :O)

Smack of Jellyfish ... Alaska, USA

Artist: Sarah Asper-Smith
Business: Smack of Jellyfish
Web site: smackofjellyfish.etsy.com and www.smackofjellyfish.com
Location: Alaska, USA

What do you make?
Right now I’m selling cards from a children’s book that I have written. I came up with an idea for it last winter at my cabin in Haines, Alaska. There’s not much to do at the cabin, with no running water or electricity, so I end up reading novel after novel. In one of the books that I bought from my very favorite bookstore, The Babbling Book, I read the term “a business of ferrets” and thought how fantastic language can be! Loving any excuse to drive to town, I went to the library to start researching this idea of collective nouns for animals. I didn’t realize what a beautiful project it would turn out to be when I first began. I looked for an animal for each letter of the alphabet, (ants, butterflies, crows) and then set to work trying to find their collective nouns (army, flutter, murder). Once I created the illustrations for the book, I saw the possibility for cards; what better than to write a note in a card that celebrates language?

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I get to do my work here, there and everywhere, which I love! I’m very portable, working on my PowerBook and Wacom tablet for illustrating. Right now, I’m sitting in a coffee shop in downtown Juneau with a soy latte and some zucchini bread. I also love the library, for it is on the top of a parking garage, and there is a conference room with two walls of windows that looks over the ocean. Yesterday I watched ravens and gulls riding the wind, with only feet and a pane of glass separating us.




Do you have another "day job"?
I am a graphic designer by trade, which is why my work is informed by the same clean lines and deliberate typography that I use in my work. I do a lot of work for non-profit organizations in Southeast Alaska: brochures, posters, and the like.

Where and what did you study?
I received a degree in art from Earlham College, a little Quaker school in Indiana; my focus was art history. I ended up coming home to Alaska for a couple of semesters to study Northwest Coast Indian art. I had been working as a graphic designer since high school, and continued to do so through college. Studying art history informed my work, however. I’ve recently realized how growing up among the formline designs of the Northwest Coast must have seeped into my being, for I love strong, clean lines and bold colors.




What inspires you and what motivates you?
Hmm...two very different questions...
I am inspired by the ocean; nature is certainly present in my work, which must be another symptom of growing up in Alaska. I am inspired by other people, great artists and friends, my Aunt Molly, who is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Writing by hand brings me uncommon joy. Strong emotions usually require me to write, and it really all comes back to writing..being connected to paper through pen. Just about all of my artwork has a word focus, so language, yes! Language inspires me, and the expression of language. The way people use language, its imperfections and inconsistencies?, its beauty.

As for motivation...I think most artists will tell you that its something they have to do. If I weren’t doing this, I would be expressing myself in a different way. I’m certainly motivated by the possibility of only doing this; I live cheaply on a houseboat with an allowance for wine and good cheese, and it would be amazing if I could support myself by illustrating children’s books and creating and selling cards. What a dream!

When did you start doing this?
This particular project took off in December of 2006, when I showed prints from my book at an art gallery and started to sell the cards. I joined Etsy to sell cards, and have since started to sell them wholesale.




Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I have a vague recollection of an Easter egg painting contest when I was probably 3 or 4. I dipped my egg in every possible color and it came out looking like a beautiful gray river stone. I ended up winning a gift certificate to the Red Balloon toy store, and I suppose that must have been the beginning of my love of color.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I’ve had my business for several years because of my graphic design enterprises, but Smack of Jellyfish is new this year, for this new venture in my life.

How did you choose the name for your business?
A Smack of Jellyfish is probably my very favorite collective noun that I found. I love the image that it creates in my head. Not to mention, jellyfish are pretty and so much fun!




What do you love most about your work?
I love the connections that my work has brought to me. I love meeting people who somehow connect to the work. One woman had a distinct memory about the term “a murder of crows,” while others find the language as fascinating as I do. I have met wonderful artists through Etsy, and have found businesses who are just as excited about having the cards in their stores as I was to make them!

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
In elementary school in Juneau, every class has Seaweek. We would go out to the rocky shores at low tide, peer into tide pools, and stare at all of the creatures living there. An anemone would grab at your fingers, and sea cucumbers roll off of your hands when you try to pick them up. Sea urchins have hundreds of little thread-like feet that move themselves across your skin. I’ve admired galleries and museums full of art in different parts of the world, but I’m not sure they can beat the magic of the tidal zone.




A book you love:
This is such a hard one. I’m not one to pick favorites. I’m a Libra, so I see the beauty in everything. I love Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, Isabel Allende is fabulous, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. Type by Ellen Lupton. Those have stood out in my mind, but mostly I love the feel of a new book. I definitely judge them by their covers, and I love books with beautiful covers and new book smell.

What is the most interesting thing about you?
Although it seems like old hat to me at this point, I suppose people would be most interested in the fact that I live on a houseboat in the ocean in Alaska. Her name is Molly Whuppie after my favorite heroine. Molly Whuppie was pretty damn tough, which I must aspire to be, as it takes some hardiness to live without a working toilet or shower. I climb onto my roof with cans of diesel to heat the place, and this winter, when it was really cold, the harbor froze around the boat, which was nice because it kept the boat from rocking in the wind. It’s a cute boat, with multi-pane windows, and an arched roof. The inside is decorated in yellow cedar and brass, with beautiful art on the walls and lots and lots of books!




What achievement are you most proud of?
I’m proud that I’ve established myself as a designer and artist; I’ve created my own company, which is basically me. Having that freedom enables me to do the really neat things that I didn’t have the time or energy for when I had a “real job” like take the ferry to Haines on a Wednesday or spend the afternoon answering interview questions in a coffee shop.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Only do the things you want to do. If it’s not fun for you, it’s hardly worth the trouble to have your own business.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Money is a challenge for me in my business work. Having enough, making sure I ask for it, and making sure it comes in after I have. I don’t like the trouble that comes along with money, but it’s something I am working on, because I sure do love to have it in my bank account!

What do you love to do in your free time?
I love to laugh with my wonderfully talented friends, to cook great meals with goat cheese and fresh herbs, to play Scrabble and Boggle with other word nerds, to have bonfires on the beach and drink red wine, to read great books with delicious plot lines, to take long walks when the sun is shining and to write letters by hand while drinking hot tea.




What are you working on right now?
I work with three fantastically talented boys in an artist collective called Alaska Robotics. We are producing works individually, but also as a group, and trying to create profitable lives as artists. This summer we’ll be setting up a small shop to sell our cards, t-shirts, art prints, and DVDs.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I’d like to get my children’s book published, and I’d like to illustrate more children’s books. I want to take a driving trip down the coast.I want to find all of the cutest stores in towns and see if they’re interested in selling my cards. I want to continue this quest to create art and get paid for it, make connections with talented people, and have many adventures.

Snap: "9328 Red and Black"

Artist: Patrick Andrew Adams/APTRICKPHOTO
Location: Kansas City, USA
Website: http://aptrick.etsy.com
Detail: 9328 Red and Black 8x10 color photographic print on matte archival paper, "wasp" series

Sidney Ann ... USA

Artist: Sidney Ann
Web site: sidneyann.etsy.com
Location: Seattle, USA

What do you make?
I make coasters, small mirrors, beach/tote bags, cosmetic bags, pillows, leather wallets/clutches, and hand-bound leather journals.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
Thankfully I have a large living room in my apartment, so I sectioned off half of it and turned it into a studio. I try to spend time in there every day, although it’s not always possible as I am often busy with my other “jobs” and commitments.

Do you have "day job" separate to your art?
I am a contractor for Expedia. My work mostly involves a lot of writing and editing. I do this from the comfort of my home which affords me the time and flexibility to pursue my business.

Where and what did you study?
I have a Business degree from the University of Washington. I did take some art classes while I was there, but I just thought that a business degree would get me further in life. In retrospect, I should have focused on art since my creativity is one of my greatest strengths. The business aspect of it comes pretty naturally to me, although it’s my least favorite part. I am quite entrepreneurial and enjoy being my own boss.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I am inspired by architecture, fashion magazines (especially the ads), travel, old-fashionedness, and shopping. I just love design, innovation, and discovering what’s “new”. Additionally, thrift shopping brings me great joy. I’ll see a dress made out of some hideous fabric and think, ‘that print would actually look best sandwiched between two pieces of glass for a fantastic coaster set’, or I might buy a shirt just because I want to use the buttons on one of my leather clutches. I love the thrill of the hunt!

When did you start doing this?
I started to realize that I had too many pillows made from old scarves my senior year in college. My friends came over and said, “you should sell these!”. So I named by business “Pirouette”, got my business license, made some business cards, and dreamed about building up the courage to approach some local stores. During the summer of 2002, after I graduated from college, I stumbled upon a Seattle boutique that specialized in goods made by local artists. The proprietor of that store said my pillows kept her in business for those first six months. It took me another year or so to realize that I could make more things with scarves other than just pillows. That’s when I expanded my line to include coasters, mirrors, glasses cases, and picture frames – all made from scarves – and changed the name to Sidney Ann (my first and middle names).



Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
Yes, I’ve always been into crafts and sewing. My mom used to sew a lot, although she mostly made leotards to sell at my gym. Eventually I made my own leotards, always a little different from the ones my mom made however (quality wasn’t quite where I needed it to be). I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands whether it would be sewing, coloring, baking, etc…

What do you love most about your work?
I love the sense of completion I receive when I actually finish something, especially executing a new idea for the first time. I’m famous for starting projects and not finishing them. I find that many projects are more fun “in theory”. For example, I would really like to be able to make clothes, but since I can’t follow directions I am forced to make my own patterns and that is very difficult without a dress form (or maybe even with one). The only garments I ever successfully made were the leotards (I didn’t make that pattern). I also love being surrounded by color.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Prague is very beautiful, as are the San Juan Islands. I am going to Europe soon though so my answer will likely change by the time I get back.

A book you love:
A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman

What is the most interesting thing about you?
I was a gymnast for 16 years. Gymnastics was such a big part of my life for so long, it is something that still carries a great deal of influence over my daily activities. Compared to what I’ve been through, everything nowadays is cake!

What achievement are you most proud of?
I received a full gymnastics scholarship to the University of Washington. I feel that my proudest adult/real life moment has yet to come.




What advice would you give women starting their own business?
If you love what you are doing, you’ll find a way to make a living doing it. Also, don’t be afraid of change – embrace it.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
I don’t like to market myself (I’m a terrible saleswoman). Etsy is like a dream come true – I don’t have to talk anyone into doing anything!

What do you love to do in your free time?
Aside from making things, running and yoga are my near-daily staples. I also enjoy going out to dinner and trying new restaurants, road trips, travel, shopping, and watching movies.

What are you working on right now?
I am working on using up some of the fabric that I have on hand… there’s a lot of it! No, really, I am working on some new bags for Spring/Summer, experimenting with new shapes and color combinations. I’m also big on leather right now, but even I’m not sure what I’ll create next with it.

What do you hope to achieve next?
Short-term, get to Europe and back in one piece. This is a big step out of my comfort zone, especially considering it is a solo adventure for the most part. I am so excited to experience new cultures and food, meet new people, and to become inspired.

Long-term, I plan to open a design-oriented accessory and home decor boutique. This is my calling in my life so I have to make it work.

Artquirk ... England

Artist: Nina Clough
Business: Artquirk
Web site: artquirk.etsy.com
Location: Southsea, UK

What do you create?
I do paintings and drawings mainly, and illustrations. I've also made a few artist books in my time which is something I want to get back into. I love printing, particularly monoprints for the beautiful fuzzy line.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I make art from a little room in my house on Mondays and Tuesdays! It is a small room but I am buying a house soon so I can have more room to make a mess. I create in the evenings and weekends sometimes if I get the urge, but officially Mondays and Tuesdays are my 'art days'.

Do you have a "day job" outside of your art?
The rest of the week I work as a Library Assistant at the University of Portsmouth. I enjoy helping the students and having access to all the art books and journals! I like books!

Where and what did you study?
I got my degree in Illustration in 2001 at the University of Portsmouth. I haven't got very far since graduating as I now work for the university – but I do like still being mistaken for a student! I was considering studying architecture at one point because I was good at and enjoyed maths but I'm glad I didn't. I rather just make pictures to hang on the wall and not to build the wall itself!




What inspires you and motivates you?
I am inspired by many things – an interesting landscape, building, person, colours and shapes and characters. Or a story or quote or mental image. Or seeing something I like and thinking I wanna try that! I like wandering around taking photographs so they are often the fuel to my fire when I need inspiration. My motivation comes from the longing to retire from 'normal' work. Within 10 years I will be an established self employed artist! I will, I will, I will.

When did you start doing this?
I went part time at work about 6 months ago because full time work was making me a very frustrated artist! I would use up all my leave just taking days off to be creative! Something had to give – my sanity or my income – and I chose income. I am very happy now. Poor but sane. I do have a very supportive partner who has allowed me to fulfill this dream – I now just need to prove to him it could just bring in the bread and butter too.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I remember being put in a special Friday afternoon art club at primary school because they knew how much I enjoyed art. They must have spotted some young talent! I don't actually remember making much art on those afternoons though....I just remember being a bit afraid of the teacher, and when I stupidly sucked the paint up the straw a bit too far. Birthday and Christmas presents would always be art related like those copper plates you scratch away at, jigsaw puzzles, paint by numbers etc. I have always followed the route of art. It is my calling.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It was all a friend's fault. When I went part time at work I had no actual aim to become a selling artist quite so soon. I just wanted to spend my free time making artwork and then wander round the streets trying to find someone who wanted to buy it, or build my portfolio and get myself an agent. Then a friend introduced me to Etsy and it is my new-found motivation! I am addicted. I realised I could actually make art and have an outlet to sell immediately, and make money and live happily ever after. So thanks to alphabettispaghetti for giving me a focus.

How did you choose the name for your business?
At college my art teacher used to call my work 'quirky' and I liked the word so it stuck. Artquirk just sounds like artwork and that's what I do! I am thinking about having another Etsy shop called "aartwerk" to divide my different styles. I like a play on words. My ladybird logo I use for luck. A friend and I started buying/making each other anything to do with ladybirds and it stuck. Now everyone buys me ladybird things and I reckon it's been lucky.


What do you love most about your work?
I have two styles of work really – the bright, simple and childlike versus the darker, more considered, more detailed work. It's cheery and fun or gloomy and sinister depending on my mood. I'm liking the dark side more at the moment. And I like my sketches! I sometimes start with a nice sketch and then ruin it by colouring it in! I think I have a nice quality of line in my drawings at least that's what I'm aiming for. I also love those happy accidents – those blobs of ink that fall just where you don't want them to but actually make it better.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Ooooo a toughy. Erm...well I've been to The Eden Project, the Millennium Seedbank (nature is a marvel), Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, Jewish Cemetary in Prague, Monkey World, stayed in a Mongolian yurt on Bodmin Moor and a 1965 Airstream trailer on the Isle of Wight, Dover Castle caves ... they were all very fascinating! If my artwork says anything, it's that I can find something fascinating in the most mundane of places.

A book you love:
Can I have a few please as I am a library assistant?! I got into H.G. Wells a while ago – I really liked his Ann Veronica. It's not sci-fi or a classic but it reminded me of me! Also The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood is brilliant but made me cry. The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Proverbs is always in my artroom too because it always inspires me.



What is the most interesting thing about you?
I'm forever 6 years old, as that was the age I began to get the birthday blues. I like to move around a lot (14 homes in 27 years). I can say the alphabet backwards. My pet rats are more interesting that me.

What achievement are you most proud of?
Selling my first piece of artwork which wasn't to a person I know or I'm related to! In fact, at the age of 27 I am proud to be taking the first leap into fulfilling my dreams.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Go walking especially in the woods, watch films especially scary ones, drink especially vodka or tequila ones, read, smoke because I like to be a social reject, grow flowers, regress to childhood, play boardgames, play poker, plan for holidays, explore, rant politics with my loved one and snooze and dream.

What are you working on right now?
Looking for a house to buy is a big distraction at the moment but I feel a series of fairytale illustrations coming on and something to do with proverbs in between nosing round other people's houses. Maybe I will find inspiration poking around their homes.... !

What do you hope to achieve next?
In the short term a cracking portfolio and an agent and my own web site (n.b. must book course). Then in the long term job offers, reputation, brilliant artwork, retirement, running a campsite, then building my own home, living abroad half the year and pretty much art to the end.

Alice's Looking Glass Studio

Artist: Alice M. Wingerden
Business: Alice's Looking Glass Studio
Web site: www.inaliceslookingglass.com
Location: New York, USA

What do you make?
Altered/collage/mixed-media art, digital art, digital graphics, cottage style home décor, vintage-inspired jewelry and apparel, paintings and drawings

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work full-time as an artist, so I work whenever I want…I have a small (too small in my opinion) space in my living room that I call “my studio”. I typically work from about 2 or 3 in the afternoon till late in the evening…sometimes to the wee hours of the morning! I’ve gone to bed when my husband was heading to work sometimes!

Do you have another "day job"?
Stay-at-home-mom of a Cairn terrier…my puppy Renoir ;)

What did you study, and where?
I earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in art at Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester NY. I also spent one semester studying for a Masters in Art Therapy at Nazareth College in Rochester, but decided to put that on hold to pursue my art career.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
My faith in God, psychology, my life experiences, my mood at the moment…

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
About a year ago I decided to start my own art business. I wanted the freedom to do what I love everyday and share my creativity with the world.


How did you choose the name for your business?
(Alice’s Looking Glass Studio) Well… my real name is Alice… and I’ve always felt a “connection” with Alice in Wonderland. I also have blonde hair ;) I love the whimsy that comes with the name.

What do you love most about your work?
That people actually want to pay money for it! Sometimes I still can’t believe that! I also love when I get emails from fans of my work or custom orders… makes it all worthwhile!

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
NYC is my favorite place in the whole world. I plan on living there someday. It’s like the whole world encapsulated in one tiny island… I love that!

A book you love:
White Oleander by Janet Fitch, and of course Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

What's the most interesting thing about you?
I got to marry a guy I was “in love with” for about a year before we even started dating… and he was “in love with” me too!

What achievement are you most proud of?
That I strive to follow my dreams even when others think they are impossible.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Don’t give up…even when it seems impossible or too hard or like you’ll never make it… never give up on your dreams!

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Not having enough money to pay bills…since selling artwork isn’t a steady paying job sometimes there’s just no money there! Also balancing work/play since I work at home and consider creating art play… I forget sometimes to just sit down and relax.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Haha… ironic question after my last answer. Well, I love spending time with my husband, also an artist and photographer, playing with my dog, redecorating my apartment, going out for coffee, going to museums, visiting unique shops, reading fictional novels, watching reruns of crime drama TV shows (ie Law & Order).

What are you working on right now?
My own web site! I designed it from scratch just a few days ago… still have more work to do…

What do you hope to achieve next?
Learning how to use Photoshop like a pro! I love it, but want to know a lot more about it. I would also like to go back to school within the next couple of years but can’t pinpoint what for… it’s a toss-up among MA in Counseling, Art Education, or Graphic Design.