Fabrications ... Illinois, USA

Artist: Mary Laskey
Business: Fabrications
Web sites: marstinia.etsy.com and www.fabrications.net
Location: Chicago, Illinois

What do you create?
I work primarily with copper and silver to create art jewelry and small dishes with kiln-fired glass enamel designs.


What is involved in enameling?
Enameling is the process of firing finely ground pigmented glass onto metal in a kiln. It is an ancient process that can be traced to ancient Byzantine times. It was quite popular in the the US as a hobby craft in the 1950s and 1960s, but has since become something of a lost art that not many people are familiar with.


My glass enamel designs are created on copper or fine silver with multiple layers of different colors of glass enamel powder and require a series of firings (three to six on average, sometimes more). My kiln is quite small so each piece is fired individually, not in batches like ceramics.

The glass enamels I work with are ground to the consistency of powdered sugar. I apply the glass powders to the metal surface by using small sifters and sifting on an even layer of enamel, then I fire it in an electric kiln at 1500 degrees Farenheit. A firing usually takes about 2 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the metal piece. The powdered glass granules melt and fuse together to create a glossy solid layer of glass which is fused permanently to the metal base.


Where and when do you do your creative work?
I share a studio space on the north side of Chicago with my husband, Grant, who is an artist and photographer. When possible, I generally spend my evenings and weekends in the studio. I also have a work room at home where I can assemble and finish pieces. There are so many hats to wear when you have a business that it seems like I'm almost always thinking about some aspect of my work.


Do you have another "day job"?
Presently I work during the day as a digital production artist for a large Euro Design home furnishings company.

Where and what did you study?
I have a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in Photography from University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. I also spent a year studying abroad, doing Visual Studies at Oxford Polytechnic in Oxford, England.


What inspires you and what motivates you?
I'm super attracted to mid-century modern designs 1950s-70s, so I'm really in my element with all kinds of mod stuff being back in style! I especially love the space-age and futuristic designs of those eras. I also love looking at nature and often find organic themes to incorporate into my work, especially textures and patterns one finds in plants, flowers, pods and the like. In the realm of art, I'm most inspired by the work of Alexander Calder, Wassily Kandinsky, Joan Miro, Barbara Hepworth and June Schwarcz.


When did you start doing this?
I started making jewelry in 1990. I became a full-time metalsmith and enamelist in 1998.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I have always loved art projects, drawing and making things at a very young age. I still have a little quilt that my mother helped me sew when I was five years old. It's made from fabrics that my grandmother used to make clothes for my sister, brother and me.


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I've always loved jewelry and have a large collection of costume jewelry. When I meet people, I have a bad habit of noticing what jewelry they are wearing before I register anything else about them. I started making my own jewelry for fun just after I graduated from college. I didn't have any training at all, so I recycled vintage jewelry and reused the beads to make my own pieces. I would wear my creations to work and some of my co-workers liked them so much that I began to sell my jewelry to them from time to time.


I quit my full-time job in 1996 to become a freelancer and have more time for my own creative projects. I took a one-day enameling workshop at a local art center and totally fell in love with the process. I also started taking metalsmithing classes. I met several people there who were artists successfully selling their jewelry at art fairs. I was inspired by them to try it myself. In 1998, I launched a website and my business, Fabrications. I've been extremely fortunate to have tremendous support from my family and friends and as well as some very loyal customers.


How did you choose the name for your business?
One of the definitions of the word fabrication is to construct or manufacture something made of metal. I also frequently imprint fabric textures onto my metal pieces to add texture, so there a sort of play on words involved.


What do you love most about creating your work?
Some of my best designs have just popped into my head, out of the blue. I love it when that
kind of spontaneity happens. Also, enameling is often quite unpredictable – I never know exactly what's going to come out of the kiln. I guess you could say that I love surprises! I've always enjoyed working with my hands, and there is just so much basic satisfaction in creating things.


What's the most fascinating place you've been?
I know I should say someplace exotic... and I've been to some fantastic places: Peru, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico. I love to travel, but there are so many distractions that I feel like I can't really get to know a place unless I spend a lot of time there. So truthfully, some of my favorite places to go are rather mundane. My favorite haunt at the moment is a prairie meadow near where I work. There are walking trails through it and I go there almost every day because it's different every day – new plants growing or blooming, different birds, animals and insects. There are constant changes and shifts in light, cloud patterns, sounds and smells. I
love it there because I feel like I can recapture the curiosity that you have as a child, when everything around you is fascinating and you can spend hours playing in a puddle.


A book you love: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

What is the most interesting thing about you?
I don't think of myself as a mystic, but I once had an out of the body experience. I was about five years old and I was running down the stairs at a neighbor's house and I tripped over a vacuum cleaner that had been left on the stairs and tumbled headlong down to the bottom. As I was falling, for a split second I was also standing at the bottom of the stairs watching myself
fall, as though the momentum of the fall actually carried me out of my body briefly. Luckily, I wasn't hurt, but that is probably the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to me. I think that experience has made a lasting impression on me.


What achievement are you most proud of?
I'm very proud of running my own business and doing what I love for nine years.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Always be confident and optimistic – especially when you're unsure of yourself. Positive qualities attract positive reactions from other people and will reinforce your goals.


What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Keeping up with the flow of ideas. I can't always drop what I'm doing to work on a new idea at the moment it occurs to me, so I always make sketches and notes about new designs or ideas, so I can revisit them when time allows. My sketchbooks are a great source of inspiration when I feel like I'm in a rut.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Take nature walks or hikes, ride my bike, play tennis, ski (if there's snow), read, take pictures, watch old movies with ridiculously naïve plots, spend time with Grant and our spoiled cockatiel, Sprout, and our families and friends.


What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a completely new line of jewelry pieces that combine my two of my favorite things: color and texture. The new pieces will have brightly colored geometric enamel shapes and mixed metal pieces that have a lot of hammered texture. I'm really enjoying the interplay of the geometric and organic qualities.


What do you hope to achieve next?
Besides having a clean house and a great summer, I'd really like to start a website or a blog about enameling. It's a wonderful process that deserves more recognition and I think it's overdue for a revival. There are many marvelous artists out there working with glass enamel and creating the next wave.

rubygirl ... Oregon, USA

Artist: Shannon Conrad
Business: rubygirl
Web site: rubygirl.etsy.com
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

What do you create?
I make metal jewelry.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I have a small studio in the basement of my house. The floors slope and the lighting isn’t the best, but it’s all mine! I have a toddler, so currently studio time = naptime. Once in a while, when my husband’s work schedule permits, I am able to squeeze in a few more hours in the evening or on weekends. I also have an 8-year-old son who is an incredible help. He steps in and keeps his sister occupied if I need him to. I try not to abuse that privilege!



Do you have another "day job"?
My children (and other people’s children) are my day job! I had always worked outside the home. About a year and a half ago, the company I worked for had some financial difficulties and underwent a restructuring. I was one of the employees lucky enough to lose their job. No, really – it’s the best thing that ever happened to me! I get to spend my days with my daughter and I get to be home when my son gets out of school. I also care for my 2-year-old niece and my son’s best friend. My hope is by the time the girls start school I will be fully supporting myself with my art.



Where and what did you study?
I do not have a degree of any sort. In another life, I was an English major at Portland State University. Currently, I take an adult education metalsmithing class through one of the local community colleges.



Where do you find inspiration?
I am really inspired by the materials I work with. When I am ready for a new project, I just sift through my beads and stones and the ideas start flowing. I am a bead/cabochon junky! I have so many, I can’t possibly use them all, but I can’t stop buying more! There’s always something new, something I haven’t seen before. I have a trip to the bead store planned for this afternoon…




What motivates you?
My family is my major motivation – they are my biggest fans! My kids “oooh” and “aaah” over everything I make. My son brags about me at school. And then there’s my husband. I could not do this without him! He has so much faith in me – more than I have in myself sometimes! All of that support and pride is extremely motivating.

When did you start doing this?
I picked up a torch for the first time about a year and a half ago. I seriously had this “aha” moment and knew I had found what I wanted to do with my life.



Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I was more of a writer. The plan was to write the great American novel before I turned 30. Obviously, that didn’t happen. There is a box somewhere filled with the bad brooding poetry of my youth.




When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It wasn’t planned – it just sort of evolved into a business. I started selling to be able to buy more tools and supplies. I’m lucky in that with the childcare income, I can dump every dime I make back into my business. By the time my daughter starts school, I plan to have every tool I could possibly want. I’ll be able to focus full-time on creating and (hopefully) turn a profit!



How did you choose the name for your business?
Actually, my son chose the name. Ruby is his sister’s name and when she was a baby, that’s what he called her – “Ruby-girl”.

What do you love most about creating your work?
I love the whole fabrication process – making something out of nothing. You start with this plain sheet of sterling silver or a piece of wire and depending on how you cut, bend, hammer, etc. you create a beautiful object. Oh, and I love to play with fire!



What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Honestly, I haven’t done much traveling. I’d love to go to Ireland. My husband and I are talking about a European trip in a few years when the kids are older and can appreciate it more.

A book you love:
Oh, that’s a hard one! I am a huge reader and always have been. For sheer enjoyment, I would have to say To Kill a Mockingbird. My mother gave me that book when I was nine or 10 and I have reread it every year or two since then. For nonfiction, it’s The Complete Metalsmith, hands down.


What is the most interesting thing about you?
That’s a loaded question! I’m really actually pretty boring. I was wild in my youth, but have found home and family and contentment to be much more exciting.

Ok – one mildly interesting tidbit. My husband and I got married less than five months after we started dating. We had a lot of people who were skeptical, but we knew. We will celebrate our 10th anniversary in January.



What achievement are you most proud of?
On a personal level, I would have to say my children. They are great – smart and funny and thoughtful. Professionally, I am proud of how far I have come in such a short time. I know I have a long way to go in both knowledge and skill level, but I look at the differences in my work now and my work from a year ago and am thrilled with my progress.



What advice would you give women starting their own business?
I think one thing that has helped me tremendously is having a strong support system in place. I get a lot of support from family and friends. On a different level, I get support from groups that I have joined. Through Etsy, I have joined two different street teams that have been wonderful in completely different ways. My local street team (pdxetsy) is working on its second all-Etsy art and craft fair. It’s nice to network with other artists/crafters locally – I have met some really great people through this group. The other street team I belong to is Etsy Metal. There is so much talent and knowledge there – it’s a truly inspiring group of artists.




What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Finding the time to do it! I think that balancing work and family is really a universal challenge.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Free time? What’s that? No, really – I love to spend time with my family. I love to read, watch movies, spend time with friends.



What are you working on right now?
I am learning a technique called mokume gane. It’s a Japanese technique that involves layering different metals (in my case, copper and fine silver) and then manipulating the layers to produce a wood-grain type pattern. It can be mildly tedious – the metals are soldered together, rolled flat, cut in half, and then soldered together again anywhere from six to 24 times – but the effect achieved is stunning.

I just started selling wholesale. You can find my work at Presents of Mind here in Portland, Oregon. I also have three shows that are quickly approaching. The Mississippi Street Fair, The Handmade Bazaar and The PDX Etsy Art and Craft Fair.



What do you hope to achieve next?
Business-wise, I am working on getting a personal website up and running. I have purchased the domain (www.rubygirljewelry.com), now I just have to build the site!
Artistically, I have a never-ending list of techniques I want to learn: enameling, fusing, reticulation, granulation, filigree, inlay, casting, the list goes on and on and on…

Les Things ... Spain

Artist: Virginia Ugarte
Business: Les Things
Web site: lesthings.etsy.com
Location: Madrid, Spain

What do you create?
Silver jewelry, basically.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
At my (tiny) home studio in Madrid.




Do you have another day job?
Once I finished my training in metalsmithing, I've always worked creating my own things.

Where and what did you study?
One year of designing and metalsmithing,two more years of metalsmithing, in two different technical schools in Madrid. But I think that's just the beginning. I've always had the habit of trying to learn things by myself, I guess that's what motivates me more.




What inspires you and what motivates you?
Many things! If I have to be concrete: esthetically, mid-century design. Also, seeing the works of what I consider talented and honest artists (in whichever field of creativity) is definitely inspiring to me.

When did you start doing this?
At the beginning of 1993, I started with a basic collection of hammered silver bands. Later on, in a trip to New York, I discovered polymer clay and I started adding color to my designs.




Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
I wouldn't say art – in fact, I consider myself an artisan. But of course I was always crafting.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It came quite naturally as my parents had a small jewelry shop in my hometown in the Bask Country (north of Spain). So once I finished my studies, I started to sell my designs there. It wouldn't be so easy for me without the trust and unconditional support of my mother and elder sister who have been selling my stuff for all these years while I've been focusing on developing my creations.




How did you choose the name for your business?
I've always used my own name. Recently, when I decided to try an online shop, I thought it was a good idea to give it a different name. I'm very fond of names that mix different languages; consequently, I chose two simple words and that's all.

What do you love most about creating your work?
The idea of having raw materials and – after a process that doesn't necessarily have to be too complicated – have an idea converted into an object that can be appealing to somebody. It's really rewarding for me.




What's the most fascinating place you've been?
There are many places I visited and feel fascinated by, but I would say a place where I have shared happy moments with people I love...

A book you love:
There are tons! If I have to choose one: Family Sayings by the Italian author Natalia Ginzburg.




What achievement are you most proud of?
Professionally, living from what I love to do.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
I think one of the most important things is being honest – I mean having something new to say or to offer or express with a different and personal approach. And of course, don't take advantage of other people's work (in many senses) in the process of developing your own business.




What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
I think, maybe, keeping my own language, being as genuine as I can and at the same time connecting with the taste of other individuals that appreciate what I have to offer and that are going to enjoy my items.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Cinema, reading, long walks (I don't even have a car), spending time with my friends and family, I mean talking.... Travelling, going to gigs (I'm really fond of music).




What are you working right now?
I'm trying to make my work compatible with my newly found online adventure. I'm new at this and sometimes it can be a little overwhelming!

What do you hope to achieve next?
Lots of things! Among others: keep learning new techniques, make my business grow and improve my English!!

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.