Lauren Urban ... Virginia, USA

Artist: Lauren
Business: Lauren Urban
Web site: laurenurban.etsy.com
Location: Alexandria, Virginia (just outside Washington, D.C.)

What do you create?
I am a fused glass artist who primarily focuses on jewelry and house wares. My most popular items are sushi dish sets.


Where and when do you do your creative work?
I have a studio in my garage and can be found creating something nearly every minute I am at home.

Do you have another "day job"?
Like many artists I have dreams of leaving my "real job" to work for myself, but the truth is that I also love my career. I am an engineer who specializes in automobile safety testing. I spend my days crashing cars and working with child safety seats.


Where and what did you study?
I have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Throughout college and afterwards, I supplemented all that left brain education with as many studio art classes as I could take. One of those classes was a one-day glass fusing workshop in April of 2005, which served as the foundation for my current endeavor. Besides that I am largely self-taught.


Where do you find inspiration?
I actually get a lot of it from the glass itself. I also obsessively monitor high fashion and home decor design and love trickling those concepts and trends down into my pieces.


What motivates you?
I love to create things, obviously, so that is a factor. I've been pretty strong-willed and independent since I was a kid, and I love the feeling of seeing something through from start to finish. I find that's about all the motivation I need!


When did you start doing this?
I have crafted all my life, but I began glass fusing about three years ago, in the spring of 2005.

Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
My mother is extremely artistic, and we were rather poor growing up. Lots of our childhood games and activities revolved around egg cartons, toilet paper tubes, pipe cleaners and crayons. She always came up with the neatest ideas; she is the #1 reason I am a creative person.


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I officially started a business in April of 2007. It was a combination of trying to offset the cost of my hobby as well as demands from family and friends. At the time I also had an abundance of product that I didn't have any room for... a girl really can have too much jewelry! Once Etsy was created I knew that would be a great solution for me and it has just gone on from there.


How did you choose the name for your business?
Unfortunately my real name is rather common; I also have to share it with a teenage Canadian actress. In an effort to better distinguish myself on the Internet, I decided I had to come up with a "stage" name and liked the rhythm and feel of "Lauren Urban". I also think it reflects the modern feel that a lot of my work has.


What do you love most about creating your work?
I love ending up with finished products, of course, but I also find working with glass very relaxing – scoring, breaking, arranging, stacking, grinding – I actually find the monotony to be kind of Zen.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
London, hands down, though Vancouver is a close second.


A book you love:
I love The Stranger by Camus, as well as The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

What is the most interesting thing about you?
People are often surprised to hear that I was born and raised in Brooklyn.

What achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of learning to love and listen to myself. It sounds so corny, but it's really true.


What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Seek out your local small business association! I took a number of business start-up classes and the majority was either free or cheap. They are an excellent resource.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Time! Glass fusing is a lot of hurry up and wait… It can take up to eight hours for a single dish to cool properly.


What do you love to do in your free time?
Fuse glass! I also love bad television, cooking, sewing and traveling.

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on quite a few sushi sets, as well as earrings and bracelets, which are both kind of underrepresented in my shop right now.


What do you hope to achieve next?
I’d like to hit 100 items on Etsy in the next few months, and I always think about incorporating soft goods into my shop as I’m also an avid seamstress. We'll have to see, though – I feel overwhelmed sometimes as it is, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way!

Modern Art Everyday ... New Jersey, USA

Artist: Nancy Veltri
Business: Modern Art Everyday
Web sites: www.modernarteveryday.com and modernarteveryday.etsy.com
Location: New Jersey, USA

What do you create?
I create clean modern art for the home in the form of prints on canvas,
fabric and paper.

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I am fortunate enough to have a home-based studio. For the most part, I try to stick to a 6.30am to 6pm workday. But I find that creativity strikes at any time of day or night, weekdays or weekends.




Do you have another "day job", or did you leave one to pursue your art?
I spent years in the corporate world. First I worked in NYC designing textiles for children's and adults' clothing. I then worked in consumer flooring, where I was part of an award-winning design team. But I became restless for more creative freedom so I left my "day job" and formed a partnership with my mother called 4 Tails Design Group. We specialize in graphic and web design for small businesses. I am the creative contributor and my mom is the technical guru. But my passion is Modern Art Everyday where I create a new piece of art every day.





Where and what did you study?
I studied surface pattern design at Syracuse University and I graduated with a BFA.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
I am inspired by nature, patterns, texture and color. I find beauty in simple, clean designs with a modern touch.

When did you start doing this?
Modern Art Everyday opened for business on October 31, 2006 – Halloween. It seems appropriate since opening your own business is pretty scary. But it's more successful than I could have imagined and I have no regrets.




Do you remember getting into art as a kid?
Art has always been a part of my life. I fondly remember my mom driving me to various arts and crafts stores as a kid in search of the perfect supplies.

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
After designing consumer flooring for six years, I grew tired of office politics and creative constraints. I knew I was capable of so much more. So in early 2005 I began my own business as an experiment. But it soon became obvious that it would be impossible to build a successful business while still working full-time at my "day job". So with the support of my family, I resigned from the flooring industry and became my own boss. I have never looked back!





How did you choose the name for your business?
I wanted something simple that people could remember easily. Modern Art Everyday is not only simple, but it really describes what I do; a new piece of art posted daily.

What do you love most about creating your work?
Just knowing that my art will be proudly displayed in homes around the world gives me great satisfaction.

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
Maui. I was married in a Japanese sculpture garden overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Maui. I am continually amazed at the spectacular color and beauty of nature.





A book you love:
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb.

What is the most interesting thing about you?
I married my next door neighbor. We lived next door to each other for six months but because of our schedules, we rarely saw each other. But then one day the U.S. Postal Service intervened and delivered some of my mail to his mailbox. He knocked on my door to return the mail and a week later he baked me cookies. Four months later we were engaged.





What achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the success of Modern Art Everyday. It is a struggle to keep up with the volume of orders, and that is a nice problem to have.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Take risks, embrace change, believe in yourself and, most importantly, stay positive! A positive attitude makes all things possible and inspires those around you.





What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Time. I have so many ideas and a huge to-do list, but not enough hours in the day to attempt it all. To address this, I prioritize daily but customer satisfaction is always the top priority.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Spending time with my husband and walking my goofy lab, Charlie.





What are you working on right now?
Decorative throw pillows. I create the design, print the fabric on my Epson 7800 in my home studio, and I sew them together on my trusty Singer.

What do you hope to achieve next?
I want to continue to grow Modern Art Everyday and introduce new product offerings on a regular basis. I have built a foundation of loyal repeat customers and I have an obligation to give them a reason to keep visiting me.

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.

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.