Monday Interview with Jessica from fastcrawl

 This week Jessica from fastcrawl joins us~

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Jessica Jewett, and I was born and raised in Lockport, NY.  My mother says she knew I was going to be an artist when I was 2 years old and turned the laundry baskets upside down so I had more room to draw.  I love reading, traveling, eating, and talking to anyone who will listen to me prattle on.  After going to college there, I consider Philadelphia to be my second home, but every time I leave the Buffalo area, I somehow find my way back.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?

I make mostly women's hair accessories, and some jewelry.  I have plans to introduce some housewares-types of items, but never seem to have the time!  I opened my shop in October of 2011, so I've been doing this for a little over a year and a half.

The best advice that was ever given to me was to find the hole in what you do and fill that void.  Many of the clips I make are sculptural.  I use wooden vine spirals that give a beautiful three dimensional look to my hair pieces.  I've never seen anyone utilize and manipulate the materials in that way, and that makes me very unique.

How did you come up with your store name?

The name Fast|crawl symbolizes not only the swiftness of the underground community to band together as a part of the slow-life movement, but also the slowness of which the rest of the world and mainstream society have to catch up. Anyone can talk the talk, but it takes a lot of effort to walk the proverbial walk. We've made huge strides, but we still have so much further to go. We're really only moving at a fast crawl.

How does Buffalo influence your work?

Buffalo is a really laid back area, and that vibe makes it very easy to be yourself.  We embrace a lot of different cultures and sub-cultures.  The art scene around this area is one of the best I've ever seen, but it's not presumptive - it's all encompassing.  

One of my favorite things has been the monthly creative challenges this blog has set up.  The first one had a theme of "Spring in Buffalo," and I had a wonderful time thinking about what spring really meant to us here.  It was quite the honor to have won the challenge!  If anyone is interested, this is the piece I submitted, with the text of my interpretation of the theme:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/130340627/bright-yellow-spring-flower-hair-clip

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop? 

The best thing for me is also the worst:  It's easy to put aside when the rest of life catches up with you.  I have a full time job, and try to make Etsy a priority as often as possible.  

How do you promote your work to the world? 

Promotion is one of the hardest things for me.  Luckily, I have friends and family all over the world, so my word of mouth extends a little further than most.  Pinterest and facebook help, as well.

What is the hardest part about selling online?

It's the same gripe I'm sure many, many others have:  You can't touch it.  You sort of forget how important tactile qualities are when you sell online.  Finding creative ways to describe my items is a challenge!

Where can your work be found locally?

Right now, I'm only found on Etsy.  I would love to sell wholesale or on consignment, but until I get a better grip on managing my time, I think I would be stretched a bit too thin.  I'm hoping to get some things together before the end of the summer.

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?

None this year!  I may do some shows around the holidays, though!  Finding ways to juggle my work schedule with craft shows is tricky, so I mostly stay away from shows.

Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?

Stick with it!  Etsy can be very fickle.  Find your niche and stick with it.  Find something that no one else is doing and exploit the need.  Be different than everyone else while still being yourself!  Selling on Etsy is more than just making things and putting it online - you have to be your biggest fan.  Don't undervalue your work.  You can't compete with factory made items, so don't price yourself like you can.  You are not your target market!

Where can you be found online?

To my Etsy shop:  www.etsy.com/shop/fastcrawl

[and please use coupon code BuffaLOVE for 15% off!]

and to my facebook page:  www.facebook.com/fastcrawl

Thanks Jessica for sharing your experience with us!

If you are from Buffalo and would like to be featured on the blog please contact me for more information!!