Buffalo Etsy as teachers!

There's a saying out there that says,"Those that can't do... teach." It's not a statement that really holds up. Teachers are how we learn things, and that's certainly "doing" by any definition. We think that
it's time to amend that statement.

"Sometimes, those than can, ALSO teach."

Buffalo and the surrounding areas are a wonderful creative hub of talent, looking at the Buffalo Etsy Team alone shows an amazing diversity of products and creations in shops showcasing just about everything under the sun.

In addition to making beautiful items for you to purchase, running their shops and often with day jobs and families as well, several of our team members also teach regularly.
We wanted to take the time to tell you about some of these folks today.

Goldhawk Pottery is a shop that I'm sure you're already familiar with for beautiful, well made and purposeful pottery! Did you also know that Sara Goldhawk teaches through the Williamsville Community Education department and has classes on creative entrepreneurship as well as hands on clay classes for kids?  You can learn the ins and outs of both online and craft show selling from the Captain of our Etsy team herself!  Sign up for any of her classes or review her course listings here.
As classes change regularly through community education, if her classes don't populate, select courses, instructor and Goldhawk and you will have a nice selection to choose from.

Sarah Trumpp has a fun shop that I'm sure you've checked out, if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Wonderstrumpet on Etsy has a great selection of really unique and fun items. I never knew I wanted Dazed Dollies until I looked! Sarah also has an amazing array of online video tutorials that include mixed media, canvas and sculpting!

Heidi Zanelli has some beautiful paintings and cards in her shop ZanelliArts. She can also be found teaching at exhibiting at Enjoy the Journey Gallery in West Seneca.

Kelly Barone is a Certified Zentangle Teacher who also holds workshops at Enjoy the Journey gallery as well as many other local venues. If you've heard of Zentangle® and want to know more about this relaxing and meditative art form she has a full calendar of upcoming classes in the Western NY area. You can find some of her black and white work in her shop, Whimsy by Kelly along with custom sneakers and a variety of other things as well.

Zentangle is a meditative art form using repetitive patterns to create art, even by those who thought they couldn't draw. 

Suzanne O'Brien of ZanieCraftsFeltedArt teaches through the Williamsville Community Education department as well when she isn't making purses, pins and other amazing things for her shop. She also displays at Enjoy the Journey gallery and other locations in the area. She is currently offering introductory classes in Wet Felting.  If you have ever wanted to try your hand at felting yourself you can check out her current available classes and learn something fun.
As before if the listings won't populate, you can search for her under instructors!

As a lifelong learner I love to get my hands on new knowledge. I'm sure you do too. If you are looking for something to do on these drab winter days, what's better than digging in, rolling up your sleeves and tackling something new?

If you are a member of the Buffalo Etsy team and teach as well, please let us know! We'd love to share what you are doing as well!

Did I really just quit my job?

I’m now two months into my journey and the world hasn't ended.  The initial fear that used to pulse through me every now and then seems to have been more hype than anything else.

That’s how fear works though. It paralyzes the mind and body. 

In this installment I wanted to touch on some things I did prior to turning in my notice and walking away from a steady paycheck and benefits.  Doing these things have helped me overcome the fear and have, without a doubt, helped me focus on the work at hand instead of waiting for the end of the world.

About 2 years prior to turning in my notice I:

1.       Took a long hard look at my current position, the state of the field I worked in (Higher Ed) and what the future was starting to look like.  I saw more downside than upside. I began to think about changing careers.

2.       Tracked my spending for 6 months to get a better sense of where my money was actually going. I kept a daily journal and logged EVERY dollar I spent and what I spent it on. I broke it down into categories each month. This really opened my eyes to some careless spending.

Attributed to Abe Lincoln
(but there is no actual proof he ever said this!)

3.       I began to pay more attention to saving money, in case I decided to leave.

About 18 months prior I:

1.  Started to cut back from the things I identified through my spending exercise

2.   Began paying my credit cards down aggressively.

3.   Adjusted the contribution I was making to my 401k plan by dropping to the minimum percentage that secured my employers contribution and directed the rest into my savings account. I did this to save as much “ready cash” as possible should  I decide to leave.

4.   I took what I learned from the spending exercise and figured out what I actually spent on necessities (home, food, bills etc…) in a year. 

      It’s a very interesting exercise. If you've never done it – do it. I found out that the number is much smaller than I thought. You may be surprised too. It made me feel more confident in taking the risk of working for myself.  It helped me zero in on the exact amount of money I needed to save to give myself a year (if I didn't earn another penny during that year) to go on living close to how I was currently living.

About 6 months prior I:

1.       Decided that unless something drastic changed at my current job, I would leave and start working for myself full-time.

2.       Started planning for my departure and putting things in order (to help my co-workers as well as visualizing what my life would look like how to best approach it).

I am not one to recommend just quitting a job without really thinking things through. I do think anyone can leave a job they are unhappy with though – I just recommend having a plan in place. Most people lock themselves into situations without even trying to take a long hard look at what’s actually possible.

You can read the 3 previous posts in this series here: 

#1              #2             #3

Next month,  I will update you on my progress since starting off on my own and some of the early hiccups, lessons and small victories.

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters, Vol. 21 Theft and Vandalism

***Please read this note too: REVISION ***


One of our team members had some questions about security at the upcoming Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts. Here's some of the info I shared with him and more......

I don't know if I've addressed this topic in the past. If I have not it's because, at least for me, it's never been much of an issue. But, as with all things in life, art and craft shows are not immune to criminal activity, so I guess it's worth a few words.

Over many years of participating in shows, I've had only one major theft from my booth. I was set up at the Allentown Art Festival and had a line of people waiting to cash out when I noticed a young woman trying to catch my attention -- or so I thought. She darted in and out of my booth several times and I told her I'd be with her in a few minutes. When my line of paying customers had left I noticed that she was gone too, along with 3 of my small framed works!

Well -- that stunk! But it was an isolated incident more than 10 years ago. Since then I may have had some small thefts. Small items that could easily go into a pocket, like note cards or magnets, may have been taken. But if they have I have not noticed.

Here are a few of the other issues friends and neighbors have had:

• unattended cash box stolen from booth

• $1000 ring a neighbor "claimed" was stolen from under her nose. The exhibitor planned on filing an
   insurance claim and the whole thing seemed a bit shady to me.

• tent walls slashed overnight at an otherwise sleepy suburban show

• morning finds that indicate a booth was used for an overnight party -- like unzipped tents, empty
  beer and liquor bottles, and ugh, urine puddles/odor.

So yes -- crime does happen at shows -- but, from my experience,  it's not a regular thing.

Here are a few safety tips:

• DO NOT leave money or cell phones unattended in your booth!

• show days are LONG days and you WILL need to walk away from your booth from time to time. If you're doing a show alone it's a good idea to get to know your neighbors. Ask them to watch your booth while you make a quick run and do the same for them in return.

• if you have a product that can easily be turned into cash by a would-be thief (e.g. gold and precious gem stone jewelry) DO NOT leave your product in your booth overnight! Invest in a locking display case and have someone work the show with you if at all possible.

• like anywhere -- always be aware of your surroundings. If you are in an area where you do not feel good about leaving your stock overnight then don't do it! Taking the extra time to load your work back into your vehicle at the end of the night is well worth it!

• if you DO leave your work in your booth over night (I often do -- and many exhibitors ALWAYS do) make sure that you seal your tent up well. Use electrical zip ties to close up your tent zippers. Tarp up your work, do anything that will make a would-be thief think twice about breaking into your booth. Most thieves are opportunists and will move on if you don't make yourself an easy target!

• Use common sense and trust your gut!

• ask your show neighbors about the show's reputation. The cash box theft and overnight party issues that I mentioned both happened at the same show, a Rochester show that has a reputation for being a big street party. It's located right in the middle of college rentals, frat houses, etc. and exhibitors often complain about blasting music and drunken party goers.

• DON'T PANIC! Most thieves steal items that can be turned into quick cash. Let's face it! MOST of our work does not fall under that category. And we're not selling Van Gogh or Picasso level work -- at least not yet :-)

Be safe, have fun, make money!

Until next time - keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters, Vol. 19: Bigger Isn't Always Better

Understanding the Connection Between Expenses and Net Profit

In an ideal world, participating in "Big" Art Shows should lead to BIG profits -- right? Well -- sometimes yes, and sometimes not so much. Traveling from city to city to participate in festivals can get pretty expensive. There are hotel/lodging expenses, gas, tolls, wear and tear on your vehicle and increased food/dining expenses - not to mention TIME! Your time, that you could spend doing something other than driving or hanging out at a hotel after the show closes for the day.

Be sure to consider ALL of the costs of doing shows before diving in. It's amazing how many artists just don't do that! Bigger does not always mean better!

Let me offer a case in point:

 I decided to opt out of a Central New York show that I usually do on this weekend. It's a three day street show that has seen it's attendance decline over the years. Instead, I participated in a one day show in Ithaca - the Ithaca Artists Market -- and it turned out to be a good decision! While I sold less art work this show, my expenses were lower, so I  actually made more money than I did at last year's much larger three day festival. 

Now, it doesn't always work out this way :-) But taking a close look at the actual costs connected to shows can help you decide which ones are must-dos and which ones you may want to skip next time around. 

Here are more pictures from the show:

Until next time - keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters, Vol. 18: Vocabulary Words

ART SHOW VOCABULARY WORDS:

Be-Back: a person who announces "I'll be back" as they walk out of your booth. Once in a while they do come back, but usually not.

Buy/Sell: mass produced art and craft work that is purchased (not made) and resold by an exhibitor. Buy/Sell is banned at most shows. If you're caught with it you'll be shut down.

New Normal/New Good: a recent term used by exhibitors who are accustomed to having good sales at shows and are seeing smaller sales totals.

Paycheck Show: a mid-range income show. Not great, not bad -- similar to getting a paycheck for the number of hours you spend at a show.

Sh*t-On-A-Stick: usually a derogatory term applied to low-end garden art. It can also be used to describe the over all quality of a show - "it was a Crappy Craft show with a lot of sh*t-on-a-stick". But I have to say, I've seen some wonderful garden art on sticks this year :-)

Until next time -- keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

Monday Interview with Angela's Illustrations.

this week Angela from Angela's Illustrations joins us to share her work!

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

I like to draw and paint. I use cardboard on occasion but in my store I sell original acrylic paintings on canvas and giclee prints of my work. I've been making art for about 9 years now.

How did you come up with your store name?
I named my business "Angela's Illustrations" because I just figured it would be catchy, and it's just easier for me to remember then something more complex haha.

How does Buffalo influence your work?

Buffalo has two popular art museums, the Albright Knox Art Gallery and right across it is the Burchfield-Penny Art Center. So I feel pretty spoiled. I'm very impressed when I see artists make such detailed and realistic works online. But when I first saw Charles Burchfield's abstract water color paintings in person, I felt so much. Both galleries are amazing, full of modern and abstract art locally and internationally. Having them here is an amazing benefit for the community. They are also reminders to me that art is much more than just realism. That makes me feel better because realism (so far) is not one of my strengths.

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by many things like animals, people, art, music, the internet, and other artists. Lately I've been inspired by my dreams. I have plans to recreate the scenes of specific dreams I've had because I found them fascinating, complex, and extremely meaningful.

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
I really enjoy having an etsy shop because its another way for me to share my work with other people around the world. Its great having the opportunity to sell my work on a lovely, safe, and helpful site.

How do you promote your work to the world?

I promote my work by showing it at festivals, at art galleries, and by using word of mouth. At art events in Western New York I have a sign saying I own an etsy site and I hand out business cards with a link to my shop. I tell everyone I meet to check out my store online. My friends and family help too by telling their friends.

What is the hardest part about selling online?

I guess something I've noticed about selling work online is that your work isn't seen in person and photos may only give some of my work so much justice.

Where can your work be found locally?

I'm a member of the 464 gallery in Buffalo and show my artwork there often. Besides that I'm always looking into festivals and calls for work around the city of Buffalo so your sure to find me!

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

I will be showing my work at the Elmwood art festival this summer on August 24th and 25th. I'm very excited about it because it will be my first time there and I've always wanted to be a part of it.

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

Take the best photos you can of your work. If your not able to do it yourself find someone who can help! It makes a difference. Also don't expect sales or things to happen right away. Do your best to share and advertise it.

Do you do this full or part time? If full time how did you get yourself to that status?

Currently I sell and show my work part time.

Have you had any formal training in what you do?

Well, I took a beginners class in painting, drawing, lettering, design, and modeling. That's pretty much it... haha.

Do you teach any classes in what you do?

I don't, but I'm very interested in art therapy and if I did teach a class I would love to help others tap into their imagination and feelings while creating art.

What do you do when your creatively blocked?

When I have a creative block in one medium I tend to jump to another to keep the energy flowing. If I can't paint, I start to sing. If I can't sing, I write, and so on. Sometimes people just need a break too and that's ok.

Where can you be found online?

https://www.facebook.com/AngelaWisniewskiIllustrations

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AngelasIllustrations

http://www.bluecanvas.com/pangie

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters, Vol. 14: Summer Solstice Break

Most businesses have cycles -- busy times that require not only time but a good deal of focus. Summer is one of my busy times, so I’ll make this short and sweet. 

If you are participating in festivals this summer I wish you well. The team is doing a great job of promoting team member show, so be sure to list your event here: 

List Your July Shows Here!

If you haven’t made the jump yet but are thinking about doing shows in the future, this is a great time to get out and gather information from local shows. See what’s out there, visit fellow teammates, have a good time!

Happy Summer Solstice -- a day late!

Until next time -- keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

Monday Interview with Erin from Kitch Towels.

 One week off from interviews and I am back with some good ones lined up!! 
This week Erin from  Kitch Towels shares a little about herself and her etsy shop! 

 Please tell us a bit about yourself?
- My husband & I have both been performing in bands for years ... He plays guitar, I play guitar & sing. (In fact, that's how we met forever ago!)
Anyway, we decided to stop paying someone else to screen print our band tees since Tim (my hubby) knew how to do it. We borrowed $200 from my mom (I mean, come on - we were both in bands so the $$ wasn't exactly flowing!) & bought some used screen printing gear.
That was over 10 years ago, and we have been successfully self employed now for the same :)
I found Etsy & fell in LOVE with it in 2010, opened my shop & became a work from home mommy, while Tim still runs the shop (Steamroller) in dowtown Buffalo, NY.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?
- I screen print flour sack tea towels & sew retro style half aprons

How did you come up with your store name?
- My designs are influenced by vintage & retro aesthetics with a modern twist - so I took the word "Kitsch" and spelled it wrong to have the first part of the word kitchen in it - KITCH :)


How does Buffalo influence your work?
- I think the biggest influence is the change of seasons for me - I am really inspired by our wide range of weather - I love it!

 What inspires you?
- EVERYTHING! I love tweaking vintage design with new and fresh modern colors - mixing old with new is my favorite style.

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
- I am a stay at home Mommy, so creating my own schedule is the biggest perk for me, but being free to create in my own home is essential to my creativity. I have my own cozy space to create in without the constraints of someone telling me what I can and can't do.

 Do you do this full or part time? If full time how did you get yourself to that status?
- Full time - this is my 3rd year on Etsy and it's only recently become full time...I should also say that, although it's full time for me, it's our family's *second* income. I'm still trying to unlock the "booming business" key to Etsy. As far as I can tell at this point, it's a combination of spending money on the Etsy search ads, amzing photos of your product, and superior customer service. Also - be prepared for the holiday season - It's only June and I'm already working on Halloween & Christmas ideas!

 How do you promote your work to the world?
- I use Etsy Search Ads, as well as social media - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest



What is the hardest part about selling online?
- Trying to figure out how to reach the most people possible is tricky - a lot of trial & error

 Where can your work be found locally?
- Cats Like Us, Delish, Burchfield Penny

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?
- This holiday season I hope to do the following events: Quaker Atrs Festival, Cats Like Us trunk show, PUNS (Webster), Queen City Market, and Women In Arts

Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?
- Network as much as possible with other sellers, take GREAT PICTURES, and try the search ads!

 Have you had any formal training in what you do?
- Nope :)

Do you teach any classes in what you do?
- No

What do you do when your creatively blocked?
- I usually search vintage travel posters and photos online - but mostly, I wait. It always comes eventually, and forcing it is a sure way to create something that you'll hate in the end.








Where can you be found online?

Etsy shop:
etsy.com/shop/kitchtowels

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Kitch/153191458041202

Twitter:
twitter.com/kitchtowels

Pinterest:
pinterest.com/kitchtowels/kitch-products/

   Thanks Erin  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!!

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters Vol.13: ....with a little help from my friends.....

It may seem like I’m backtracking. Just a few weeks ago I wrote a rant against unsolicited advice:

Volume 10: Some Advice about.........Advice :-)

I’ll stand by what I wrote. The world IS full of clueless, bad-advice givers. But sometimes, if we’re lucky, we run across someone who offers GOOD advice. Someone who truly has our best interests at heart.

That happened to me just this past weekend. I “hired” a friend to help me with the Allentown Art Festival. I’ve put “hired” in quotes because the pay was low for the number of hours involved -- but what I got in return for my small investment was invaluable information about how the public views my work. I was so impressed by what I learned that I made a video about it:

                               Studio Talk with Mixed Media Artist Alison E. Kurek, June 12, 2013

So.....what’s my point here.....other than shameless self-promotion of my blog post and video? :-) 

It’s this: we have to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. My strengths lie in creating new work. And while I may not be terribly bad at sales and product placement within my display, it’s not my strong suit. Turning over a bit of control to someone I knew I could trust, someone without a hidden agenda, allowed me to see things from a different perspective. Furthermore, paying for that assistance took away any feeling that I was imposing upon my friend. She was no longer doing me a favor -- she was doing a job.

So ask yourself - what are your strengths and weaknesses? Sit down with a pen and paper and make a list. Once you’ve made that list -- tear it up! Don’t beat yourself up for being imperfect!  Build on your strengths and seek out people who can assist you in overcoming your weaknesses. Learn from them and compensate them for their time and assistance. You don’t necessarily have to “pay” in a monetary sense, but you can barter, trade goods and services, and acknowledge that you value and appreciate their time and efforts.

As for determining exactly who may have the right advice for you -- that'll take some trial and error. Hopefully not too much error :-)

Until next time -- keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek

Following YOUR Path...Sarah Trumpp 6/6/13

Summer is getting closer and it seems we are

all busier than ever. Families, craft shows,

jobs, book clubs, Etsy teams and treasuries;

not to mention, gardens, golf, graduation parties

and of course making the things we all make!

With that as a back drop, Sarah Trumpp of

WonderStrumpet was still kind enough to give us 

a quick update on how she is doing.

Feel free to wish her luck as she heads into the nerve-wracking craft show season.

Have you participated in any shows

since the May update? What shows do you have coming up? I don't think I have had any shows since the last time we talked. I have Lockport coming up at the end of June, Corn Hill in July, and Elmwood in August.

Since you started working full-time, can you share 1 hurdle that you have encountered that you never saw coming?  My biggest hurdle has been ME, which has been a little annoying. I'm following a dream and should probably not be getting in my own way. Irritating.

Compared to your initial fear or anxiety, has there been something that turned out to be much easier or smoother than you had expected?  I can't think of anything. How doom-gloom Eeyore of me!

How about the reverse of that - something you thought would be easy that turned out to be a headache? Show applications - so much paperwork!!! There was a lot of stuff that I didn't even think about, like business license (luckily I already had it) and tax IDs and whatnot, so I'm glad that's all out of the way.

Free format time - share whatever you feel like sharing  These past few months sales-wise have been pretty slim to none, so I'm a little nervous about all of that. I haven't updated my shop in way too long, though, since I've been hoarding stuff for shows, but I'm going to change that this upcoming week, so hopefully I'll start selling again. Right now I have all of my chips on summer show season, so I'm hoping things go well. Nervous!

Al Pilato
harvestwoods
picture-frame-it-yourself.com

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters, Vol.10, Some Advice about...Advice :-)

ART SHOWS 101: Survival Tips for Show Artists and Crafters

             

     Volume 10: Some Advice about......Advice :-)

“Artists should appear mysterious. Don’t wear that hippie dress of yours and “chat” with your customers! Dress in black and act superior.......”

“Your work is SO expensive! If you cut your prices in half you’d probably sell twice as much....”

“Your prices are too low! Triple them and NEVER offer a discount! It devalues your work......”

“You should put up a big sign that says “Super Blowout Sale”. That’ll bring in more quality customers......”

“Wholesale? Don’t give someone a 50% wholesale discount?! Why GIVE your work away when you can SO EASILY sell it at shows?”

“If I were you I’d.....(fill in the blank).......”

Ughh!! Advice! So, so, so much unsolicited advice! Sometimes it seems that everyone and their brother knows how to run your business better than you do; and they just can’t keep themselves from sharing their fabulous ideas.

Listen to their advice, throw in a few educational seminars and workshops on marketing, attend a few networking events, read a few articles online (especially this one :-), and you’ll know everything you need to know to increase your business threefold -- right?!?

Well -- maybe not :-) 

In an attempt to increase sales and free myself from the need of side jobs, not to mention financial worry, I’ve been seeking “professional” advice. I overbooked myself this week; three seminars within a day and a half; the quality of which ranged from very good, to forgettable, to really pretty bad.

And maybe because I’ve made no secret of my current seminar attending spree, I’ve been treated to more than the average amount of unsolicited advice from friends and acquaintances.

After a week of listening to “professional advice” and “You shoulds....” I was nearly catatonic! Not only did I fail to find “the answer” to all of my current questions, I started doubting everything that already works!

After taking a giant step back and smoothing down my very ruffled feathers, I realized there comes a time when we have to stop seeking the advice of others and just go with our guts. Because, when it comes right down to it, no one knows our businesses better than we do. Professional speakers are, well....professional speakers. They may have the education and work experience to speak wisely (or not) on topics that may affect our businesses, but they don’t know the day to day reality of what we do. Go to some of these events. Listen carefully to what the speakers have to say, and then separate the wheat from chaff. It is our job to find what works for us, not to conform to the model set forth by a speaker or advisor.

When seeking answers to pressing questions about our businesses we shouldn’t forget to look within. Deep down inside, we know our strengths and weaknesses. We know where we excel -- and we also know the boundary lines we are not willing to cross.

And for all that unsolicited advice offered by our friends, families and peers? Keep in mind that most, if not all of it, is offered in good faith. Listen to some of it, change the subject when it gets to be too much and, if all else fails, smile and nod as you drift off to your happy place.

Until next time -- keep creating!

Alison

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistAlisonEKurek