16 October 2010

Artist Interview :: NorthStreetStudio

001. Tell me about yourself: What’s your name? Where do you live? Do you have a family or any pets? What is unique or special about you? Hi there! My name is Brittany and I live in Central Pennsylvania. I’m married to my wonderful husband, Jas, and have a 15 month old daughter. We have two cats that we’ve rescued to complete our little house hold.

002. Tell me what you create: What type of art do you do? How did you get into this type? How long have you been crafting? Where do you get your inspiration? What makes your art stand out from others? Is this your full-time job or just a hobby? Crafting has always had a special spot in my heart, and it’s something I’ve done all my life. Right now I’m really into creating hair accessories and brooch pins from fabric. I get my inspiration from what I see online, the fabrics and buttons I select, and my family and friends. I love putting together different colors and patterns and seeing what I can come up with. Everything I make is hand stitched and 100% handmade, so I pay extra attention to the details. Besides being a stay-at-home mom, I consider this my second “full-time job,” and I love them both!


003. Tell me about your handmade art business: What is your shop’s name? How did your business start? My shop name is North Street Studio. I had contemplated starting a business on the side in 2009, but with a little one it didn’t happen right away. This summer, with some gentle pushing from family and friends I finally made it official and opened my own shop on Etsy.

004. Tell me about your customers: Who is your target audience? What type of people do you consider when creating your art? My target audience is women and girls. I make hair accessories that anyone can wear, like head bands, bobby pins and hair combs. My brooch pins are perfect for adding a splash of color to a cardigan, sweater, winter hat, jacket or purse. I really consider everyone when I’m creating my pieces - I pick a wide variety of fabrics that will appeal to everyone, and if they can’t find something they like I’ll custom create pieces for them. I make all of my items affordable…I think it’s important to make sure that everyone can have something that makes them feel special without breaking their budget.


005. Tell me where I can find your art: What sites do you sell your product from? Do you write a blog or run a website? Can your product be found in any brick and mortar stores, markets, or bazaars? Right now my products are just on Etsy, but I’m hoping to expand to some small local stores in the next few weeks and maybe do some craft shows in the spring. I also have a page on Facebook where I post sneak peeks of new items before I post them on Etsy, and also use that to post advanced notice for sales and special promos for my shop.

006. Tell me about your support: Are you a member of a team or guild? Do your friends or family help you? Or do you work alone? Right now I’m working entirely on my own. Occasionally I’ll have help from family if I need some inspiration for pieces or helping me spread the word about my shop. They’ve been a great support system since I’ve opened my shop and I’m really grateful for them!


007. Tell me about your favorites: What blogs or websites do you enjoy following? List some of your favorite artists and their shops. Which piece from your shop is your favorite and why? I have a lot of arts and crafts blogs that I follow on a regular basis. I love seeing what other people are coming up! I follow websites that keep me up with the current trends on colors, patterns, things like that. I frequent the Arts section on NYTimes a lot, they’re always featuring the most beautiful and innovative things. I LOVE browsing all the beautiful jewelry shops on Etsy. The creators are so talented and I would love to claim so many pieces for my own collection.

008. Tell me anything else: What else would you like people to know? Any advice you’d like to offer other sellers? What’s your typical work day like? I would definitely tell people not to get discouraged if you don’t see that you’re getting views or sales right away. Do everything you can to promote! Open a Twitter account, get a Facebook page and ask your family and friends to help out. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to promote, there are a ton of free options! Also remember the forums and look there for help - plenty of people will give you their opinions and they will really help. Make sure your photos are simple and really showcase your items, and don’t be afraid to try something new!

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Well, that concludes this great interview! If you like what you see, please leave a love note (aka a comment)! Interested in getting featured like this artist? Click here.

[♥] Margaret


1 comment:

  1. Great interview! and I love the brooch at the top.... which should totally come with the bag because they look great together ♥

    ReplyDelete