You are gonna LOVE this
ARTisan Interview!! Sarah Kendell of
Slate Studios Supply agreed to do this interview for the ol' blog a while back but for some reason her emails kept landing in my spam folder. We finally got to the bottom of it tonight and I am finally able to post the interview!! I do hope you enjoy it, and please head over to Sarah's shop. She's giving my readers a 20% off coupon! Use coupon code: LORELEI to receive an immediate discount!
Thank you Sarah for taking the time to do this!
1) Describe yourself in 3 words:
Inquisitive * Meticulous * Experimental
2) How would you describe your craft and style?
I make ceramic jewelry components…beads, pendants, and cabochons. I like the scientific aspect of ceramics, so I mix most of the clay and all of the glazes from scratch. It gives me a really good excuse to do a lot of tests and tweak colors to get exactly what I want, or (more often) to be completely surprised when I open up a kiln!
My style varies and evolves constantly from crisp white porcelain to more rustic or organic designs, but I always strive for the handmade aspect to really show. I am all about making one of a kind beads that will be treasured and enjoyed over the years, maybe even passed on from mother to daughter in a piece of jewelry.
3) What inspires you?
The beading community is a great inspiration to me! Knowing my beads are going to different states or countries to find homes in handcrafted jewelry is such an exciting part of the process. I have met so many encouraging and creative people through my bead journey.
4) How long have you been creating?
As far back as I remember I have made things. As a kid, I really liked modeling clay and playing with my mom’s jewelry, so maybe those two things set the stage for what I create now.
5) Is this a job or a hobby?
It depends on the day! I recently started grad school (in ceramics of
course!), so juggling two assistantships, studio time (making
sculpture), homework, family time, and beads/business can feel like a
lot of hats to wear all at once. Sometimes I just give myself a day to
play, make beads, and relax. It keeps me sane, and is a great way to
stay active with my business.
6) How do you see your work evolving?
Lately, I have been working more organically, really letting the nature of the clay show through instead of keeping it very geometric. I’ve also been playing with different types of kilns and firings (definitely a nice part of being in school!) like wood and soda, which produce way different results than I can get with an electric kiln.
7) I find that I have a love/hate relationship with Etsy....
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about selling on Etsy?
My favorite thing about Etsy is being linked in with people from all over the world! Whether getting feedback from customers or being part of a team, the sense of community is great. My least favorite thing…listing, ugh. I have tried to bribe my husband to assist in this area, but no success yet.
8) Do you have any advice for other Etsy artisans?
I have learned a lot along the way, and often look at other successful shops to see what I can improve upon. Listing daily has also really helped keep my shop visible. The new option to make a “Draft Listing” is great because when I have a chunk of time I crank out 20-30 listings and save them to publish later when I am busy.
Don't forget to shop at
Slate Studios Supply- Coupon code: LORELEI for 20% off!
