The main display area had three collapsable cardboard columns, with caps on both ends that added stability.  These were set up and then covered with a custom made slip cover and wood boards, covered with the same fabric, were put on top to make a counter height display!

This worked really well as it was relatively light weight and fit in the small car I had at the time.  The company that sold the columns is no longer in business, sadly, or I’d tell you who they were and give you a link.

Now I’m only doing indoor shows.  The one coming up in November provides tables, so that’s pretty simple, all I have to do is style a single table.  I know I’ll want a table skirt that goes all the way to the floor.  Costco and lots of other sellers sell these that go all the way to the floor and are make from an easy care polyester.  With that much fabric, I want something that’s not going to wrinkle.

What else do I need to think about when designing a new display?

While in the past I’ve used black velvet, which silver looks great on, my new bronze jewelry looks better on linen, natural materials and wood.  In fact, linen is interesting, because in a meeting of my local craftsperson-support group, the members looked at my jewelry and helped me figure out who my ideal customer is.

The group feels that my ideal customer is a woman who wears clothes from Eileen Fisher, they make a lot of linen clothing.  Linen display units will connect those ideas and link the idea of clothing and fabric choices with my jewelry.

Looking for ideas for my new display, I turned to my Rio Grande catalog, of course, and I also turned to Pinterest.  Much of what I found on Pinterest was repetitive and there were even some “don’ts” that I came across.

One idea that came up a lot on Pinterest that may be getting tired is using a vintage suitcase to transport your items and then using it as a display. While that might really work for some artists or jewelers, I don’t think it’s a match for my ideal customer.

Here’s my challenge for setting up my new display:  I”ll have lots and lots of necklaces, earrings and bracelets and how do I display that in a way that’s interesting and shop-able?

Necklace busts are nice, but they’re pricey and could look boring if I have a ton of them.

I know that it’s important to raise the height of your table, when selling from a table, to counter height. You can do that by putting PVC pipe leg extenders on the table legs, but then your standard issue table skirt won’t be long enough.

I’m planning to use risers to raise the height of much of the table. Years ago at a bead show, I saw a display that used crates, turned over, open side down, covered with a nice wool felt. Think custom slipcovers for the crates, in wool felt. You wouldn’t have noticed that they were crates unless you were a fellow craft show person who can’t help but see that kind of thing.

What have I figured out so far?

The materials that work well for my line of bronze, steel and stone jewelry are materials that are natural or evoke natural. The fabric should be a cream color, perhaps a textured upholstery fabric – but nothing too interesting! The displays should be natural colored linen (I can get these ready made) and perhaps I can mix in some wrought iron and wood. I’m not sure about the wood, that might be too many textures.

My main take aways from my time on Pinterest are:

Creative people really like making displays! Sometimes their displays are too nice and interesting, and distract from the product.

The best displays are consistent, clean and a little bit boring, but they draw your eye to the product, the jewelry, which is the whole goal here.

How about you? What do you use for your display pieces? Have you made any yourself? Photo sharing and tips are always welcome in the comments!

Tattoo Bracelets Copyright Elaine Luther 2014

I’m building up stock for the craft show I’m in November.  These are my steel wire tattoo bracelets, part of my new bronze and steel line.

I’m also rebuilding my display, having not done a show in a while.  I’ve been researching displays, to find what will work best with this bronze jewelry and will write you a post today about what I’ve been finding.

Seems like a time saver and something you could learn from and at some point begin to write them yourself.

Here’s the listing:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/151887015/product-description-title-tags-seo

http://www.artsbusinessinstitute.org/blog/overcome-your-fear-of-pricing

Anne Fiala in her basement studio.

I’m so excited to bring you this interview with Anne M. Fiala! We’ll be talking creativity, business and there pictures!

Introducing Anne M. Fiala, a long time metalsmith, recent MFA grad, former board member of the Chicago Metal Arts Guild and was also a key organizer for the fabulous Zoom Symposium at the University of Indiana in Blommington.

She recently uprooted herself from snowy Chicago and moved to sunny North Carolina. Q: So what are you up to these days?

Hmmm. Yes, uprooted and moved to sunny NC where I am a jewelry maker and teach art and metals. I teach arts and crafts to kids at UrbanPromise – which is an inner city program that aims to develop children and youth into leaders determined to restore their communities.

Whosiewhatsit Earrings by Anne Fiala, Copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: You have this amazing background in metal and yet you’re working in wood now!  How did that happen?

Haha, I know! Well, it kind of happened in a roundabout way. After my first year of graduate school I was really frustrated in the studio. I had been spending a lot of time making super detailed and technical pieces, but wasn’t really satisfied with the outcomes. So, I started to study my creative habit.

In doing this I did 3 things; I began to question, I made one piece every day for a month, and I traveled to Netherlands to take a conceptual workshop.

During the month of “a piece a day” there was a huge storm in Bloomington and I started picking up fallen branches. The branches made their way onto my bench and into my jewelry. I found that I really enjoyed working with the branches for a variety of reasons; they took away some of my control over the outcome, they reminded me of my family who have been woodworkers through the ages, and they offered a nice contrast to my often meticulous metal work (both visually and physically).

The branches evolved into scrap wood, which evolved into high quality plywood. I have now become so interested in small scale woodworking that last summer I traveled to Haystack in Maine to take a workshop with Katie Hudnall, who makes all sorts of amazing small scale wood pieces.

Whosiewhatsit Necklace by Anne Fiala, Copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: Your wood jewelry looks so light and easy to wear is it?  The pieces are all so fun and colorful and fashionable, what was your inspiration for this line?  

It is light and easy to wear! Though I love jewelry, I have weak ears and am awfully clumsy. I want to make things that I would and could wear!

My inspiration stems from a few sources, but mostly my family and my travels. I spent a lot of the last four years driving through the Midwest and admiring the weathered farmhouses and empty billboards. I see a lot of that inspiration in my necklaces.

My wooden dangles evolved from my love of the lobster buoys in Deer Isle, Maine, which are bright, colorful, and timeworn.

Elaine interjects – I’m attracted to those kinds of things too, and what I love is how you’ve taken that and make it so fresh and bright and timeworn at the same time!

I have a variety of flowered designs which stem from memories of my grandmother. My grandmother kept a beautiful garden full of every kind of flower – from irises to poppies, I think it’s where I got my love of flowers. Her daisies had actually been moved from house to house for generations.

The Fine Arts Building at U of Indiana

Q: What was the most useful class that you took in undergrad or grad school that you’re really using now, in your business?

I would have to say the overall experience of grad school is what I am really using now.

During grad school I was involved with a few nonprofit organizations on top of teaching and my coursework. Pair that with a mostly independent curriculum I really learned how to balance working and making.

Grad school also gave me the opportunity to just make and study my creative habit. In doing so, I learned a lot about what makes me tick. Now I know how to get out of ruts, use inspiration, and where to start.

Q: What’s your “desert island” metalsmithing book?  A favorite that you couldn’t live without?

It’s probably The Complete Metalsmith by Tim McCreight. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a chapter hidden in there somewhere called “Making Tools and Jewelry on a Desert Island”.

I also really like Silversmithing by Rupert Finegold. But more often than not, if I’m looking for a solution these days I’m searching the web on my phone. Outside of metalsmithing I really enjoyed The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Great reads that are not strictly jewelry or business related but really relate to our practice.

Whoosiewhatsit Hoops in wood and steel, copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: I see that you’re selling on Etsy, another online platform and to some retail stores.  How did you choose that other platform?  Since this is a jewelry – business blog, we’d love to hear about your business goals, what’s your ideal that you’re going for?  Mostly wholesale?  Mostly retail?  Do you do in person shows?

I chose the other platform, Square Market, out of convenience for my shoppers. Because I do in person shows, I wanted a card reader that allowed checkout to be quick, easy, and trusted. I chose Square because so many retailers are using it – from food trucks to retail stores – that most people have Square accounts and are familiar with the transaction process.

I was surprised to learn one of the perks of Square is Square Market – a free online marketplace similar to Etsy. Creating an online store was as simple as creating an inventory – you just have to take the extra step of adding descriptions and pictures!

An Anne Fiala necklace in process, on the soldering surface.

The ideal that I am going for is simple – I want to be an artist.

To me that means earning a living from the combination of creating and selling my work and teaching my craft.

In selling my work I wouldn’t mind a bit of everything! It’s nice having my work in shops and galleries, it allows people to “discover” my work and experience it in person.

Having an online store has allowed me to reach new audiences, too, and has given me the opportunity to make some custom work. At the end of the day I don’t have dreams of being a multimillionaire and I don’t want my business to get so big that I am removed from the making process.

I think a lot of jewelry makers like Megan Auman and Amy Tavern have been successful in that. They create really beautiful jewelry that jewelry makers and everyday people alike love.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to others just starting out in the jewelry business?

“Action is best; start anywhere” and “Be rooted”.

There is so much information out there of how to run your business and what to do to be successful – it seems like the best advice is to know your brand (i.e. YOU) and take action.

The things that work really well for other people, may not work for you or not seem genuine coming from you. The same goes for your work.

Staying true to yourself and your roots will help keep your work authentic, help you naturally progress to the next step, and help you find answers to your questions.

Such great advice, thanks Anne!

Follow Anne Fiala Jewelry Objects on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annefialajewelry where she shares her process and show announcements.

Visit her etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnneFialaJewelry

Visit her Square Market shop here: https://squareup.com/market/anne-fiala

I love the look of the Square Market shop!

http://www.professionalartistmag.com/news/2010/jun/24/10-tips-improving-your-art-sales

Did you know Professional Artist Magazine also lists calls for art? Check ‘em out while you’re there!

It’s a must-read for any craftsperson or artist who gets requests for donations (which is all of us!).

http://katevrijmoet.com/blog/broader-economic-implications-donating-your-art

How have I benefitted from being a member of Art Biz Incubator at Art Biz Coach?

Community and Support …nurture is right in the tag line

I’ve learned I work best when I have a team around me. My team includes my web designer, my graphic designer, my editor, my photographer, and now it includes Alyson Stanfield and everyone who’s a member of the Art Biz Coach Artist Incubator.

One of the things I like about working with a team is that it creates deadlines and gives me something to respond to. When you’re a solopreneur and things only happen when you make them happen, the more help and support you can get to make things happen, the better.

This past year for me has been about figuring out what I need to nurture in my life so that I can create more art, more jewelry, and take my business to the next level. I discovered I needed to nurture myself and find support elsewhere too.

My local artist support groups that I attend are terrific, but they’re only once a month, or quarterly. With the Art Biz Coach Incubator from Art Biz Coach, I’ve got daily support. There’s a members-only facebook group where I can ask (and answer) questions, there’s a monthly group call with Alyson where I can ask questions.

As soon as I got into the member area for the first time, I realized this was going to be a resource I could learn from for a long time. And I also kept thinking, “I’ve got to tell my artist friends about this!” I’d read and think oh, “Anne would love this, Lisa would love this, I’ve got to tell them about it.”

And I keep wanting to blog about things that I read there, to share them with you, and then I remember I can’t, “oh right! It’s in the member area.” Because this is a program I really believe in, I joined the affiliate program.

Resources and Staying on Track

What’s my next step? I have a place to go when I don’t know what to do next, and then I have direction. I’ve just had a string of activities and was incredibly busy—I gave a speech, do do guest posts that happened to come out almost at the same time, I installed my solo show and launched the product line of shirts, cards, stickers and prints with images of the artwork.

The “hook” of having the show gained media placements for me, but then what? Once that rush-rush of all that (wonderful) work was over, I was floundering a little. What should I do next?

So I logged into the member area of the Art Biz Coach Incubator to see, okay, what do I do? I selected the Ramp Up Marketing Focus Area and selected the audio files and written guides to help me for exactly where I am now.

I’m writing my marketing plan using the form and guide from Alyson, so it’s not a stab in the dark, it’s comprehensive and strategic.

Inspiration
I have lots of role model artists to learn from and be inspired by.

How do others on this path make it work for them? What’s their story and what can I apply from their story to my path? There’s plenty of inspiration to be had, in the Inspiration Focus Area as well as mixed in with other posts and audio files that are actually about something else.

Speaking of audio files, there are a ton of audio files in the library at Art Biz Coach Incubator which are terrific for listening to in the car. I love being able to take my unproductive time – just driving somewhere by myself – and turn that into learning time by bringing along an audio file from Alyson to listen to on my iPod. Waiting in line at the gas station? no problem! I’m learning while I wait!

I’ve purchased audio programs from Art Biz Coach before and paid $27.00 per audio program. Now, for $37.00/month, I have unlimited access to everything new she creates for the Art Biz Incubator at the ArtBizCoach, plus everything in that large library.

I’ve read lots of books, but I’m ready for the next level, I’m ready for really specific information and help, and that’s what I’m getting from the Art Biz Coach Incubator. Are you ready?

Click HERE to join me.

I met Catherine Borzym of Kiwi Avenue at a conference recently, where we both spoke on “My Life in Jewelry.” Catherine does a great job of branding, she’s got very consistent imagery and colors throughout every aspect of her business, right down to the jacket she wore at the conference – it was in her company color!

I’m not the only one who noticed, one of her customers did this write up on how her branding will turn them into a repeat customer. Read it here.

Shop Kiwi Avenue here.

Elaine Luther Art Stickers on RedBubble all artwork copyright 2011-2014 Elaine Luther

This idea of multiple income streams is something that keeps coming up for me as a smart biz strategy. I talked about it at the SEA at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Conference last October, in a roundtable, and at the Self-Employment in the Arts Conference (SEA) just last month, in a panel.

The obvious income stream for jewelers is to sell jewelry, but how can we add more income streams? Writing books, selling tutorials, teaching live classes or online classes are all examples of types of extras a jewelry artist can sell.

My friends who sew or quilt all sell patterns and/or kits.

Why add more income streams?

To reach more and different customers. Not everyone is in the market for jewelry, but that same person might be in the market for lessons in jewelry making.

I’m a big advocate of digital information products: a download for sale that you create once, and sell again and again. Patterns, tutorials and ebooks all fall into this category. The even more exciting thing about digital products is that you can set them up to sell on automatic pilot. My kindle book is completely taken care of by amazon. I wrote up, uploaded it to amazon and they take care of the rest. My only job is marketing. Isn’t that awesome? What could you create that you could sell as a digital download?

Quilter Ebony Love came and talked to our group, Berwyn Makers, about her business model. She talked about making each quilt “work as hard as possible.” Where she used to make one quilt and sell it, now she’ll design and make a quilt for a fabric manufacturer, then that quilt might get pick up for a magazine cover (check, that happened), then she might be invited to write a how-to article inside the magazine (check!) and then she can sell kits of the pre-cut fabric on her website to go with that magazine article (check!).

Of all the artists I know, Ebony is making her artwork work the hardest!

The picture above is my newest foray into the digital/automated sales world. My body of work, “Our Ladies of Perpetual Housework,” is currently on exhibit at the West Englewood Branch of the Chicago Public Library. People love these works and always smile when they see them. While most people wouldn’t have a place to display one of the original sculptures, they might like to own a postcard or sticker, or mail a card to a friend, or wear it on a T-shirt.

After much searching of options for offering these products, I chose Red Bubble. You can see my collection here.

What about you? What are your income streams? What’s an area you’d like to move into?