My first workshop is a doozy!

Next month I'm teaching my first workshop at the school I graduated from five years ago! I'm very thankful that Chelsea invited me back to Montserrat College of Art to lead an introductory class for people who want to start selling their work on Etsy or at craft fairs.

The class is on October 15th and 16th from 10-3. At first I was a little intimidated by the idea of giving ten hours of content but once I started outlining the class and all I would like to cover, I almost feel like I will have to rush! I expect it will be an enthusiastic whirlwind of information and handouts. My goal is that all the students will have shaken off any self doubt and intimidation about putting their work out there and feel confident in their craft fair vendor/ online shopkeeping skills!

Today I made a massive list of tips for having happy customers, an attractive shop, good descriptions, reliable packaging and effective promotion and I suddenly became gripped with the feeling that I do not always practice what I preach! I would really hate to be telling students what to do but also secretly knowing my own shop is not the most shining example. So today I am starting a shop overhaul. I will critique my own product shots and policies and descriptions as thoughtfully as I plan to critique the students.

I should be doing this anyway but it is nice to have a nudge with a deadline.

Here is a link to Montserrat's continuing education class list. Mine is called "ETSY (AND MORE!) FOR ARTISTS" and costs $100 for the weekend. I think that is a pretty darn good deal for ten whole hours of advice. If I gave ten tips per hour, that is only one dollar per gem of wisdom! Yes, I know that is a ridiculous way to think about it but I do think that this class will help people get a strong start at selling and that it will be a good investment in the success of their business.

http://www.montserrat.edu/continuing-ed/workshops.php#a117
Beverly, MA

If you can think of any artists/ makers in the area who need a nudge or a mentor, I would be very grateful if you would show them my class.

alumni printmaking night enthusiasm!

I graduated from Montserrat College of Art a whopping four years ago and though I loved my time there, I hadn't been back much since. That was the case until I was invited to attend the new best thing in my life... alumni printmaking studio night! Every Tuesday evening, I get to go back to one of my old favorite places and make some art with my friends!

One thing I wasn't expecting is that I couldn't really remember how to do different print methods or where to find supplies. Four years is a long time to try to recall which solvent cleans what ink and how much pressure does it take to make a nice clean monoprint.

I was very lucky that the coordinator is my friend Chris who is super knowledgeable and a patient teacher and that Chelsea wanted to complete her etching/aquatint project and needed him to show her the steps. I tagged along while he showed her and I got to learn a new process! Next week I'll be ready with my own plate to etch. I think it will be a hedgehog!

I can't wait until next Tuesday!

The above photos were my way of taking notes. If you visit my Flickr, you can get a better description of what is going on in each picture. Also, if you were wondering what kind of creature is etched in Chelsea's plate, it is an aardwolf and they are neat. Here is a video of an aardwolf eating a bowl of termites.

Yes Way!

This announcement feels unreal.

Here it is: I am probably getting an intern!

I know.

I'm obviously very very excited. It seems grand. I'm nervous that I may look like a joke but I also think that Argyle Whale could be a pretty helpful internship for an art student. The college I graduated from (Montserrat College of Art) will, hopefully, be matching me up with a student who hopes to open their own online business and I'll be showing them all that I've learned about branding, networking, marketing, customer service, product styling and all that good stuff. My goal is to help a student know how to start their business so they don't have to muck around listlessly for a couple years like I did when I was trying to figure it all out on my own.

I still have a lot to learn myself but I'm happy to share what I know and (of course) an extra pair of hands is more than welcome!

Gopher image above is by Justin Liew. I promise I won't treat my intern like one!

Montfest

I just got back from my college's alumni festival (aka Montfest) where I was selling my Argyle Whale wares with Justin. Justin was bored to tears while manning my table but I had a nice time socializing with my classmates and attending a lecture called "artist as a small business".

I got myself all worked up the night before Montfest and ended up with little sleep. I left so much to the last minute with my display. It's embarrassing to admit, but I was also afraid of seeing people I hadn't seen in a long time and especially intimidated that my old professors would be seeing my new things. My designs now are so different from the type of art I was making back in school that I feared being criticized for becoming too commercial. Y'know, I used to make installations and now I draw bunnies wearing scarves.

Of course, nobody was tacky enough to criticize my wares or comment on my belly fat and most people seemed genuinely tickled by my new work. I left with a pocketful of cash, some dates with friends and a free brownie. Yes!