Interview Series Day 25: Wholly Craft! and Tonic Shop

Name: Olivera Bratich

Business Name: Wholly Craft!

Location: Columbus, Ohio

What do you make?
Jewelry, buttons, and baubles of various shapes, sizes, and media. I also operate a shop featuring handmade goods from over 150 crafters and artists. We carry everything from tshirts and skirts to plush, paper goods, home décor, and much more.

How did you learn your art/craft?
Most of my craft skills were gleaned from experimentation, the internet, and the public library. I picked up various business skills from workshops through the Small Business Administration.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Lots of places, but what comes to mind is yard/estate sales. I love seeking what folks have collected over the years. I’m also inspired on a daily basis by all of the great work we have in the shop. Seeing new items from our long-time sellers always puts a smile on my face.

Do you have a "real world" job?

Running the shop is a full-time job, but I also work in HIV community planning. I help coordinate care through the Ryan White Emergency Financial Assistance Program, which provides care for low-income people living with HIV. A fine example of the government providing health care to those in need. Apparently, it can happen!

Your five favorite things:
Cats, Lifetime movies (or anything similarly over-dramatic and based on a true story), bourbon, feminism, and sequins.

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?

Way too many to list them all, but some of my favorite local crafters/artists include:
Made by AmyD http://www.madebyamyd.com/
Sweet Stella Designs http://www.sweetstelladesigns.com/

Igloo Letterpress http://www.iglooletterpress.com/

Alison Rose http://www.alisonrose.com/

Stephanie Rond http://www.stephanierond.com/

Where can we find you?

At 3169 N. High St. in Columbus from 12-7pm Saturdays, 12-5pm on Sundays and 1-8pm weekdays (except Tuesdays). We’re also available at:

http://www.whollycraft.net/
http://www.whollycraft.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/whollycraft
www.twitter.com/whollycraft

Name: Kat Phillips
Business Name: Tonic Shop
Location: Bloomington

What do you make?
I make wreaths, felt flower arrangements, bookmarks, accessories and jewelry galore!

How did you learn your art/craft? Trial and error

Where do you get your inspiration from? Everywhere really...I often find color combos from all of the adorable homes in Bloomington

Do you have a "real world" job? If a full-time grad student/part-time TA counts...then yes.

Your five favorite things: dancing, Halloween, laughing, sandwiches, and a good book on a rainy day

Who are your favorite artists/crafters? My friend Elissa http://www.etsy.com/shop/elissawhynn, my friend Erin (also a Bloomington local) http://www.elmrea.com//, http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenniferladd, http://www.etsy.com/shop/madewithlovebyhannah, http://www.etsy.com/shop/berkleyillustration, http://www.etsy.com/shop/isotope, http://www.etsy.com/shop/andfurthermore and many many many more :)

Where can we find you?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/katatonic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kitschykutiekat
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Kitschy-Kuties-Boutique/229801303078?ref=sgm

Interview Day 24: Sakura Urban

Name: Theresa Goodwin

Business Name: Sakura Urban

Location: Downtown Indianapolis

What do you make? leather handbags and accessories

How did you learn your art/craft? Believe it or not, I am a self taught seamstress. On a whim one day, I bought my very first sewing machine, book, and fabric and went home and learned to sew by following patterns. I had never even threaded a machine before!!! It was a learning experience. That was 2005. Now it's 2010 and I have learned so much since. I make my own patterns and designs... but I'm still always perfecting and learning new things about sewing.

Where do you get your inspiration from? From nature and being in the city. I find the colors that you see in both nature and an urban setting completely inspiring. It could be the way two colors compliment each other or things that you see that just "click". I also love textures.

Do you have a "real world" job? This is it! I was able to quit my job a couple of years ago and take this up full time. We have made so many professional connections and started doing trade shows. I have been able to maintain a steady income doing this so it's been perfect!

Your five favorite things: Coffee, antiques, going for walks, being in the city, and my industrial sewing machine.

Who are your favorite artists/crafters? Moop, Brooke Medlin, The Binding Bee, and Blue Scarab... to name just a few of many!

Where can we find you? You can find me in various places! Visit my "wholesale and product retailers" page on my website at http://www.sakuraurban.com/ to see the retailers that carry my work. You can also find me locally at Marigold, Girly Chic, and Relish.

Interview Day 23: Owlette Collective

Name: Jessica Bornick and Britt Willis
Business Name: Owlette Collective
Location: Bloomington, IN and Nashville, TN

What do you make? We make clothing for little ones, like bibs, bloomers and dresses; we also make accessories for busy parents: market bags, quick-change diaper wallets, and take-along crayon rolls to name a few.

How did you learn your art/craft? We both learned to sew in elementary school. Jessica holds a degree in fashion design while Britt is mostly self-taught; when we met five years ago we began collaborating and sharing skills.

Where do you get your inspiration from? In regards to design, we both love vintage details combined with modern style. When Jessica found out she was pregnant, focusing on baby/kid/parent sewing seemed like the natural choice! Britt approached sewing through quilt-making while Jessica took to garment construction; both practices are rooted in tradition. We both have mothers, grandmothers, and so on who sewed for utility or as their trade, so the act of sewing connects us to our past. That is a huge inspiration!

Do you have a "real world" job? Jessica sews freelance: alterations, wedding dresses, drag Madonna costumes, and odd piece work. Britt manages an independent quilt shop and sews for profit here and there.

Your five favorite things:

between the two of us, we came up with:

-sewing, obviously

-Jessica's baby, who will explode onto the scene mid-May!

-herbal medicine (Jessica)

-bread-baking (Britt)

-Dragon Park in Nashville, TN, home to a gigantic mosaic dragon

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?

Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin for her sustainable business model (http://alabamachanin.com/)

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, surrealist fashion designer (http://www.agatharuizdelaprada.com/)

the quilters of Gee's Bend, Alabama (http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/)

Where can we find you?
Britt maintains a blog at http://scrapyardfabrication.blogspot.com/ as well as an Etsy of small things at http://shopscrapyard.etsy.com/. Jessica sells her work under the name Parasol at Treehouse Kids in Chattanooga, TN and Serendipity in Nashville, TN.

Interview Day 22: Bad Ass Glass

Name: Penny Knight and Sarah Cravens
Business Name: Bad Ass Glass
Location: Indianapolis

What do you make?
Stained glass novelties: sun catchers, panels, jewelry, boxes and miscellaneous accessories.

How did you learn your art/craft?
Sarah is a self-taught artisan turned professional, and Penny has been to Sarah’s school of stained glass. They have otherwise dabbled in many art media, and have mastered a few.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Well, we started thinking about tattoo imagery, old school Sailor Jerry stuff at first. We soon expanded our thinking to include a wider realm of subversive imagery that is prevalent in the tattoo arts. There is a lot of cross over between how we consider an idea that might be odd or ironic as stained glass, in the same way people can be very inventive and radical in expressing their ideas through tattoo imagery.

Do you have a "real world" job?
Yes, Sarah, formerly of Fox Studios, has recently returned to school to complete her BFA in Art History. She currently works part time at The Aristocrat while attending classes at Herron School of Art. Sarah plays bass in the local rock ensemble Dark Matter Halos. Penny, a Herron as well as Arizona State University alumni, holds a BFA in Fine Art Photography and a Psychology minor, and currently works full time with adolescents in crisis at a local shelter, Stopover, Inc.

Your five favorite things:
Fine art, fine music, fine friends, fine food, and fine cocktails, the good stuff!

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
That is a difficult question to answer, in part because Bad Ass Glass is a partnership. Not only do our tastes vary between the both of us, we each have such wide ranges of individually subjective interests, it is difficult to pin down faves. People ask what our favorite colors are? We say all of them! Who is our favorite musician? We ask, from which genre and according to what criteria? We are critical thinkers with open minds who love diversity yet demand quality.
We love everything outside mainstream and corporate culture, simply because we celebrate the existence of such renegades. We love History and all Fine Arts, the classics as well as the avant garde. Is it edgy? Is it handmade? Is it cool? Well then yes, of course we love it. If it digs deeper and slaps you in the face with a spin on reality that you have not yet considered, even better.

Where can we find you?
http://www.bad.ass.glass.getpatron.net/

http://www.badassglassart.etsy.com/

www.facebook.com/bad.ass.glass.art

www.myspace.com/badassglassart

www.flickr.com/photos/badassglass

Interview Day 21: Good To Go Eco

Name: Erin Powell and Judy Evans
Business Name: Good to Go Eco
Location: Indianapolis, IN

What do you make? We make an eclectic variety of unique, handmade eco-friendly gifts such as iPhone sleeves, cup cozies, pin cushions, and gift wrap to go. Many of our items are made from upcycled materials.

How did you learn your art/craft? Judy was raised creating with an active involvement in 4H sewing, photography and painting programs. Judy received her degree in fashion design and passed down her creative skills to Erin. Erin received her degree in Art Eduction. As a mother-daughter team, both have created everything from fine art to graphic design to gift items. Some skills were learned through formal eduction in the arts and some were self-taught as the mood and need arose.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Inspiration comes in many forms. Everything from daily life, nature, Decor8, Anthropologie, fellow Etsians and Erin's daughter, Isabella provide visual and functional ideas.

Do you have a "real world" job? Erin is a Product Specialist for Fusion Alliance, an Indianapolis IT company. Judy is a full-time grandmother and fine artist.

Your five favorite things: Family, Creating, Everyday Beauty, Decorating and Repurposing

Who are your favorite artists/crafters? Love the entire Etsy community! One of my favorite regional artists is Dolan Geiman. And of course, Holly Becker, of Decor8 has just a fabulous aesthetic!

Where can we find you?
http://www.goodtogoeco.com/

Interview Day 20: craftycrew

Name: Jill Clancy, Amanda Clancy, Linda Parrott, and Brandi Myers
Business Name: craftycrew and now also, Altar'Designs
Location: Bloomington, IN

What do you make? hand crafted ash wood recipe boxes, flip-top recipe boxes, hand crafted ash wood "Wedding Wish" address file boxes, notecards, cards, paper bookmarks, altered rolodex's, and glass tile pendants.

How did you learn your art/craft? Self taught actually.

Where do you get your inspiration from? ETSY, magazines, HGTV, and wedding and craft blogs.

Do you have a "real world" job?

Yes, Jill Clancy - I.U. School of Library and Informations Science,

Linda Parrott - I.U. UITS,

Amanda Clancy - Truffles Restaurant,

Brandi Myers - Full-time student at I.U.

Your five favorite things: chocolate!, fabric, scrapbook paper, food, and shopping!

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
http://www.sisterbutterfly.etsy.com/

http://sugarchicbaby.etsy.com/

http://www.moddottextiles.etsy.com/

http://www.weebindery.etsy.com/

http://www.theclackhouse.etsy.com/

http://www.twopiggiesandapony.etsy.com/

http://www.suzannebwebb.etsy.com/

Where can we find you?
http://craftycrew.etsy.com/

http://altardesigns.etsy.com/

FARM Restaurant - seasonal

Cactus Flower - glass tile pendants

Interviews Day 19: strawberrycherry!

Name: Nicole Bilby
Business Name: strawberrycherry!
Location: Bloomington, In

What do you make? Handknitted and crocheted dolls and accessories, handspun yarn, other goodies as I'm inspired

How did you learn your art/craft? I started crocheting as a little girl and picked it up again about 5 years ago. I've been teaching myself new tricks ever since!

Where do you get your inspiration from? Cute illustrations, cartoons, friends.

Do you have a "real world" job? Unfortunately...

Your five favorite things: sour candy, chai tea, handspun yarn, purple, star trek

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?

My friend Jean - jeanelise.etsy.com

Woo! - woowork.com

There are so many more I don't even know...

Where can we find you?

The Bloomington Handmade Market!

strawberrycherry.etsy.com