Monday, November 8, 2010

Etsymetal Nov 2010 Blog Carnival...

Etsymetal's Blog Carnival topic for this month is;  Business Success Secrets!

Success, not one of my favorite subjects. I got into the business end of jewelry, so I could afford to continue to learn, create and explore as a 3D artist. It's a love/hate kinda of thing. So, I'm not sure at this stage of my journey, as an artist, that I even feel comfortable talking about success, let alone business side of success; oh heck,  here goes...

What does it mean to you to be "successful" in business as an artist? At this fledgling stage, I would say positive feedback means as much to me as a sale. Anyone can buy a pair of earrings, but for that person to take the time to engage me in conversation, to share how a piece of mine makes them feel, that's a total high. Long term success means, to me, the financial freedom to continue my metalsmithing education, to have access to better tools, to other artists, and more time to create.

How do you walk the line between creativity and profitability? Not sure I've found that line yet. I know I'm often caught-up in the trap of trying to make what I think others will like or buy, so much so, that I don't follow my creative voice. Working on a very tight budget is a double edge sword; at times it can be that push, one needs, to think outside the box, for trying something new, and at other times it serves as a suffocating force, leaving me frozen in a box of self-doubt.

 What is the best thing you've done for your business? I think I truly need a few more years to figure that out. 


Check out what other Etsymetal artists think about what success means to them.

stacey http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
victoria takahashi / experimetal http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
2Roses http://jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Heather: http://www.twigsandheather.blogspot.com
Purified: http://purifiedart.blogspot.com/
Nina Gibson ~ http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/
  
Nodeform: http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
Gaby / India y a la Luna: http://indiaylaluna.blogspot.com/ 
Norsola: http://norsolajohnson.blogspot.com/