This year has been a hectic whirl wind of jewelry
making and new shows. This is the first year that I have done
independent shows and I
loved it! It was
interesting to see
people come to my booth and
oooohh an
aaaaah over pieces that I've spent hours and hours making! It was good to
get out there to a wider audience and see that yep, these pieces catch
attention and inspire people.
This new year of out there in
the world of jewelry makers and
competing for customers and dollars in hard economic times and still
succeeding has also taught me a few things. Give
quality and art at reasonable
prices.
Striking a balance between
material costs, labor costs, transportation, etc. cost and
matching that with a fair price and a price that customers can afford is a difficult balancing act. As
artists we have to get a
reasonable return. Yet, we have to offer items to customers at various price points in order to make a living from our
artistic skills. Setting up at the shows and
talking with customers,
seeing what they
like and don't, etc. was a huge help in marketing and creative
inspiration.
This too, was a new exciting piece of
the artist as seller experience! It was good to see that my particularbent
on jewelry excited people. It was also excellent to expand my own realms.
For example, I LOVE
LOVE LOVE making large pieces. Therefore most of my creations followed that line. I also liked to make sets. However, I discovered that the majority of my sales were earrings or bracelets. This helped to push me to make more bracelet designs which I did
not do so much of.
Over all this whole year of jewelry
making and setting up my official business has been a wonderful
learning experience! I can't wait to see
what 2009 holds!!!
I want to say a tremendous thank you to all of the people who purchased pieces from me and to all of those who helped with marketing- my mother and here excellent display abilities and my sister and her excellent saleswoman abilities!
