Fatal Attraction

Name: Gale and Brad Bez Shop
Name: Fatal Attraction and Jewlgurl (Chloe Jewels)
Shops Link: http://fatalattraction.etsy.com
http://jewlgurl.etsy.com
http://bez-jewelry.com

Location: On the Banks of the Mississippi River (one hour north of St Louis)
Ships to: Global (and universal, when Sir (Virgin) Branson gets it in the air - wink)

What do you do?
We (my art partner/hubby) collaborate on most of our artwork and jewelry output. I design, choose the materials, prep the components and take care of any beading. Brad does the torch work and much of the cold joinery. We both finish out the pieces. We laugh, saying “We would be wa-a-a-y up that stinky creek if either of us lost the other.” We’re utterly joined at the hip when it comes to our jewelry making and we like it this way!
We work in several areas of jewelry design. Many of our Fatal Attraction found object pieces are Steampunk, Industrial, Gothic, Neo-Victorian inspired, while our nature referenced Chloe Jewels Collections are made with precious metals and gemstones.

Brad has worked in the automotive industry (www.auto-alchemy.com) for 30 some years. He’s translated his formidable metal working knowledge into the smaller form of working with jewelry metals. He’s an amazing wizard when it comes to figuring out how to make things. To this day, there isn’t a design that I’ve taken to him that he hasn’t been able to make. Although, he has ‘stress-tested’ a few of the pieces, by throwing them across the room. Not every day or project is a smooth ride, right?

I’ve worked as a professional artist for 30 some years (in between and around raising two daughters). The creation of art has never been far from my hand at any time. Lots of non-profit arts volunteer work over the years, have served as art show curator and hung those shows, taught art classes, done arts PR/marketing work, worked with state Arts Councils, choreographed for our local town theater group and I’ve been a chanteuse all of my life.

How long on have you been on Etsy?
We’re still newbie-babies at Etsy. We opened Chloe Jewels Mar 21, 2008 and then opened our second shop, Fatal Attraction May 22, 2008. We’ve worked in mainstream arts and jewelry for a long time and have always worked in the Steam vernacular (before it was termed Steampunk), using found objects and recycled materials to make jewelry, sculpture and room installations. So, although we’re new at Etsy, we’ve been on the art scene for many satisfying years.

Is this a job or a hobby?
A fulfilling, challenging and lovely job! If we didn’t make art, we don’t know what we would do…it’s such a large part of our day to day existence.

How did you get into your art?
We’ve always made stuff with our hands! It’s in our blood………
My Mom says, when I was just a tiny tot, I carried a little cloth bag of pencils and crayons everywhere I went. Anything that wasn’t moving was fair game as my art canvas. Early on, my parents recognized and nurtured my burning flame to ‘make’ stuff. They made sure I had the opportunity to develop my knowledge and love of the arts.
Brad has always had a superb eye for design and beauty. His father (with whom he turned wrenches, at a young age) taught him about visual proportion, mechanical invention and quality of materials, Brad says his seminal arts experience came when he was in High School. He had the opportunity to see a touring show of the Russian Imperial Eggs created by Faberge and his Parisan Ateliar of Artisans. Brad was profoundly impacted by this experience. He says, “I’ll have to live 5 lifetimes, working as a jeweler before I come anywhere near the expertise of Karl Faberge, but what an excellent goal.”

What do you love about SteamPunk?
It’s so raging OUT OF THE BOX! Wide open to interpretation because of the many layers and references where Steampunk artists draw their inspirations. I love art work that’s impossible to classify in a neat and tidy package - let’s make those art historians work for it - heh!


Do you have any words of advice for Etsy shop owners?
Do and make what you love. Your creative vision will shine through, touching your buyers, in good profitable times and in slower economy times. Don’t contrive work to fit the market - create your own niche with your own unique artistic voice. Diversify your art jobs, when you can. This will help you get through the slow times.
…..and remember, the pendulum always swings back bringing fortune with it‘s movement. Just try to hang in there for the long haul.

FetishGhost & RedGateCeramics

Name:Zygote
Shop Name:FetishGhost & RedGateCeramics
Shop Link:
fetishghost.etsy.com
redgateceramics.etsy.com
Location:Northern California (specifically Stockton)
Ships to:Anywhere that's interested.

What do you do?
I'm a semi-retired technical foundry artisan, a jeweler, a ceramicist, and a gentleman's gardener (it's like a Batman thing except with pruning shears).
Most of my personal studio activities has been focused on creating works to for the FetishGhost collection and for RedGateCeramics. RedGate is really more suited to my local markets, catering to regional galleries and framers markets with a distinctive high quality body of domestic ceramic wear.
It's my affair with FetishGhost that's drawn the most attention though. My work is firmly anchored in the past. I use a mix of traditional preindustrial silver smithing and jewelers skills to create my Gothic SteamPunk designs, eschewing any premade or mass produced parts or findings. I've been dancing with this muse since 1988 and I'm hooked on the thrill of discovery. Something new is always bound to happen. I love the subtle, but lately I've come to enjoy going rather operatic with my designs. I think I'm feeling my age again... 40 and feeling Feisty!

How long on have you been on Etsy?
I really still rather new to Etsy. My first post was in January of 08.
My mother-in-law had been running Beadserroneous.etsy.com for a few months before she turned me onto Etsy. It's suited her quite well. She's is a very accomplished studio artist out deep in the Ohio woods and as any smart son-in-law has learned, I value her input.

Is this a job or a hobby?
My life on Etsy is just one part of my professional life as an artist and designer. I found the value a long time ago of a diversified revenue stream. Juggling several projects helps keep the cash flow going.
With that said... The amount of effort spent on getting up and maintaining my Etsy stores has proven to be really time intensive, and quite honestly, it's proven to be quite a bit more engaging than I was prepared for.
Even so, Etsy is quickly proving to be one of the best promotional and sales opportunities I've run across.
The work I create for FetishGhost is for a niche market.
With Etsy I can reach out to my potential markets worldwide and establish new contacts.
(I just wish description writing would get easier).



How did you get into your craft?
I was encouraged into the arts by the small Iowa community that I was raised in. There was a lot pride in the ability to think with one's hands and there was a high value on the ability to create beauty. I guess they saw I had an aptitude or merely an interest in art, either way I was shipped off to Memphis Academy of Art begin formal study in drawing, sculpture, and the jewelers arts when I turned 17. It all kept growing from there.


What do you love about SteamPunk?
Gosh... I think it would have to be the fresh open-endedness of the movement.
I realize that for a lot of crafters, SteamPunk is simply about commerce and sales...but for me it feels like a Renascence of the Constructionist movement and a resurgence of the craftsman aesthetics that propelled the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements of the early 20th century. Designs that explore our sense of beauty and the mechanisms of time seem to fuel this movement. It's really something very special.
We are still at the moment where everything is being shaped and defined. It exciting to be standing at the edge of a Tempest again! Who's got the popcorn?

Do you have any words of advice for Etsy shop owners?
Meet your neighbors and have more fun!

19 Moons Jewelry & Accessories

Name: Niffer
Shop Name: 19 Moons Jewelry & Accessories
Shop Link: http://www.19moons.etsy.com
Location: Pittsburgh and SF
Ships To: Everywhere on Earth

What inspires you? The recycling of everything in the Universe. Chaos and organization dancing together and the enchanting patterns that creates. Weird in manifestation and origin. Goats and tea are also nice.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I opened my account back in early 2006 but I didn't start selling until Feb. 2008! A big gap, I know :)

Is this a job for you or a hobby? I guess it's in between those two- I'd rather call it a passion than a job or hobby because it's too fun and self fulfilling to be the former and too consuming to be the latter. Altered art is something I've done most of my life- specifically jewelry in the past 10 or so years.

How did you get into your craft? I've had an appreciation for discarded treasures since I was little- always picking up things off the ground or street or wherever when they caught me eye. In the 1990's when I was going to art school I started seriously recycling objects. I made a robot out of a weird portable t.v., parts from a remote control car, some scrapped velvet and a video player- thus the "Hugh Grant Machine" was born. Repurposing came into my jewelry initially with using little gears, bolts and telephone wire along with beads.

What do you love about Steampunk? I like the idea of technology appreciated for its beauty as much as its function. This is aesthetic banner of SteamPunk, influenced by the design of the Victorian through Art Nouveau periods' developing industry. I also like the science fiction aspect, like the future as seen through the lens of the 1800's. As a kid I had a record of the Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The story both scared and fascinated me (and sometimes induced laughter- Morlocks EAT Eloi!). It was my first exposure to Sci-Fi & Steampunk roots, later embodied by Dr. Who with the TARDIS, and others.


Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? I'm pretty new to selling on Etsy but I can give a couple pointers. One important thing is to take really good photos. Try different kinds of lighting and backgrounds, keep the work in focus but feel free to be creative. It is hard for people looking at images to get a feel for what a piece is like, so you have to give them as much information as possible. Also I like to do design shows & craft fairs often so people can see my work in person- I can promote the Etsy store that way too.

Anything else you would like to add? For info on 19 Moons' upcoming shows, galleries and a mailing list please see my other website: http://www.19moons.com/