CheapTweet Blog

Our next interview is with Jenifer Bryan (@lucybluestudio). Jenifer is an artist and designer from Austin, Texas who loves the idea of making wearable and portable pieces of art. She sells her artwork on Etsy. You can also check out her blog and find her on Twitter.

How did you get started making jewelry and other kinds of artwork?

I’ve always been a maker. My grandmother and I would spend the summers making dolls, sewing props for games and drawing on every piece of scrap paper in the house. My dad got me interested in dollhouses and bought me my first package of polymer clay. My interest in miniatures eventually morphed into jewelry making. Throw in a couple of degrees in graphic design and photography and a love of travel and you have a mishmash of experiences that had to find an outlet. I think design school gave me the hand skills I needed to be comfortable making things I felt would stand up to everyday wear and tear, so in 2006 I finally started up Lucy Blue Studio.

Tell us a little bit about your artwork.  What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

I specialize in belt buckles but also make rings, pendants, business card cases and cuff links. Basically, I create images, either through my photography or digital illustration/collage, and use jewelry blanks as the frames for my artwork. While I have a lot of art on my walls, I prefer my art to be functional, to be able to go places, to be out in the world.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Like most artists, my inspiration comes from everything around me. I am an avid reader and sometimes the way an author words something brings a particularly vivid image to mind or evokes a certain emotion that I feel is worth capturing. I am also very inspired by my dreams and find that my subconscious is much better at processing everything that has happened that day.

How do you market or promote your work?

I try to blog on a semi-regular basis. I also have a ball on Twitter. I relist and post new work and try to wear my pieces where ever I go. I have also recently hired someone to help me focus my efforts and market my work more effectively on a local level. Sometimes I think I am too much of a fluttery artist type and need help with the practical business aspects.

How do you use Twitter to help with your artwork and your business?

I use Twitter to share any specials I am running and announce new designs. I also use it to connect to other artists and just stay connected to the creative community. Twitter has been a great tool to find out about new artists, techniques and venues to show work.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?

My advice is to just be yourself. People can sense when your work exists for the sole purpose of making money. So I advocate making things that are true to you and keep you smiling. Being genuine goes a long way. It is also very important to be a part of a community. The more people you know and are involved with, the bigger impact you can have with word of mouth. Be original and exciting and people will want to help you and tell their friends about you. Also, be professional. Keep deadlines, have exceptional customer service, stand behind your work. Pay attention to details. If you make jewelry, keep the back side as clean and finished as the front. People do look.

At CheapTweet, we love to talk to people who run their own businesses or sell things they make. If you’re interested in being interviewed for our blog, please send us an email!  And check out our other seller interviews.