Etsy Interview: Neil from Art by Neil Slorance

I "met" this guy through one of my blog friends on Twitter and he is awesome so I interviewed him about his Etsy shop, which you should all check out.

This is tied for my favorite thing in his shop. Poor sad robot : (
I just want to hug it and make it all better.

 

It is tied with this. I do love robots : )



It is also tied with this.
 

 
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Hey! My name's Neil Slorance, I'm an illustrator from Glasgow in Scotland. I'm 25 and have a pet tortoise.

2. Tell me a little bit about your shop.
 

My etsy shop is where I put up my prints, pictures and other bits and bobs. I set it up about 2 years ago and so far it's been ticking over nicely.

3. How long have you been making art?

 

Since I could hold a crayon really. I spent most of my school days doodling in jotters and making wee comics about superheroes I'd make up. I really wanted to be an artist although I stopped for a good while in my teens while I was pursuing music but got back into it around the age of 19/20.
 

4. How long have you been selling art?

 

I started selling about 5 years ago, I remember I took my painting to a market stall in a library. I remember feeling totally chuffed when I sold my first painting, I guess because I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid and this was me taking my first step.

5. Why did you start making art?

 

I guess everyone starts making art as a kid and then as we grow up for whatever reasons some of us stop. I've kept going mainly because it's the best way I've found to communicate my ideas and thoughts, and where as I'm not a great talker and I stumble on words my pictures have given me a voice.

6. What inspires your art the most?

 

Life? Any part of life I feel strongly enough to make a picture about. Aside from that just when I get excited about something e.g I've been playing a lot of mario so I made a mario picture.

7. What advice do you have for new Etsy sellers?

Try and have a wide range of products, especially little things, they are your bread and butter. 

 

8. What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

 

Don't be afraid to show your work, even the stuff you're not proud of.

neilslorance.com
flickr.com/photos/osm_art
twitter.com/osmart

So be sure to check out all of Neil Slorance's stuff. If nothing else, definitely visit the shop and his Flickr stream.  He draws so many amazing things!

And definitely leave me a comment letting me know if you have an Etsy shop and would like me to interview you.

Etsy Interview: Krissy from Orange Box Jewelry

Remember that shop I was telling you about the other day? Valley of Roses Boutique.  Well I interviewed an Etsy seller who sells some of her jewelry in that shop and here is what she has to say, but first look at some of her super unique creations.

I'm really in love with jewelry with stones and/or crystals lately.

She clearly makes way better necklaces from pins than I do.


 

And here's the interview:

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
 

I’m originally from Pittsburgh and spent some time in Dallas before making my way to Seattle. It means that *heart* football, shiny objects, pretty vintage things and coffee equally. In college, I created my own degree called “American Studies: Consumer Culture, A Case Study in Coffee” (for real) which lead to my passion for finding the best short Americano in Seattle.

 

2. Tell me a little bit about your shop.

 

My Etsy shop is filled with pieces that I make from vintage recycled/repurposed costumer jewelry and found objects. I love to use pieces that have a story behind them to craft something new to wear.

 

3. How long have you been making jewelry?

 

I started making jewelry more than 20 years ago. I started because I like to wear things that no one else has. In Pittsburgh in the early 1990’s the only way to accomplish that was to make it yourself.

 

4. Why did you start making jewelry?

 

See above.

 

5. What inspires your jewelry the most?

 

I buy a lot of my costume jewelry and objects that I reuse from their original owners. Here in Seattle, I have what I affectionately refer to as my ‘gang’ of older ladies who hunt for items for me and tell their friends about the crazy (but nice) girl who buys single broken earrings and old chains for cash. When I buy from someone, I always try to find out the history behind some specific piece. Those usually influence which pieces I use first and how I put them together.

 

6. What advice would you have for new Etsy sellers?

 

You will get out of Etsy what you put into it. If you post without thought to your tags or descriptions, no one will find you. If you post once and never again, no one will find you. As I’m typing, there are 15,401,152 products for sale right now on Etsy. Work to be found and you will be.

 

 

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of supporting small businesses, especially ones with lovely and unique products, so everyone shoud go check out Orange Box Jewelry on Etsy.

 

 

I will definitely have more of these interviews in the future. I love getting to know the person behind the product.  Leave me a comment if you would like me to interview you and I'll see what I can do.