We are having a digital visiting artist on Tuesday via Skype.
AMY TAVERN
Website
Blog
Amy's delicious links
here is a little bio
Amy Tavern received her BFA in Metal Design from the University of Washington in 2002. She also holds a BA in Arts Administration from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. Amy has taught jewelry classes at the Penland School of Crafts and the Pratt Fine Arts Center. She has lectured about professional practices most significantly at the 2008 Society of North American Goldsmiths conference. She has exhibited at Sienna Gallery, Quirk Gallery, and Taboo Studio, among others. In 2009 she received several emerging artist honors including an American Craft Council Searchlight Artist award. Amy’s work was recently published in “500 Plastic Jewelry Designs” by Lark Books. Originally from Upstate, New York, Amy is currently a Resident Artist at the Penland School of Crafts.
Here are some questions I have for Amy. Please think of some yourselves to ask.
Why did you go to school for jewelry? Do you think you have to go to school for jewelry?
When did you make the decision to become a self sustaining artist?
Would you recommend taking a business class or just to use an accountant for the books?
Do you use bookkeeping software like Quickbooks or Mint? How do you organize your information?
Currently we are working on a master promo packet for galleries/schools/job applications. What would you suggest that the most important thing an artist needs to have? Website? Snappy business card? Fancy freebies (stickers etc etc), Nice packaging?
At what point do you decide to let some of it go? I will explain. A lot of artists shop things out like casting, plating, photography, printing etc etc. Are there things you know you can't do and instead it is worth it for you to pay someone else to do it? Could you do it yourself?
When you first decided to make a living off of your work, what was the first thing you did? Craft shows, selling online, family and friends, galleries etc etc?
What sells the best? Rings, bracelets, brooches etc? Shinny or color? Big and bold or small and conservative?
Do you find that what you make is based on what sells or what you can afford to make? Do you think that it limits what you want to make versus what you have to make?
Maybe you can talk about workshops and Penland and the residency stuff here
Would you say that participating in the residency program at Penland has improved your work ethic or slowed down your process? (Being that Penland is like a big awesome art camp, I can imagine that seeing great jewelry over and over again has got to be a little overwhelming...... or maybe inspiring?
Why did you decide to do the Penland thing? (answer to this could be combined with previous question)
What is next? Do you think you will stay in the North Carolina Area or move back to the west coast? Do you think geography has anything to do with productivity? I know Penland can be a bit isolating. Does it help?
Would you recommend taking a business class or just to use an accountant for the books?
Do you use bookkeeping software like Quickbooks or Mint? How do you organize your information?
Currently we are working on a master promo packet for galleries/schools/job applications. What would you suggest that the most important thing an artist needs to have? Website? Snappy business card? Fancy freebies (stickers etc etc), Nice packaging?
At what point do you decide to let some of it go? I will explain. A lot of artists shop things out like casting, plating, photography, printing etc etc. Are there things you know you can't do and instead it is worth it for you to pay someone else to do it? Could you do it yourself?
When you first decided to make a living off of your work, what was the first thing you did? Craft shows, selling online, family and friends, galleries etc etc?
What sells the best? Rings, bracelets, brooches etc? Shinny or color? Big and bold or small and conservative?
Do you find that what you make is based on what sells or what you can afford to make? Do you think that it limits what you want to make versus what you have to make?
Maybe you can talk about workshops and Penland and the residency stuff here
Would you say that participating in the residency program at Penland has improved your work ethic or slowed down your process? (Being that Penland is like a big awesome art camp, I can imagine that seeing great jewelry over and over again has got to be a little overwhelming...... or maybe inspiring?
Why did you decide to do the Penland thing? (answer to this could be combined with previous question)
What is next? Do you think you will stay in the North Carolina Area or move back to the west coast? Do you think geography has anything to do with productivity? I know Penland can be a bit isolating. Does it help?
When I was there last summer you were getting kind of excited about having a metals club or metals night? Can you explain that?
