Kim Werker - feature #31

Name: Kim Werker
Website links: kimwerker.com

What do you make?
I *start* making lots of things: crocheted and knit scarves, sweaters, toques; crocheted dolls; I’ve taken to dreaming lots about embroidery. The things I end up finishing are dolls, scarves, and mostly writing about this sort of stuff (and other sorts of stuff). I finish writing things more often than not; I don’t often finish crafting things.



What or who inspires you?
Craftswise, the projects I get most excited about are the ones that come out of a desire to go against what’s generally considered “normal”. It’s why I like making dolls – the uglier the better. Why? Because cute is expected! It’s very liberating to create ugly stuff. Also, there’s very little pressure. When success is ugly, what do you get if you fail? Cute? Beautiful? The horror!

I also develop an itch to make stuff when I’m stressed out. That’s when the double-crochet scarves in chunky yarns proliferate. The repetitive stitching and feel of the yarn relax me and making something useful makes me feel productive when otherwise I’m overwhelmed by teh suck.

When it comes to writing, there are just some days when I can’t keep my mouth shut. I love those days. The words come fast and sometimes furious. Other times, I enjoy writing just to work out some thoughts that have been swimming around in my head. And then there are the things I write on assignment. I love those, too.



How did you get started?
Forgetting about the times I learned how to crochet when I was in high school and then in college, I really got into yarn crafts in my mid-twenties. I started CrochetMe.com in 2004, and that’s when I sort of dove heart and soul into the crafts world.

I’ve always enjoyed writing. It was the thing in school I found easy and throughout my life whenever I’ve felt I needed to accomplish something, I’ve turned to words to do it.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Alpaca is simply the most wonderful yarn around. It’s soft and warm and makes me feel special. Addi Turbo hooks are my favourites, and I’m partial to their knitting needles, too, though I also love bamboo needles.

I have a fairly ample yarn stash I’ve built over the years, and I enjoy digging into it for odd balls to do quick projects with.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part for me is to let go of the pressure. It was a very big deal for me to admit to myself, and then to everyone else, that I rarely finish a project. And you know what? People didn’t gasp aloud, “Good gods! The crochet author is a charlatan!” They said, “Oh, yeah. Ok. Me too.” So now my favourite thing is starting a project (my favourite thing has *always* been to start a project), and I’ve forced myself not to find it hard to let that project languish eventually. Every couple of years I dig up half-finished projects and go on a frenzy finishing some of them, and then I feel extraordinary. Really, I can’t understand why the universe doesn’t shower me in cookies when I do that. It’s a very big deal.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
GoodReads: I read a lot and I love keeping track of my books here. Plus, it’s social.
xkcd: This comic regularly cracks me up.
Twitter: Of course. It’s like a direct line to the entire world. I love it. (I’m @kpwerker. You should follow me.)
Letters of Note: It’s amazing to see how people express themselves. And also to grab a snapshot from history.
Make & Meaning blog: Sister Diane of Craftypod and Paul of Dudecraft recently launched this multi-contributor blog, and I was really excited to be invited to participate. We collectively write about crafts and making and DIY with a decidedly thoughtful approach.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Don’t shy away from tough decisions, don’t fail to prioritize making a living and remember to have fun with your customers/clients. Also, stop complaining about the changing marketplace and start taking advantage of it.

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
They are different, but one isn’t any better than the other. My favourite take on the distinction is from TV/movie writer/director Joss Whedon. He said, “[It’s] that little chaos factor. It's when the thing starts talking back to you. When you come up with something that is a little bit more than just a good reproduction of what was in the book, and somehow reflects you in a way that you didn't understand yourself: that's art.” Both art and craft take skill, but art has that extra something. The voice in your head that won’t shut up and forces its way out through creating. (I almost wrote, “that forces its way out through your hands,” but that would be a little too close to what a psychotic killer might do.)

I consider myself a crafter. There are some voices in my head, but so far they haven’t been ready to force their way out.

(photo images courtesy of Kim Werker)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

a cagey bee - feature #26

Name: Kris G. Brownlee from A Cagey Bee
Website links: Etsy, blog

What do you make?
I'm a painter inspired by people, so I like to create character portraits with a storybook feel. I tend to paint girls and cute companion critters, though some of my paintings have a bit of a darker edge to them. I also really enjoy making tiny art pendants. Not everyone can afford an original painting, of course, so this is a fun alternative to a print. Plus I really love the idea of my characters being taken out and about in the real world.



What or who inspires you?
Oh goodness...so many things! I love to people watch. Vancouver is great city for that. I walk my dogs every day and literally *every* day I see someone who would make a great painting.

I'm also really inspired by my fellow artists. It's amazing to see so many people, especially women, representing themselves via the web and doing what they love. Whether it's painting or sewing or making jewelry, it's fantastic to be part of this shift towards more personal, handmade businesses.



How did you get started?
I've always been creative and enjoyed creating images in one way or another - photography, graphic design etc. But it never occurred to me that becoming a full time artist was even an option until a few years ago. I thought you had to live in a loft in NYC and have a trust fund to have any chance of making a living as an artist; it just wasn't on the menu for a girl like me. It wasn't until I started seeing self-represented artists selling their own work via eBay and Etsy that I allowed myself to consider it. I began taking classes at Emily Carr and never looked back. As cheesy as it sounds, it felt like I had finally stepped into who I was supposed to be. Now I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I'm very impatient so I like to use acrylic paint. It dries quickly, so I can add lots of layers & go over a piece again & again. With oils, you have to let it dry in between and I just don't have the patience for that! I've been painting on wood a lot lately too which has been fun. When I make prints, I love seeing the texture of the wood show up in the detail.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part is probably letting go of my favorite paintings. I do tend to hang onto them for a bit before I'll list the original for sale, but you can never tell if it's going to be available for months or be snapped up right away. It helps when I have time to paint a few new ones in between because the newest one is always my favorite. I'm fickle like that. :)

My favorite part of crafting is the community. I've met so many wonderful people both online and in person at local craft shows and markets. There's just something about the community that appreciates handmade, from my fellow crafters to my customers, that is helpful and welcoming and just plain awesome! Seriously. I had someone buy couple of prints from my website and she liked them so much that she sent me a thank you gift in the mail. I'm unbelievably lucky.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

Etsy: This is an obvious one. Between updating my shop, reading the forums & shopping for supplies, I'm on here daily.

This Life: I'll often spend 7 or 8 hours straight working on a painting, so I need lots of podcasts to keep my ADHD-addled brain occupied. This American Life is one of my favorites.

Bad At Sports: Another podcast focused on the art world, specifically in Chicago, that keeps me entertained. The hosts are so casual that it feels like hanging out with your friends rather than stuffy contemporary art critics.

Twitter: I post on Twitter regularly & check in dozens of times a day. I love it because I can stay in touch with people & share things about my day to day life that I wouldn't necessarily write an entire blog post about. I know a lot of people don't get it, but it's been great for me. I follow lots of other artists and local Vancouver folks, so I've been able to find out about all sorts of things that I would have normally missed.

Vancouver is Awesome: Speaking of local Vancouver folks, I love this site. From the best noodle bowl in the city to my new favorite off leash dog park, I have discovered a wealth of local Vancouver awesomeness via this site.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Make what you love. This is not to be confused with doing what you love because I don't think that's always true. Just because you like to bake pies doesn't mean you want to make 100 pies a day and market a pie business and deal with customers and overhead and taxes. Sometimes turning a passion into a business can drive the passion right out of it. This is why I say make what you love to make.

And, of course, promote yourself! It still feels awkward for me, but one of the best things I've done was to join an artist group. We meet every other week to share resources, do goal-setting and practice talking about our own work. It's been really helpful to get feedback in that kind of friendly environment.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I do think they're different, but the crafters have definitely upped their game in recent years. I think traditionally art would be
something that had a statement or point of view whereas craft was more about function. I think that gap is closing as crafters become more interested in expressing themselves and experimenting rather than doing it "right". I consider myself both an artist and a crafter. I love to paint, but I really want my work to be accessible to everyone; I'm thrilled to see my girls on magnets or pendants, and not just hung on the wall.

(photo images courtesy of A Cagey Bee)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

pomomama design - feature #4

Company: pomomama design
Name: Amanda
Website links: www.pomomamadesign.com



What do you make?
In a nutshell, I make jewelry and accessories from wire, metal and fibre, usually as wire crochet incorporating glass and gemstone beads with fibre elements. I also sew, knit and crochet with more traditional materials. Two new skills are art clay silver and metalwork which I hope to use more frequently.

What or who inspires you?
My parents' garden in Scotland (http://www.micklegarth.co.uk/), where I grew up, still inspires me. The fibre bug came about after meeting Tanis Alexis at the first Vancouver Etsy sellers meet up, way back in summer 2006. I got her felted cuff and handmade felt in the crafty gift swap. Artists Deebs and Kirsten Chursinoff both inspire further fibre adventures, and William Morris for the sheer beauty of design.



How did you get started?
I needed to mend the jewelry that my son was breaking! I was also homesick and wanted to wear some of the seaglass from Scotland and Northumberland brought with me to Canada. Once I got started I found that settling down with something crafty kept me occupied and relatively sane as a new mum.

My first creative adventures started with painting classes once my son could be left for more than an hour. First it was a “Mums' Night Out with Art” run by a local community centre, where we could try a new art technique each evening, and then a weekend course in colour theory. Sadly, the painting thing, even though I loved it, just didn't fit in with the SAHM schedule - my acrylics kept drying up when I had to attend to my son. It was very frustrating!

Following a house move from Vancouver, life got even more frustrating. As a diversion I took a beginner wirework class at my local bead shop and found that I could wire wrap my seaglass and wear it. Then I discovered Etsy and ebb and flo was born. My hobby had to be financially self-sufficient right from the start and selling online/at craft fairs seemed to work.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
wire .... any kind of wire that will yield to the crochet hook (artistic plated wire, sterling and fine silver, copper, brass), hand dyed roving (alpaca is a firm favourite), glass (handmade fused or beach glass)



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part is finding the time! I craft in, around and in spite of my family in an effort to stay sane ... but family life does come first. There just aren't enough hours in the day to pack it all in and by evening I'm often too tired to do anything other than snooze.

My favourite part of crafting is seeing something take shape in my hands where it has only existed in my head up until that moment. Usually it works (but there are some hideous apparitions best left in the closet ...). I also love selling in person - nothing beats seeing a buyer snatch up one your pieces and get totally excite about finding it! I have had some very passionate customer!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Flickr: it's great! an online gallery and portfolio (stick to the 'no selling' rulle though!) which you can blog from, order prints thru, join in social networking, make slideshows ...... need I go on?

Made By Hand. By ME: a great multi-purpose site but specifically for crafters. again, you can blog, promote, tweet, make wish lists, make spotlights (like the etsy treasury though not so tedious waiting for a slot to open up!)

Twitter: another multi-function social networking site (are you picking up a theme here? I try to be efficient with my time since it's in short supply). Within your twitterverse and with just a few widgets and applications you can publicise your blog and etsy, etc. listings, update your Facebook status, share interesting news items, promote yourself, and so on

Maille Artisans: I don't look at many how-to's for jewelry on the web but this site is a great one for learning new chainmaille weaves

Giant Hamster: I tweet with a capybara, what more can I say?

Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Keep a simple accounts sheet for your business, detailing all expenditure and incoming cash. It will help you plot what is working and where your profit is coming from (or being spent on). Do it right from the start! and be diligent!



Art vs. Craft - Are these terms different? Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I think inwardly there is no difference between the terms. If you consider that art is something that makes you feel accomplished or is beautiful/thought-provoking/satisfying then it's easy to apply to your own work. However, as an external label it's much more difficult to categorise. I think a lot of craft is art, but the distinction seems on a much more personal level. There certainly does seem to be a snobbish cachet about being considered an artist but since I never went to art school it probably flies right over my head.

I have occasionally been referred to as an artist but I'm not sure I would use that term myself. I’ve recently been accepted into a local artists’ cooperative so I guess I must be one! In my dreams it would be lovely to have my work be part of an exhibition - then I might openly refer to myself as an artist!

(photo images courtesy of Amanda / pomomama design)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.