I am so excited to present this interview for you. Why, it's none other than my blogger-friend, Karen, from WillOaks Studio on Etsy! First a little background about her. Armed with a background in professional art training as well as inherited creative genes, Karen has found her original love of hand made artisan papers evolved to creating wearable art. Soon to come in the future will be her own metal fabrication pieces and elements. Not only is her work constantly experiencing an evolution, but Karen considers it a personal evolution also. She will recognize the need to master a new technique or medium to incorporate into her work so that she has many options as her ideas for pieces keep evolving. While she is working in her studio to create these pieces, she listens to a variety of things from news programs to music to the ever-cherished silence. 
Now, we all hit creative road-blocks at one point or another. When I asked Karen how she deals with this, she told me that she accepts that it is a normal thing and that having several different things going at the same time tends to help. She will gather whatever information her conscious mind requires, then lets her subconscious mind take over to work the problem out. Karen told me a story about an old art professor that would not let his students get away with the 'I have a creative road-block'. His response? "If you call yourself an artist, you get into that studio every day, even if all you do is sweep the floor" In my opinion, very good advice! As Karen puts it, "The discipline of working can help dispel road blocks." Well, Karen, I couldn't have said it better myself!
Aqua Blossoms with Moonstones Earrings
As far as keeping ideas organized, Karen does what many of us do I am coming to find: scraps of paper, notes taped everywhere, the cherished sketchbook. I truly think it is amazing that artists can come up with some of the most wonderful pieces being as disorganized with ideas as artists can be! And we're not even talking about the studio here! Typically, Karen will show her pieces in a gallery or museum shows, but recently she has been showing them online and finds it a wonderful surprise. She has been working hard to create her online presence and learning all about selling online, keeping these tasks as creative as her work. Well, it is obviously working! In her professional artisan life, Karen has received awards for her paper making and plans to keep setting goals along those same lines in her new medium. She admits that the hardest thing for her is to find clientele for her new medium, however. If you think about it, wearable art is really different than paper making, so it may be difficult to transition those clients to a new medium. Karen also offers that her most productive marketing technique is the photographs of her pieces.
Rose and Olive Blossom Grand Floral Bracelet
To conclude the interview, I asked Karen if she had any advice for artisans just beginning their business. This is what she had to say:
..."as an artist and a teacher, the very foundation of this "art business" is an excellent product that is somehow special, inspired or different -- so my advice is focus on your creations first, second and third...and when they are good enough, then work to get them seen."
Thank you again, Karen, for allowing me to interview you. To see more of Karen's work, click on the pictures above to visit her Etsy shop. You can also visit her Artfire Shop and stop by Karen's blog to see what is going on behind the scenes.
Please comment if you liked this interview, retweet if you wish, and stay tuned next Thursday for another Featured Artisan!
..."as an artist and a teacher, the very foundation of this "art business" is an excellent product that is somehow special, inspired or different -- so my advice is focus on your creations first, second and third...and when they are good enough, then work to get them seen."
Thank you again, Karen, for allowing me to interview you. To see more of Karen's work, click on the pictures above to visit her Etsy shop. You can also visit her Artfire Shop and stop by Karen's blog to see what is going on behind the scenes.
Please comment if you liked this interview, retweet if you wish, and stay tuned next Thursday for another Featured Artisan!
