Share What You Know

I’m a big believer in this simple statement. I’ve learned a great deal from others and I’m always happy to share whatever I can. If you’ve ever contacted me to ask about my laser cutter, tips on opening an Etsy shop, or are curious about needle felting, you know this to be true. In the coming weeks, I have several unique opportunities to share my skills and experience with you!

Needle felting workshops: 

https://www.artcentergreenville.org/artschool-adults

I’m teaching two needle felting classes this summer at Greenville Center for Creative Arts. Each session is suitable for any experience level (ages 8+). The first class (June 9th) will focus on 3D needle felting, and the second class (June 30th) will focus on 2D felting. All materials are provided. Space is limited and registration opens Friday May 5th.

The State of Making online summit:

https://academyofhandmade.com/thestateofmaking/

Are you an artist, small business owner, or just curious about the maker life? I highly recommend checking out The State of Making, which is a yearly conference made possible by Academy of Handmade. I’m one of the speakers on Day 1 (Thursday, May 3rd) and I’ll be talking shop and sharing what I’ve learned about the Etsy economy, diversifying your income streams, and keeping your chin up when you’re having a down year. Registration is FREE!

Artist in Residence Daily Documentaries:

www.video.onceagainsam.com

I’m starting to pack my bags (which are mostly full of art supplies) in preparation for my upcoming South Carolina state park residency. This amazing opportunity is giving me the chance to live in a beautiful state park for a week and create a body of work inspired by my surroundings. I’ll be sharing photos and going live on Instagram and Facebook daily, as well as posting a video journal (WIFI permitting) on YouTube so be sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss an episode. You’ll get up close and personal as I explore the park, create art in real time, and you’ll see the ups and downs of my creative process. The work created during the residency will be exhibited in mid June at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, SC. 

Spring 2018 Launches

During the winter months of 2018, I often found myself playing with paint in the studio. I made time to practice each week, invested in new brushes, and even took an intro to alcohol inks class at Greenville Center for Creative Arts in March. I’ve been inspired by the medium! The textural and graphic possibilities of paint have greatly influenced my new jewelry collections this spring. I’m excited to finally share these new additions to my Etsy shop with you. Each piece is an original one-of-a-kind, but thanks to the simple settings and delicate scale, they’re easy to incorporate into your everyday-style.

See the process in my new Maker's Eye View video on YouTube!

Alcohol Ink Collection: drips and splatters showcasing beautiful unpredictable patterns in colorful dyes, frozen in time on clear acrylic.

Mixed Media Collection: clear acrylic layered with crumbled gold leaf, pale pink paint with stark black accents, framed in a variety of simple metal bezels and laser etched wooden settings.

Intro to Alcohol Inks

Never stop learning new things. That’s a lifelong goal of mine, and I’ve made a habit of taking art classes whenever possible. Recently, I carved out a Saturday afternoon for the Intro to Alcohol Inks class at Greenville Center for Creative Arts with Dottie Bruce. It was a 6 hour workshop but the time just flew by!

After demonstrations and tips for working with the medium, we had the chance to work with the diluted dyes on smooth paper and ceramic tile. Alcohol ink is a fairly new trend, but I think it’s going to be very popular! Concentrated dyes are mixed with rubbing alcohol to water them down, and must be used on a smooth surface like yupo paper, acrylic, or other glass and plastic surfaces. You don’t have full control over what the ink will do, where it will go, how it will mix, but that’s sort of the beauty of it (from a beginner's perspective, at least).

I had a blast painting landscapes of course, had a hard time with the botanicals, and was soothed by watching the drips run and mix together with the other colors in abstract ways. The ink dries so fast, it creates these really cool outlines of color that you can’t really get with other mediums. It’s a forgiving medium as well - if you don’t like something, you just wipe it off with alcohol. Pretty easy to start over if something is looking disastrous! I will definitely be experimenting with this medium in the future...just as soon as my alcohol ink starter kit arrives in the mail!

**UPDATE**

The ink has arrived and I've already created my first collection of alcohol ink jewelry. Check them out in my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnceAgainSam?ref=seller-platform-mcnav&section_id=7186713

Don't miss this Maker's Eye View time-lapse video showing the process: https://youtu.be/dEpDtySa78w

Commissioning Artwork FAQ

Commissioning a piece of original art may be intimidating if you've never done it before. There’s so many unknowns. Will it look like what you envisioned? How much will it cost? How long does it take? Is the artist you have in mind currently taking on custom requests?

I wouldn’t want any of my customers to feel this way or to rule out custom orders because they’re unsure about the process. Commissioning art can be an enjoyable experience so I thought I’d share how I personally handle commissions and answer some FAQ. A huge part of my handmade business is custom work, so I welcome special requests!

Q: I’m interested in commissioning a wool landscape painting. What do I need to do?

A: Send me a message via Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, or contact form to get the conversation started. If you have a photo you’d like me to use as a reference for the piece, please include that. We'll work out the size, frame choice, deadline, and go from there. Pricing depends on size and complexity of the piece, but a good ballpark budget number for custom felted landscapes is $2 per square inch. For example, an 8x10 scene would typically run $160, which includes the frame.

Q: I saw something in your Etsy shop or Instagram that I liked, but I want it in another color (or a slightly different design, size, etc.).

A: No problem! Nearly all of my jewelry can be customized, and often times the fiber art can be recreated or tweaked to be a specific size, alternate color range, etc.

Q: Do I pay before or after the work is done?

A: 99% of the time I’ll request payment upfront. This goes for jewelry, fiber art, or any other custom orders. Once I’ve received payment, your order will be added to my list and I complete them in order of payment received (unless there’s a specific deadline previously discussed).

Q: Does a custom order cost more?

A: Not necessarily! The price is usually the same, but it may take a few days longer to create, depending on the request and if I need to special order materials.

Q: Do you offer proofs or photos prior to shipping a custom order?

A: I typically don’t do this for custom jewelry, ornaments, or smaller items. However, for the custom wool landscapes, I’m happy to to show you progress pictures upon request.

Q: Do you offer discounts on bulk orders? 

A: When it comes to jewelry, yes, I'm happy to work with you on the total price if you're ordering 10 or more pieces. When it comes to the fiber art, the price is firm. Needle felting is a very tedious process and this is the reason my fiber art work never goes on sale online or at events.

 Q: The piece I wanted to buy has already sold. Can you make another?

A: Probably so! I don't mind recreating pieces (although they'll always be slightly different than the original because they're handmade). If you see something that's sold, get in touch and I'll let you know if I can recreate something similar. 

A quick run down of do’s and don’t when commissioning art:

DON’T commission artists to knock off other artist’s work. It’s not cool, and it’s no fair.

DO ask artists for references or examples of past work if you’re unsure if they’re the right person for the job.

DON’T expect the artist to deliver the finished piece in person, even if they’re local.   

DO ask for progress images if you’re particular about the composition, materials, etc.

DON’T be afraid to be specific if you have a certain size, look, or deadline in mind. Share that with the artist from the start so they can accommodate your wishes.

DO allow the artist to do what they do best and embrace their process. The finished piece will surely look different than what you had in your mind, but hopefully it’ll be even better than what you imagined.

Fibers of the South

Things may have appeared to be quiet on the needle felting front these last few months, but I assure you, lots of fiber art has been in the works. Ever since the beginning of 2017, after the craziness of the holidays and tradeshow season subsided, I started working on a series I’d been daydreaming about for about for months. The series only recently received a name, but it’s been on my mind and in my hands for some time.

“Fibers of the South” is a collection of 50 wool paintings featuring landscape scenes from all over this beautiful state I call home. When I moved to South Carolina in 2010, I was in awe of the wide range of beautiful scenery here. We’ve got majestic mountains layered in colors in the Upstate, we’ve got wide open spaces in the Midlands covered in amazing texture, and we’ve got these elaborate patterns of marshes and waterways in the Lowcountry. There’s so much beauty in every corner of this state! My landscape series is a tribute to these places, done in a medium near & dear to my crafty heart.

I’ve been a needle felter for nearly 10 years, sculpting 3D plants, animals, faux taxidermy, and even anatomical hearts. Only recently have I tried my hand at 2D work. My first felted landscape attempts came about last year, thanks to a #CreativeSprint challenge, and I did a trial run with a limited collection of small-scale pieces framed in embroidery hoops and simple wood boxes last fall for Indie Craft Parade.

Fibers of the South takes the idea to the next level, particularly in size. My new landscapes are 4 to 10 times the size of those first pieces! Working this large has been a wonderful challenge, and it also allowed me to collaborate with my woodworker husband to create beautiful shadow box frames custom made for these fiber art pieces. I’m thrilled with how the collection turned out!

From August 5th-19th, my series will make it’s debut at an exhibit at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, SC. The final day of Fibers of the South, I’ll also have a handmade jewelry trunk show at the gallery.

Curious to see the process? Checkout this #MakersEyeView on my YouTube channel.

If you want to see the WHOLE process, not just time lapse, stop by the gallery (16 Aiken Street, Greenville SC) on Saturday August 5th between 11 and 3 to see my live felting demo. I'm also planning to do a live stream on social media so tune in on Instagram @onceagainsam

For a sneak peak at the collection, click through the image gallery below. If you see one you like, please contact the gallery directly to purchase. They will be glad to ship if you're not in Greenville!