Sewn paper towel. Why not?

Scultpure of the day (yesterday, really).

Art School 101: A sculpture a day

Art School 101: A sculpture a day

Entrepreneur talk: db clay wallets

We had the pleasure of having Garet Stenson join our class on Wednesday the 19^th. Garet ran a successful handmade wallet business a few years ago and offered nuggets of information and suggestions for those of us who are interested in entrepreneurship.

If I were to look back at this record five years from now, I want to remember:

-To get quality control agreements in place in case of defective equipment.

-When you can, personally sell your product face-to-face with the consumer (rather than via internet or by another employee); You can interact with your consumers, see what demographic they are coming from, you can prod them for what they are attracted to, what they use their wallets for, is it for themselves or a gift, and if it’s a gift, who is it for and what are they like? Garet pointed out that this kind of market research was simple as the consumers come to you, and you can also develop your product and understand your target market.    

-“Don’t ever give a personal guarantee…” Garet couldn’t emphasize this enough. It seems he learned the hard way that a personal guarantee doesn’t cover anything.

-Start high with price; it’s easier to lower your prices over time rather than raise them. This statement seemed so obvious but I want to make sure I remember it. So I write it down.

-Trademark the brand if you can’t patent the item/technique.

It was very exciting to have someone speak with the class who had experience starting, running, and even closing his own business. I feel more confident in myself and am more aware of the pitfalls that can destroy a successful business. I still have hope that DB Clay will come back. Thanks Garet!

Etsy Conference

September 17, 2011

I had the opportunity to attend the I Heart Portland Etsy conference this Saturday. Arriving at the venue, I didn’t know what to expect because prior to entering my MFA program a month ago, I had no clue was Etsy was. Ok, it’s a website where people make stuff and sell it. If I were to say this to anyone at the conference I would’ve been slapped with glares of contempt and dishonor. Approaching the entrance at 8:45am, there was already a line of people that led to the end of the block, many of whom were sporting their own handmade hats, jewelry and bags in hopes that “…please, god, someone please comment on my shoe tassels so I can talk about them!” That being said, there were also some pretty impressive crafted items that showed up.

Once inside, there were a selection of workshops to could attend, and I chose “Tasty Branding” primarily because it seemed the most relevant to what I need to focus on in my own endeavors. Aside from the presenter’s apparent fear of speaking and near Seinfeld-level low-talker quality (remember the Puffy Shirt episode), the workshop had some valuable tidbits of information I will be working on. The presenter had been running her own business that helps upstarting companies develop a brand; she seemed to know what she was talking about. Of all of the information we received, here were my take-aways:

-Brand is not a look, it is a feeling.
-A successful brand has a connection to the maker.
-A successful brand LEADS WITH ITS VALUE, not its price.
-Be very specific in terms of goals, (In 5 years I will have increased my profits by 20%) and then break down what it will take to reach that goal.
-Being handmade isn’t unique (at least in Portland)! Don’t use it as a selling point.
-”Don’t take them to the clearance section of your business.” You provide quality. Stand by it.

BOMBed

Photobombing - the act of sneaking into the frame of someone's photo. Example:

Web update!!!!

A new version of www.hauffportfolio.com is being uploaded as I type this message! Check it and and test the email link, lemme know of kinks and what-not. There are a few things that aren't ready (some of the project links) but they will be soon.

:D

Entrepreneurial Blog #1: Why were you attracted to the entrepreneurial studies component of the MFA PNCA + OCAC program and what do you hope to get out of it?

The entrepreneurial component of the MFA in Applied Craft and Design program was very appealing when applying to PNCA + OCAC. After studying psychology and unhappily working in the field, I finally admitted to myself that, instead, I wanted to work with my hands and create objects through a creative and thoughtful process. With this, I had also come to terms that I would probably be paying back student loans into my retirement years and living off a modest salary.

Having never taken a business class before, this component of the program is incredibly essential to my idea of a successful future. I want to be able to support myself with whatever I end up making, which, of course, is to be determined. I don't want what I've learned in this program to become a side-operation (maybe at first) but rather to be a full-time endeavor. I hope to learn how to develop my own unique image, how to market my work, how to write grants and proposals as well as where to find them, and whatever else I stumble upon in the course. I am interested in collaborating with others as soon as this year, and not necessarily other artists (can I call myself this yet?!).

Finding funds to travel and study is also an important aspect of my “successful future” that I am hoping to learn more about in this course. I imagine that by talking with the instructors/entrepreneurs as well as outside businesses I can get schooled on how they developed themselves as successful and ask for any suggestions they may have for getting started.

A FINISHED Library

My new mentor at the PNCA + OCAC

Introducing Arcy Douglass. This guy is so much smarter/creative-er/confident-er than me some of it ought to rub off, eh?

A new library...only one day left!

oh yea!

Caarrrisp!!!!

More Progress! - A new library for teens

All about paint. Team Big Paint is on schedule.

Starting the entry way.

Adding paint to the bookshelf area.

Progress! - A new library for teens

Painting swatches to pick our palette. The furniture and diorama group are at the studio working away.

Starting the stripes. The goal was to disguise the cells rooms, which aren't being used other than storage and dioramas.

Our actual room had a tan big wall. Trying to reuse materials, the old bookshelves are moved in.

View of the entry way.