Ten Question Tuesday - Stonehouse Studio

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself!

My name is Betsy Baker. I've lived in Boston for the last 30 years or so. But I was born and raised in Latin America. I also traveled all over the world when I worked in the travel biz in my previous life. So I'm very much a citizen of the world.

When/how did you start your business?

About 5 years ago the travel department at the large advertising agency where I worked was centralized to another city. I opted to take a buyout package and devote myself full time to creating polymer jewelry. Best decision I ever made!

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I find it hard to tear myself away from the studio, but I make time to meet with other crafty friends, do lots of shows and try to get to the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) at least once a month. And, yeah, there's the dreaded gym...

What first made you want to become an artist?

I've been handy all my life, but never thought I had an artistic streak until I started fooling around with polymer clay one day. Talk about an artistic epiphany!

What inspires you?

Color, texture, dimension. One thing I've learned since devoting myself to my art is to really look at things. I might start at a twig for 5 minutes - my neighbors think I'm connecting with nature, but I'm really looking at all the shades of brown and gray!

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

The versatility of polymer clay. Is there anything you can't do with this stuff?

Where would we most likely find you working?

In my in-home studio. I live in a 160 year old row house in Charlestown, one of Boston's historic neighborhoods. It's a great place to work and create.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?

Classic rock. The louder the better.

What's your favorite thing right now?

Doing indie shows. I love the vibe and fellow vendors. And there's nothing like getting instant validation of your work. It's physically hard, though. That's why I go to the gym - to train for shows.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?

To never again be asked "Did you make all this?" and "How long did it take you to make this?"

You can check more of Betsy's work in her etsy shop http://stonehousestudio.etsy.com

Ten Question Tuesday - Lubu

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.

Hi there! I'm Jenn, but my friends call me Jenn Bot. I've been making polymer clay sculpts since I was a youngin', but recently my fiance, Tony, has joined me in my venture. Together we run lubu where we sell original sculpts, customzied toys, digital art, and in the near future, buttons.

When/how did you start your business?

I had just left my job at a day care center when I started to get back into creating with polymer clay. Like a lot of people, I randomly stumbled upon etsy while idly wasting time on the internet and the rest is history. For as long as I can remember I've made characters from polymer clay, so being able to share them for the past 4 years with people all over the globe feels really great.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

When I'm not physically creating things, I'm most likely brainstorming new ideas with Tony of what to create next. We constantly have to consciously take breaks from art because the last thing we want to do is burn out. So on our down time we love visiting the Cincinnati Zoo, the aquarium, and hitting up the local toy shop/record store for inspiration. We also love meeting up with our friends because it's so important to have a support system and be able to talk and laugh about things that aren't related to business. It keeps us grounded.

What first made you want to become an artist?

Whether I realized it at the time or not, I think I've always been an artist. It took me many years to be able to come to terms with calling myself an artist, but now it feels really nice to be able to own it.

What inspires you?

I have a passion for vinyl art toys and the toy scene. I also love the colorful and kawaii nature of Japanese culture. But the most inspirational place I have ever been is Walt Disney World. As soon as I'm on property I can feel the creativity pulsing and it really charges me up. Every single thing about Disney World plays into an overall story and I love it. In fact, it inspires me to the point where I actually yearn to go back over and over again!

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

I love being able to bring to life the characters that live in my mind. Whether they come to fruition as a polymer clay piece, a graphic, or a customized toy, it always makes me proud to see them looking back at me. I often wonder how they interact with one another when I'm not looking.

Where would we most likely find you working?

I spend hours at my bright red peanut shaped desk nestled between two windows in the corner of our mash-up studio/bedroom. All of my materials are at my fingertips and I'm a stone's throw from Tony's workspace. Our work setup encourages collaboration between the two of us and we find that it works well for us.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?

My music selection is always changing, but when I find something I like I tend to listen to it until I can't tolerate it anymore. It's kind of a vicious cycle! Currently I'm really big on Sleigh Bells and Pomplamoose, but I'm always up for some Dave Matthews Band, Guster, Muse or Ben Folds. Though if I'm being truly honest, I can't help but get hooked on really cheesy pop music as well. Katy Perry or Lady Gaga, anyone?

What's your favorite thing right now?

It's hard to choose just one favorite thing, but I think I'll choose something both Tony and I have in common which is hoarding-I mean collecting-vinyl toys. One of our many dreams is to have one of my sculpts turned into an art toy, so we have shelves packed with them. Each toy carries a story sharing a little bit about the artist, the character and the artist's inspiration and I love that.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?

It always upsets me to hear people degrade artists for selling their wares for "too much" when they're obviously uninformed about the time, effort and heart that go into creating handmade items. Pricing can be a tricky subject for artists, but I truly wish we could price our items at what we feel they're worth and have that be acceptable to others. Artists shouldn't have to be starving artists!

You can check out more of Jenn Bot's work in her etsy shop.

Ten Question Tuesday - Studio Tuesday

Hello! Who are you? Give us the 411 about yourself.

My name is David Scheier. I am a painter and work mostly in watercolor. Some of my work is detailed and realistic and some is more illustrative and whimsical. I am a MICA grad of 2004 (painting). I now live outside of Washington DC where I work as an electrician (and create and sell artwork).

When/how did you start your business?

I started slowly, first only selling originals and taking on commissions every so often. My business became more serious when I invested in a nice printer and started selling prints locally and on etsy.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I love spending time outdoors; birdwatching, hiking, collecting fossils, exploring and such.

What first made you want to become an artist?

I've always had a need to create things. Seeing the joy it brings to other people is a big part of it as well.

What inspires you?

Recently I am inspired by nature and the outdoors. I paint a lot of things I see and collect during my outdoor adventures.

What's your favorite thing about your craft?

I like all different techniques and effects you can achieve with such a simple medium like watercolor. Honestly, I also like how there is little clean up - I can pick it up or leave it whenever I want.

Where would we most likely find you working?

In my apartment, on the kitchen table, which is hardly used for eating.

What's your favorite music to listen to while you work?

A good mix, but my favorites are Neil Young, Tom Petty and Springsteen.

What's your favorite thing right now?

Hmmm....birds.

If you could have one wish granted for the craft community, what would it be?

That everyone respect and learn from each other, which I think we are pretty good at.

You can check out more of David's work in his etsy shop