The Mentor: Susan Kasson Sloan, jewelry artist and teacher.
The Lesson Learned: Ask for guidance from someone who knows.
In 2003 I took a two week workshop at
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts with epoxy resin artist extraordinaire
Susan Kasson Sloan. Not only was the workshop life changing in terms of my work and the introduction and development of the epoxy techniques I employ in my work to this day, but also because it was my first real experience with something crucial to my business… establishing my prices.
It was the last day of the workshop and there was a school wide "exhibition" held throughout each craft department, exemplifying the fruits of our labor - two weeks worth of uninterrupted, focused devotion to our various crafts. During the exhibition, I was approached by a woman interested in purchasing (GASP!) one of the bracelets I had made (the very first of the eye bracelets,
Eyes in Line)…
I was caught off guard for a couple reasons. One: I was dumbfounded that I had an opportunity to actually
make money at a workshop I had barely scraped together enough money to take, and two: because I had absolutely NO IDEA what to charge her!
…Susan to the rescue! Susan was/is amazing, as an artist and a teacher. She keeps it real and is so confident, and accessible and easy to talk to. She taught me more in those two weeks than most of my college professors did in four years. When I told her someone was interested in one of my pieces and asked her what I should charge, she was very frank and did not hesitate at all with what she thought the bracelet was worth. Ultimately, I have no idea how she came up with that number but I suspect like most of us, she used a completely arbitrary pricing system and chose the number roughly based on my level of experience, the originality of the design and, well, other completely random factors. Regardless, it was a starting point for me. I quoted the woman the price Susan suggested and without hesitation she wrote me a check. From then on, I had my price point. I knew the approximate amount I should charge for a bracelet based on the advice of someone who knew the field. And thus my pricing structure began.
It's changed quite a bit since then, but if I hadn't asked someone who has had more experience with pricing jewelry art I would've been clueless as to where to begin and I might have been all over the place, either charging too much or too little. Pricing can be one of the most difficult tasks, but once you get to a place where you know the general range for which your work will sell it starts to feel a little less daunting. Art is worth what someone will pay for it after all. So thank you Susan, for your help in getting me started, in more ways than one.
(Susan came to my first big exhibition opening in 2004 at
Julie Artisan's Gallery in NYC and brought me a Barbie doll as a gift - too sweet!)
I surprised this client with a quote on the back that reads…
This weekend I finished up the custom POP smile necklace I've been working on and am pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully my customer will be too! She requested an adjustable extender chain for the cast hand clasp which worked out great. I decided to embellish the end of the necklace with a blood coral drop to tie in the red resin and complete the chain:
A messy overview of my epoxy table - custom works in progress.
Custom Shedding Tears necklace for a client, drying resin: first round.
Custom POP Smile necklace in progress, drying resin: first round.
This is a new POP smile necklace I started a while back, but the shape just isn't working yet. I need to play around with it some more this weekend and get it to look more "organic" (for lack of a better word.)
…Ken's 6 Pack Abs! I have lots of ideas for designs using this body part, but first and foremost, a 6 Pack Cocktail Ring is definitely in order. Stay tuned :-)
Chicago jewelry artist Alley Maranto contacted me recently and I was amazed I was not previously aware of her beautiful and intriguing jewelry work! Alley uses resin and often found objects in her hand-crafted pieces. I am especially drawn to her rings. I love how the gold elements seem to just glow. I'm really into gold/black color combinations these days and Alley's designs are lush and inspiring.
You may purchase her work on her recently opened etsy shop. I recommend also browsing her website to view her entire gorgeous collection.
New York jewelry artist Vivi Sun's resin work really caught my eye (via carrotbox). Her pieces are so wildly textured and deliciously hued they make me want to eat (or at least nibble) them…
Vivi has an etsy shop and when I "hearted her" as a favorite she contacted me and mentioned Susan Sloan, (resin queen and one of my mentors.) Turns out Susan had shown a slide of my work in a class at the 92nd st Y that Vivi was attending. How cool is that? Small world! You can check out more of Vivi Sun's lovely work on her website.
What her Smile Meant, Pin
Take My Hand, Pin
I also added a few new pairs of earrings on etsy, so if you're interested you can check them out here.
Queen E. Necklace
The Kiss Necklace
Like Breathing Necklace
Alice's Moon Necklace
Red Lipstick Brooch
The Whisper Brooch
Smile Ring, blue
Smile Ring, aqua
Smile Ring, green
I was caught off guard for a couple reasons. One: I was dumbfounded that I had an opportunity to actually make money at a workshop I had barely scraped together enough money to take, and two: because I had absolutely NO IDEA what to charge her!
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