Frequently Asked Questions at Art Fairs - "How long did it take you to make this?"

One of the questions I am frequently asked when I am exhibiting at an art fair is "how long did it take you to make this piece". Yes, any of us who do shows hear this often no matter what medium we are in. Some artists roll their eyes, others have witty responses like "it has taken me 40 years to perfect my art", but for me it is an opportunity to explain what goes into the piece. It is not only the number of hours that it takes to assemble the design, but all the steps along the way to even get to that point. So I thought I would take a moment to illustrate the process that I go through when developing new designs.

The Collection

Before I even begin working on the specific designs I develop the palettes that will be in the collection. I create a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collection.  The process starts with tracking color and fashion trends for the season and using various websites for research including Pantone and Fashion Trendsetters just to name a few and also attending fashion trade shows. For me I also use Pinterest and pin colors that attract me which could be in any form including nature photos, fabric swatches, artwork, food, etc. It sometimes helps me to break that creative block and you never know when inspiration will strike!

The Designs

My designs are always evolving but there are various elements that remain constant. My work has an asymmetrical look to them and I consider my pieces a composition. There are elements of color, movement, and texture that come together to create an interesting piece. When creating new designs I take time to sketch out rough ideas. Actually I do that on a regular basis and always have some sort of scrap paper with me for those times that I have an idea and know I will lose it if I wait!

The Process

The image above illustrates the various steps that it takes to make a bead. I always get asked "how long does it take to make a bead"? There are many steps and types of beads so it is hard to determine how long one takes! Besides making the beads they also have to be cleaned which is my least favorite part of the process. Somehow standing over a sink with a Dremel cleaning beads one by one is not the most exciting thing in the world. After the beads are sparkly clean I "size" them which is the process of matching "pairs" that will be used in earrings and the rest will be used in other pieces. I call this part of the process TV work since I can do it watching my favorite programs.

Below is my assembly area. It is our family kitchen table from the 50's and a perfect size. I guess you could say I still work at the kitchen table! I have a hard time keeping it neat and tidy.. mainly because when it is I seem to get a creative block. It's like staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper. But also I like it that way because sometimes happy accidents happen and I will find new color combinations or designs because the beads and components come together in ways I hadn't imagined.

And then the finished designs! It is satisfying for me to stand in my booth and realize that somehow it all comes together. And then there is the other question I hear frequently... "did you make all this?"...um...YES!